Don Spetner Executive Vice President, Corporate Affairs Los Angeles
"Great communications executives can deliver compelling ideas through powerful imagery, great writing and consistent messaging. It's a hard combination to find.”
Mr. Spetner oversees strategic corporate initiatives including the monetization of Korn/Ferry’s intellectual property, the formation of new products and solutions, and the integration of future investments. He also serves as a Senior Client Partner in the Corporate Affairs Executive Search practice. Mr. Spetner joined Korn/Ferry as Senior Vice President, Chief Marketing Officer before being promoted to his current role in 2007.
Prior to joining Korn/Ferry in 2000, Mr. Spetner was vice president, corporate communications and a corporate officer for SunAmerica Inc., (NYSE:SAI) a $56 billion (assets) financial services company that was acquired by American International Group (AIG) in 1999. At SunAmerica, he oversaw all advertising, public relations, executive communications, employee communications and community relations.
Before joining SunAmerica, Mr. Spetner served as vice president, corporate communications of Nissan North America, overseeing corporate branding, public relations, community relations, crisis management and all other communications activities for the automotive giant. At Nissan, he served as a member of the North American Management Committee and the Operating Committee.
Prior to Nissan, Mr. Spetner spent 10 years with three major advertising and public relations agencies – Grey Advertising, Bozell Inc., and RuderFinn Inc.
Mr. Spetner was elected a member of the Public Relations Seminar and the Arthur Page Society, and served as Chairman of the San Francisco Public Relations Academy. He was named an “Industry All Star” by Inside PR magazine, and his essays on communications have been published in PR WEEK, The Journal of Corporate Public Relations and Public Relations Quarterly.
Mr. Spetner is a member of the board of trustees of the Tomas Rivera Policy Institute, past president of the board of directors of the Japan America Society and a member of the board of advisors for the Asia Society of Southern California. He is a member of the board of directors of the Los Angeles Free Clinic and the LaGrant Foundation. He has also served on the board of directors for the American Council on Exercise and Century City Hospital.
Mr. Spetner graduated Summa Cum Laude from New York University with a degree in journalism, and is a co-author of The Public Relations Writer’s Handbook, published by Jossey-Bass.
