Chris Perkett: Of Perkett, PR and Ferris

Chris Perkett (B'96), founder of PerkettPR (www.PerkettPR.com), was featured onworkinpr.com's Web site as part of their monthly "Industry Watch," she talked about the impact Ferris had on her career path:

Q: How did you get into Public Relations?
A: I was attending college, but I still hadn't decided what I wanted to do. So I left college to find myself. I took personality tests and did a lot of research into careers. I even read What Color is your Parachute. What all of this revealed is that I would do very well in public relations. When I returned to school, I chose Ferris State University in Michigan because the school has a great Public Relations program. The program is very pragmatic with marketing a big part of it. I got into the technology end of PR after I attended a PRSSA (Public Relations Student Society of America) conference and happened to go to a session where the focus was on technology PR. I'd actually planned to go to another session, but it was filled. The speaker was a dynamic woman who really impressed me with what she said about high tech PR and the possibilities. So here I am. I've been very happy with my choices.

Before starting her own company, Perkett was a strategic executive with one of the east coast's largest high-tech communications firms, and was PR manager for Sierra On-Line, the largest worldwide publisher of interactive entertainment and educational software. Perkett was named a finalist in the "Best Entrepreneur - Service Businesses" category in The 2004 Stevie Awards for Women Entrepreneurs, and has been featured in numerous public relations and business publications including the Boston Business Journal, Entrepreneur, Incentive Magazine, PR Week, PR News and Women's Business. She is based in Boston.

Reprint permission is courtesy of Workinpr.com, which provides public relations professionals with strategic career resources and industry information.