Fleishman-Hillard International Advisory Board

Fleishman-Hillard International Advisory Board is a panel of high-profile former government, military and corporate officials which the PR firm describes as "a powerful client resource." While F-H don't disclose what they pay the members of the board, a former member Leon Panetta, disclosed in confirmation hearings on his nomination to head the Central Intelligence Agency that he had been paid $120,000 in 2008 for serving on the board.

Role and Membership
On its website, Fleishman-Hillard states that "in addition to providing strategic counsel to our staff and clients, these Fleishman-Hillard ambassadors:
 * Author Op-Ed pieces.
 * Serve as guest speakers at client events.
 * Participate in meetings with clients and prospects.
 * Provide counsel to clients — in person, via video, or through calls to decision-makers."

As of February 2009, it listed the members of the board as being :


 * David Byrne, Former European commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection, Special Envoy to the World Health Organization
 * Andrew Card, Former White House Chief of Staff;
 * Anna Chennault, Chairman of CIC, Inc;
 * Admiral Vernon Clark, Former Chief of U.S. naval operations
 * Keki B. Dadiseth, Former Chairman of Hindustan Unilever and former Director of Unilever’s Home & Personal Care operations worldwide;
 * Newt Gingrich, Former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives
 * Shoichiro Irimajiri, Consultant and Adviser, Former Senior Executive of Honda Motor Co.
 * Mickey Kantor, Former U.S. Secretary of Commerce and U.S. Trade Representative;
 * Dr. David Kessler, Former Commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
 * Gen. Barry McCaffrey, National Security and Terrorism Analyst for NBC News;
 * Sir Christopher Meyer, Former British ambassador to the United States
 * John Onoda, Former Senior Communications Executive of Charles Schwab, Visa USA, General Motors, and Levi Strauss & Co.
 * Tom Ridge, Former Pennsylvania Governor and Homeland Security Secretary
 * Christine Shipley, Editor and Publisher of the DEMOletter
 * Dr. Louis W. Sullivan, Former U.S. Surgeon General, President of Morehouse School of Medicine
 * Pete Wilson, Former U.S. Senator and California Governor

2007 Members
On its website in October 2007, Fleishman-Hillard also listed as members of the advisory board ;
 * Leon Panetta, Former White House Chief of Staff
 * David Peterson, Former leader of the Ontario Liberal Party and Ontario Legislature.

These members were replaced by David Byrne and Andrew Card, though the date of the changes is not clear.

Related SourceWatch Articles

 * Public relations firms