Robert E. Hillard (November 17, 1917 – March 15, 2000) was an American businessman, public relations executive, and former journalist who co-founded Fleishman–Hillard with his friend and business partner Alfred Fleishman.

Early life and education

Born and raised in

Saint Paul, Minnesota Saint Paul (often abbreviated St. Paul) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Minnesota and the county seat of Ramsey County, Minnesota, Ramsey County. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, ...

, Hillard graduated

Phi Beta Kappa The Phi Beta Kappa Society () is the oldest academic honor society in the United States. It was founded in 1776 at the College of William & Mary in Virginia. Phi Beta Kappa aims to promote and advocate excellence in the liberal arts and sciences, ...

and ''summa cum laude'' from the

University of Minnesota The University of Minnesota Twin Cities (historically known as University of Minnesota) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul, Twin Cities of Minneapolis and Saint ...

with a bachelor's degree in journalism.

Career

After graduating from college, he worked as a reporter for the '' Des Moines Register and Tribune'', after which he moved to the '' St. Louis Star-Times''. Hillard served as a

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...

Lieutenant in the Pacific during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. Shortly after the war, he and Fleishman decided to go into business together – the two having met years earlier when Hillard covered the civil courts for the ''Star-Times'', while Fleishman served as deputy court clerk. The firm's first offices were in modest quarters above a St. Louis

Woolworth's Woolworth, Woolworth's, or Woolworths may refer to: Businesses Australia and New Zealand * Woolworths Group (Australia), the largest retail company in Australia and New Zealand; named after the American F.W. Woolworth company, but unrelated * W ...

store. In the early years, Hillard served as the thinker, strategist, writer, and office manager for the venture while Fleishman focused on working in the community and building the business. Union Electric (now Ameren UE of St. Louis) and

Anheuser-Busch Anheuser-Busch Companies, LLC ( ) is an American brewing company headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri. Since 2008, it has been wholly owned by Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV (AB InBev), now the world's largest brewing company, which owns multiple ...

were its first clients. Hillard stepped down as the firm's CEO in 1974, but remained active with the company and its clients until his retirement in 1982. His civic activities included presidency of the Urban League of St. Louis, as well as active involvement with the Health and Welfare Council of Metropolitan St. Louis and the Logos School of St. Louis. In 1996, Hillard and Fleishman received special lifetime achievement awards from the influential industry publication, Inside PR (now The Holmes Report.) In 1998, Hillard received a special distinguished Alumni Award from the ''

Minnesota Daily The ''Minnesota Daily'' is the campus newspaper of the University of Minnesota, published Monday and Thursday while school is in session, and published weekly on Wednesdays during summer sessions. Published since 1900, the paper is currently the ...

,'' the University of Minnesota newspaper, where he served as editor-in-chief in 1938 and 1939. In the years following his retirement, Hillard remained active in preserving the culture of the firm he co-founded, serving as Fleishman-Hillard’s unofficial company historian and writing a column for the firm’s employee newsletter.

Personal life

Hillard died in March 2000 at his home in

Caledonia, Missouri Caledonia is a village in southern Washington County, Missouri, Washington County, Missouri, United States. The population was 131 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Caledonia is located east of Belgrade, Missouri, Belgrade. History ...

. He was 82.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hillard, Robert E. 1917 births 2000 deaths University of Minnesota School of Journalism and Mass Communication alumni Businesspeople from Saint Paul, Minnesota Businesspeople from St. Louis People from Washington County, Missouri American public relations people 20th-century American businesspeople