Former UK public relations chief to get lifetime award

Longtime University of Kentucky Public Relations Director Bernard L. Vonderheide, whose voice in Kentucky was widely known for the interviews he conducted for “Campus Scene,” a half-time UK basketball and football radio program, has been named the 2005 recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award in public relations.

The award will be presented to Vonderheide at a luncheon Friday, Nov. 4, as part of the James C. Bowling Executive-in-Residence Lecture Series program sponsored by the UK School of Journalism and Telecommunications Alumni Association.

Vonderheide, who came to UK in 1975, served as public relations head at UK under three UK presidents, Otis A. Singletary, David Roselle and Charles T. Wethington Jr. As chair of UK’s Press, Radio and TV Committee, Vonderheide arranged for UK to receive free radio and television advertising time in all broadcasting contracts.

Before UK, Vonderheide held positions at the Louisville Courier-Journal and the Louisville Times, including directing the newspapers’ promotion and public service department.

Since his retirement from UK, Vonderheide has spearheaded a lobbying campaign seeking passage in the Kentucky General Assembly of a new law that would set minimum standards of care in Kentucky’s nursing homes.

“There is a great need in public relations for people who are professional, who have integrity, give good counsel to their employers and are respected by the media and Bernie Vonderheide filled the bill in all those categories,” said John R. “Jack” Guthrie of Louisville. Guthrie, who founded the firm Guthrie/Mayes in Louisville, added that, “Vonderheide had successful careers in three areas — newspapers, the University of Kentucky and now, in retirement, as an advocate for the rights and care of residents of nursing homes.”

“He deeply deserves this honor,” said Guthrie, who won the award in 2001.

Public Relations Lifetime Achievement awards have been given since 2000 when Thomas L. Preston, founder of the public relations firm Preston and Associates in Lexington and now head of Preston Global, became the first receipient.

Other award winners were Dan Lacy, former public relations official for Ashland Inc. (2002); W. James Host,former Kentucky Commerce Secretary (2003), and Lois Mateus of Brown-Forman (2004).

— Ralph Derickson