This week we celebrate Founder’s Day in honor of our own Carol Cookerly who started Cookerly Public Relations in Atlanta in 1992.
Typical of her self-effacing humor, Carol is known to say, “I couldn’t get a job I liked so I started my own company.” She hasn’t looked back a day since… Carol is a person of many talents and traits – a few comments from our teammates:
- One of the best things about working with Carol is watching her “shoot from the hip.” It appears to the outsider that she is casually thinking on the fly. However, the more you work with her, you realize these are well thought out, strategic insights. It’s fascinating. Her brain must go a million miles a minute – in multiple directions. – Rachel
- Carol’s a real trend setter: she was a huge (not literally) bacon fan long before it was all the rage. We love her all-agency pancake and bacon breakfasts. An avid volunteer, she also helps her favorite charities “bring home the bacon.” – Jane
- It’s a constant learning experience, and she also makes sure it’s fun. From her correspondence with clients to how she handles a stressful crisis and calms everybody down, it’s always with grace and charm. – Keith
- I’ve learned several things from Carol – how to dress professionally (this woman has killer career fashion sense!), how to be assertive and most importantly how to be a rock star PR practitioner. Thanks for teaching us your ways! – Cortney
- Carol has a charismatic leadership style that can’t be beat. I think of her like a diamond: solid, dazzling and constantly reflecting light onto others – without reservations. – Haley
- I’ve known Carol for thirty years – and oh the stories I won’t tell. What I can say is she makes every day an adventure. From spontaneous movie outings, bocce contests and Fun Friday happy hours to traditions like Cookerly Bingo, she makes sure all know their hard work is valued. She expects much and gives much. A true leader. – Beth
- Carol is one of the smartest people I know, and the best part – she uses her intelligence for work and entertainment. Sometimes she gets this twinkle in her eye during meetings, and when that happens, the next thing out of her mouth is going to be either profound, hilarious or unprintable… – Chris
- “Get to know your client’s business as if you were going to work for their company.” Those are simple words that Carol once shared that completely altered the way I go about my business. That’s just one of many pearls she has shared with me through the years. Bottom line – when Carol talks, I listen. – Mike
- Much can be said of Carol’s intelligence, wit and business acumen. Because those traits are so evident in her capacity as our fearless leader, it would be easy to overlook her many acts of generosity. Carol is a genuinely kind person who takes a personal interest in those around her. And it comes naturally, which is a rare quality indeed. – Matt
- Since knowing Carol, I’ve become a smarter professional – with improved posture (thanks for that). From work to play, Carol shares wisdom that helps me grow. Today, as we celebrate our founder and the agency she has built, it seems appropriate to use one of her favorite phrases: Ladies and gentlemen, Carol’s in the house. – Andrew
Feel free to share your favorite Carol Cookerly story – within reason – in the comments below…
As design director at Cookerly, Tim serves as the creative lead in the development of branding campaigns, print collateral and digital media for clients across a broad range of industries, including consumer, professional services, healthcare and technology.
As senior vice president at Cookerly, Mike Rieman specializes in building and maintaining relationships with the media and has an excellent track record of landing significant placements in print and broadcast media including USA Today, Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg and Money Magazine.
As vice president of Cookerly, Sheryl Sellaway uses her extensive corporate communications background to lead consumer PR efforts, deliver strategy for marketing programs and share expertise about community initiatives.
As a senior vice president at Cookerly, Matt helps organizations protect and advance their reputations and bottom lines through strategic communications programs. Using creativity, planning and flawless execution, he works with a team to deliver compelling public relations campaigns that produce results and support clients’ business objectives.
I’ve known Carol now for a very long time. I’ve had the privilege of working closely with her on a variety of projects. Her level of engagement and focus is legendary. And frankly I’ll have to offer that I thought my high school and college football coaches were some of the most fearsome persons I’ve ever endured. Carol is however vastly more fearsome than all of those coaches combined. And it is that fearsome characteristic that enables her to act decisively (as long as it also doesn’t involve ordering from a menu).
I was a colleague of Carol’s long before she became famous…we worked together at a PR agency in the NYC area when Carol was trying out life as a “Yankee.” I’ve followed Carol’s successful career from afar and can attest that she has maintained her beauty, brains, sense of humor and work/life balance while encouraging others to “go for it.” I’m not at all surprised at Carol’s or her agency’s success. The alumni of Freeman PR are spread throughout the U.S. and have met varying degrees of professional and/or personal success. None, however, have had a combination of both to the extent of Carol. It’s been almost 30 years since went off to — truly — greener pastures. But none of my colleagues before or after Carol have left an indelible mark on my memory of how to enjoy doing a great job at work and at play. Happy Founder’s Day Carol!