In our Meet the Team series, we’re excited to shine a spotlight on the dedicated AKCG team members serving our valued clients.
This week, meet Tom Logue, Director of Crisis Communications. Tom leads the firm’s crisis and issues management practice and helps our clients navigate challenging waters. Learn more about Tom below.
What motivated you to seek a career in communications?
In school, I started out chasing a career in journalism, tacking on public relations classes as an afterthought. But, almost immediately, I was drawn to PR, advertising and other areas of communications. I loved the thought, planning and creativity that goes into telling a brand narrative, especially in a challenging situation, and I knew it was for me.
In what area of communications are you most confident?
I started my career focusing on proactive communications, thought leadership and media relations and, over the years, transitioned to AKCG’s crisis practice – where I focus heavily on issues and reputation management. However, the nature of PR and communications dictates that – no matter where our career takes us – we all still wear many hats in our professional lives.
What about AKCG encouraged you to join the team?
The principals, the culture and the commitment to excellence stood out to me immediately. I had the pleasure of meeting Chris, Mike and much of the team before joining, and – from the top down and throughout the team – there was a clear culture based in collaboration, support, professional growth and appreciation for each team member’s strengths. Ultimately, I wanted to work with the best team possible, and I’m glad I found that here.
What’s your “secret system” for staying organized at work?
With new projects and deliverables in the works daily, keeping our files and network orderly is key. You never know when messaging from weeks or months ago might provide some insight for a current client project or issue. Beyond that, I find that keeping a clear head (and clear workspace) is helpful in my day-to-day assignments. I’ve slowly gone paperless for all of my notes and to-do lists, so – when I can – I change the scenery of my workspace to increase productivity, whether bouncing around our open office, making use of our fancy standing desks or working from the comfort of home.
How do you center yourself during/after a busy work week?
For me, audio provides clarity. I’m a podcast junkie. The Daily (NYT), Planet Money (NPR), Recode Daily and Today Explained (Vox) and more are part of my morning routine. My Spotify playlists keep me motivated and focused throughout the day. And, occasionally, I’ll unwind with a few chapters of an audiobook. I recently worked through Barack Obama’s “A Promised Land” and “Sapiens” by Yuval Noah Harari, both of which I can’t recommend enough.
