EXTENDED TEAM

While clients look at their organizations through the prism of business, Bernard views them through the prism of story ideas, all with the goal of generating favorable earned media results on local, regional and national levels.

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He also serves clients with issues management support, providing counsel and spokesperson training for managing unfavorable news coverage directed at an organization and/or its leadership.

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A strategic alliance of Phillips & Marek, Bernard is the sole proprietor of Kaplan Public Relations, which he founded in 1991 after 5 years at a prominent Houston-based public relations firm where he climbed the ranks from assistant account executive to management supervisor. He started his career at the Houston Food Bank, creating the organization’s first coordinated public relations efforts.

 

Prior to launching his public relations career, Bernard served on the assignments desks at Houston’s KPRC-TV (NBC) and Austin’s KVUE-TV (ABC) where he experienced first hand the in’s and out’s of presenting stories to broadcast news outlets.

Understanding the importance of relating these experiences to others, he has served as a guest lecturer on effective media relations at a number of conferences and gatherings.

 

Bernard's work also has been recognized with awards from the International Association of Business Communicators, the Public Relations Society of America and the Texas Public Relations Association.

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A graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, he has served as a board member for the Houston Food Bank and a volunteer for the Paul Bear Bryant Coach of the Year Award benefiting the American Heart Association.