Raymond L. Kotcher

 Raymond L. Kotcher (Ray) is the CEO and a Senior Partner of the PR firm Ketchum.

According a a Ketchum biographical note Kotcher "joined Ketchum in 1983 as a Vice President, and was promoted to President in 1992. He took over his chief executive responsibilities in June 2000." 

"Mr. Kotcher is a member of PR Seminar, the Arthur W. Page Society, The Wisemen and a board member of the Institute for Public Relations. He also serves as a member of the Department of Communication Advisory Council for the College of Charleston," his biogrpahical note.

In an article in PR Influences, a newsletter published by the Australian affiliate of Ketchum, Kotcher commented on a new Ketchum program designed to identify 'influencers'. "Part of the problem stemmed from an age-old conundrum: There are some things a company simply couldn't say about itself with any credibility. But others – outsiders- could if only we could convince them," he said. 

In the aftermath of the controversy over Ketchum's contract with Armstrong Williams, in written responses to questions from PR Week, Kotcher insisted that Williams promoted the governments No Child Left Behind legislation "with other media outlets on his own initiative." 

As O'Dwyers points out it was a requirement under Williams contract with Ketchum that he use his media appearances and connections to promote the govenments changes. "Mr. Williams shall utilize his long term working relationship with America's Black Forum, where he appears as a guest commentator, to encourage the producers to periodically address the NCLB Act (67 million viewers; reach 87% of urban market)," the contract states. 


 * Director, We Are Family Foundation

Other SourceWatch resources

 * Armstrong Williams