Alumni Spotlight – Tom Pompei

As a senior manager at Fleishman Hillard, Montclair State graduate Tom Pompei is in charge of a varied list of responsibilities at the New York City-based public relations agency. Pompei manages a team on a number of accounts as well as assists in his organization’s efforts to grow Fleishman Hillard.

“I manage a team that does everything from content strategy and creation to influencer marketing for brands like Chase, Cadillac, Bacardi, Grey Goose and Samsung,” Pompei explained. “The other part of my job is new business; so I work with other colleagues across the Fleishman network to bring new brands into our digital portfolio.”

Pompei noted how the public relations industry continues to change and practitioners must continue to evolve and be knowledgeable of every aspect of the industry due to the increased competition from all areas of communication.

“The best PR campaigns are inherently integrated to include media relations, influencer relations, digital and social media and research analytics,” Pompei said. “The way we measure success has changed; the challenge is to have baseline knowledge of everything, even if you are going to be an expert in only one or two areas.”

A former Public Relations Student Society of America member, Pompei graduated from Montclair State in 2006 with a BA degree in Communication Studies with a concentration in public relations. Pompei credited some of Montclair’s public relations-specific classes with readying him to step into an entry-level position after graduation.

“Just having a head start on things like writing a pitch or a press release was valuable and took some of the pressure off,” Pompei explained. “All my professors made a lot of those classes fun and educational for everyone.”

After graduating from Montclair State, Pompei soon landed a position with a small, local public relations agency in the area. There, Pompei worked on accounts to help launch children’s toys, including Tickle Me Elmo. From there, he moved to M. Booth located in Manhattan, where he also assisted in product launches for brands such as Hershey, GE and American Express. After years of witnessing the industry evolve, Pompei moved on to Fleishman Hillard, where he has now been for four years.

“I really had a passion for digital communications and more specifically the role social media was starting to play in brand building and awareness,” Pompei said.

After ten years in public relations, Pompei has witnessed first-hand how the industry has changed and continues to change. From working at a small local agency to becoming a senior manager at a global firm, Pompei has learned some valuable lessons.

“In this industry, you can make very good money, but it will probably take at least a few years,” Pompei said. “With that said, if your first job out of school is one where you are surrounded with the right people and the right environment to learn and grow, then stay put.”