James E. Lukaszewski is an author, speaker, crisis management consultant and president of The Lukaszewski Group Division, Risdall Marketing Group. He is known as “one of the PR profession’s most sought-after strategists in the areas of crisis communication, litigation visibility management, reputation threats and other high-profile and high-stakes operations.” He is a recipient of the Patrick Jackson Award for Distinguished Service to the Public Relations Society of America and PR News’ Lifetime Achievement Award. Lukaszewski is a member of the Rowan University Public Relations Hall of Fame.
Early life
James E. Lukaszewski was born on August 27, 1942 in Kewaunee, Wisconsin. In his youth, he was an active participant in the Viking Council, Boy Scouts of America, Explorer Scout-Minneapolis fire department’s EX-1 rescue and first aid program. In 1960, Lukaszewski graduated from Robbinsdale High School in Minnesota, and enrolled at Macalester College. There, he studied the sciences and liberal arts before leaving the school in 1961, and returning in 1962. Later, Lukaszewski pursued a pharmacy degree at the University of Minnesota, before eventually enrolling at the Minnesota Metropolitan State College in St. Paul, MN. In 1974, he received his B.A. degree in political public relations from MMSC. In 1975, MMSC was renamed Metropolitan State University.
Career
In 1973, Lukaszewski served as an adult intern in the Press Office of former Minnesota Governor Wendell R. Anderson. Following his internship, Lukaszewski became the Director of Publicity and Publications for the Minnesota Department of Economic Development. He later became the agency’s Deputy Commissioner. In 1978 with his wife, Barbara, Lukaszewski founded the Minnesota-based Media Information Systems Corporation, a public relations firm that specialized in crisis management and media training. In 1986, Lukaszewski moved to New York City, where he became a partner at Chester Burger Company, the nation’s first communications management firm. He also served as senior vice president and director of executive communication programs at Georgeson & Company. Lukaszewski founded The Lukaszewski Group Inc. in 1989. Lukaszewski became an adjunct associate professor of Communications at New York University's School of Continuing and Professional Studies in 1987. He worked in that capacity until 2009. In 2004, Ball State University awarded Lukaszewski its National Public Relations Professional Achievement Award. He also won the Lloyd B. Dennis Distinguished Leadership Award in 2006. In 2010, Lukaszewski dissolved The Lukaszewski Group Inc. and returned to Minnesota to become the founding president of The Lukaszewski Group division of Risdall McKinney Public Relations. In 2014, Lukaszewski was recognized by the Minnesota Public Relations Society of America with the Donald G. Padilla Distinguished Practitioner award. He was recognized as one of Robbinsdale High School's Distinguished Alumni Hall of Fame. Trust Across America named Lukaszewski a Top 100 Thought Leader in Trustworthy Business.
Lukaszewski is a member of the Boards of Professionals of The Public Relations Review, a contributing editor to Public Relations Quarterly, a member of the Editorial Board of Case Studies in Strategic Communication at UNC-Chapel Hill, and a contributing columnist to PR News. He has published 19 monographs on communication subjects since 1994, twelve manuals and books, including Why Should the Boss Listen to You, The Seven Disciplines of The Trusted Strategic Advisor, and Lukaszewski on Crisis Communication: What Your CEO Needs to Know About Reputation Risk and Crisis Management and has written numerous articles. Lukaszewski on Crisis Communication was one of Soundview's Best Business Books of 2013.
