Richard S. Kline

Richard S. Kline is the manager of Fleishman-Hillard's Los Angeles office. He was appointed in late 2004 following revelations that Fleishman-Hillard had overbilled the Los Angeles Power and Water Department on its PR contract.

In March 2005, the Desert Sun reported that Kline had managed PR crises for "SBC Communications; GATX Corp., which dealt with a 1989 fuel pipeline explosion in San Bernardino that killed six people; and even at his own agency".

Asked to comment on rebuilding after a crisis Kline said "You have to avoid overreacting, because there are people who try to drag any organization into irrelevant arguments".

"You have to get lines of communication open both internally and externally. Sitting on the sidelines isn't an option." If the issue was an ethical lapse Kline suggested that what was needed was an ethics training program. "Any organization must approach these kinds of issues with absolute integrity, and with openness to change if it is appropriate and necessary," he said.

Other SourceWatch resources

 * Crisis management
 * Fleishman-Hillard & the controversy on overbilling the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power