EW 1536  is president of BE&P Public Relations, one of three operating companies at Barkley Evergreen & Partners, Inc. He is responsible for managing the public relations company at Barkley Evergreen & Partners and oversees the development of strategic communications programs for all our clients. He developed BEReadySM, Barkley Evergreen & Partners’ crisis communications planning and 24-hour preparedness program and is a certified consultant with The Institute for Crisis Management.

He worked as a news reporter, director and producer for the NBC affiliate in Topeka, Kansas, before being appointed press secretary to Kansas Governor John Carlin. He was the administration’s chief spokesman during Carlin’s second four-year term and was involved in the policy and strategic planning process. In late 1986, Mike joined the Boasberg Company of Kansas City, Missouri.

He joined Barkley Evergreen & Partners in 1987 to start a public relations company at the agency and became a partner in the agency in 1992. Mike was named “PR Professional of the Year” by Kansas City’s Public Relations Society of America Chapter in 1993 and was given the Arthur E. Lowell Award in 1997 for excellence in organizational communication, Kansas City/IABC’s highest honor for professional achievement and civic involvement. He is honored to be the only Kansas City professional to receive both of these awards.

He served as president of IPREX, one of the world’s largest networks of independent public relations firms from 1999 – 2001. BE&P has been an IPREX partner since 1995. He serves on the Board of the Harvester’s Capital Campaign Steering Committee; Friends of the Zoo Board of Directors; Board of BE2; and Community Advisor to the Junior League. In Lawrence, Kan. he volunteers his time at the Bert Nash Center and is a guest lecturer at the University of Kansas School of Journalism.