Harold Burson

Harold Burson, one of the world’s most successful public relations practitioners, will be honored Friday, February 18 when Boston University’s College of Communication (COM) helps him celebrate his 90th birthday with a symposium beginning at 1 p.m. in the Colloquium Room of the Photonics Center (8 St. Mary’s Street, Boston).  The event is free and open to the public.

Burson co-founded Burson-Marsteller, a leading public relations agency, with Bill Marsteller in 1953 and has been credited with introducing integrated communication marketing to public relations practice. Throughout his career, Burson has supported public relations research and education, developing training programs and mentoring young professionals. His company has a long history of collaboration with BU and has hired many Boston University COM graduates.  He also is responsible for funding the Harold Burson Professor and Chair in Public Relations at COM.

In 2000, PR Week named Burson as “the century’s most influential PR figure” in recognition of a culmination of more than 50 years of service as a counselor to and confidante of corporate CEOs, government leaders and heads of public sector institutions.

The highlight of BU’s birthday celebration will consist of a speech by Burson and he will be recognized and honored through remarks by COM students, alumni and faculty.

The College of Communication is hosting a lecture by Lauren Zalaznick, Chairman of the NBC Universal Entertainment & Digital Networks and Integrated Media. One of Fortune’s “50 Most Powerful Women,” Zalaznick will discuss how she went from indie producer to corporate executive with chefs, housewives and celeb moms today from 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM in the SMG Executive Dining Room (4th Floor).  The event is free and open to the public.

The event is free and open to the public at BU’s Tsai Performance Center (685 Commonwealth Ave.); doors open at 6:25 p.m. and seating is first come, first serve.

More information is available here.

Open to the public, admission for the popular event is free and seating is on a first come, first serve basis.

This year’s finalists are:

The Life Smugglers - directed by David Wells

¿Que? – directed by Stephen Ohl, Dimitri Kouri, Zack McGeehan & Michael Nusbaum

Salty Dogs – directed by Dimitri Kouri& Zack McGeehan

Your Way Home – directed by Pietro Nigro

Seashells – directed by Álvaro Congosto

September – directed by Maya Tanaka

Sponsored by Sumner Redstone, founder and Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors of Viacom, the Redstone Festival is recognized as one of New England’s premier film venues.  Showcasing the best short films written and directed by COM’s undergraduate and graduate students, the short subject films range from entertaining and whimsical vignettes to touching and powerful dramatic episodes.

“The Redstone Festival screenings in Boston, Los Angeles and New York, are the most anticipated events of the year for BU Film and TV and we are excited to showcase the best films that our department produces,” said Paul Schneider, Chairman of the Department of Film & Television at COM. “And, this year we are adding a new competitive category to our Los Angeles Redstone event. We will be screening a winning short by one of our alumni to be selected by a faculty panel.”

On April 1, 2011, the Redstone Festival travels to Los Angeles where student films compete again for a West Coast-based panel of judges. In addition, COM has announced a new “Best Alumni Short” category for the Los Angeles competition. To qualify, films must have been produced or directed by a BU Alum post-graduation. The running length must be no longer than 30 minutes and must be on DVD format (Blu-Ray preferred). The deadline for entry into the Alumni category is February 25, 2011.

Moderated by BU alum and founder of Help a Reporter Out (HARO), Peter Shankman (COM ’94), the panel featured experts from the traditional news world, PR and the blogosphere, and included Tom Fiedler, Dean of the College of Communication (COM); Lisa van der Pool, broadcast editor and reporter at The Boston Business Journal; Adam Gaffin, founder and editor of Universal Hub; and Steve Quigley, Associate Professor of Public Relations at COM.

Watch the complete event below and check out a recap from BU Today.