Biography
As a working journalist, Walt held a range of positions at a daily newspaper, including general assignment and police and courts reporter, entertainment editor, copy desk chief, city editor and managing editor. The discipline of daily journalism provided him with a skill set of clear, concise and fast writing; pointed editing; and an ability to quickly assess complex situations.
In 1996, Walt made the transition from journalism to public relations, joining the St. Louis headquarters office of Fleishman-Hillard International Communications. He worked for a range of clients including Emerson, UPS and SBC Communications (now AT&T), providing media relations and strategic counsel. In 2003 he began working on-site in the Corporate Communications group at SBC, coordinating regional media activities and supporting corporate media programs, including the mergers that combined SBC, AT&T Corp., BellSouth, and Cingular Wireless into the new AT&T. He designed and managed AT&T’s successful labor relations communications program in 2009, coordinating communications around the largest labor contract negotiations in the nation that year.
In 2010, Walt moved from Fleishman-Hillard to VOX Global, where he continues to support AT&T in the public policy arena, based at AT&T’s corporate headquarters in Dallas.
Walt has a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature from Drew University in Madison, N.J. , and a Bachelor of Science degree in journalism from Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville.
He is a U.S. Army veteran, having served as a lieutenant of infantry.
Walt and his wife, Bonnie, are inveterate collectors – everything from antiques to artwork and newspaper memorabilia (would you believe 25 rulers with newspaper names) to presidential busts (Republicans, Democrats and Federalists are on different shelves to minimize squabbling). Walt draws on his collection of 100 or so cufflinks just about every day.