An Old PR Pro Bids Adieu
Jim at the helm of a sailboat in the Ensenada Ocean Race.
The title on Jim Rhodes’ LinkedIn account now reads, “Retired but still breathing.” Thank goodness for that. After nearly 40 years at the helm of Rhodes Communications, the quintessential public relations man has written his last story, delivered his final press release and staged his last press conference. And what a storied career he leaves in his wake.
Jim founded his company in 1982, following a public relations stint with Lawler Ballard Advertising (a legendary Norfolk agency) and as director of marketing for Navidyne Corporation, a manufacturer of marine electronics and navigation systems for ships.
Promoting marine technology came naturally.
Fresh out of undergraduate studies at Hampden-Sydney College, with the Draft Board breathing down his neck, Jim joined the U.S. Navy, which took him to Vietnam and other parts of the world. During his 30-year Navy career, which included active and reserve duty, he became a certified craft master for an 80-foot Navy training vessel and boat captain of a 65-foot MK3 patrol boat. He was also an instructor in boat handling, small arms, automatic weapons and combat operations, and he was the principal author for tactical manuals on waterborne force protection.
Along the way, he cashed in on the GI Bill to earn a master’s degree in British history at Georgetown. While in Washington, he took a job with a DoD contracting company, with research and writing assignments that required a top-secret clearance.
In launching Rhodes Communications, Jim picked up a few clients to start and never looked back. In addition to the firm’s focus in the commercial marine and boating industry, his business expanded over the years into other technologies.
“We discovered we had a special talent niche in technically-oriented PR for vertical markets internationally,” said Jim. “Once you have a knack for dealing with technical subject matter, it transfers easily from one technology to another.”
Jim kept a busy schedule. Serving global clients in business-to-business communications with clients and publishers across a dozen or more time zones was a challenge. It also meant traveling to trade shows and managing press events worldwide He staged news conferences in seven continents. They included a satellite press interview from Antarctica, a press tour to the jungles of Belize and more than 20 or more press events in London alone, where one memorable event was held at the top of the Tower Bridge.
In 2014, Jim invited me to work as a freelancer for several of Rhodes Communications’ clients. I helped to stage promotions for a wide range of technical products and solutions for international clients In the U.S., Europe and the Middle East.
The work was highly technical, challenging—and exacting. Rhodes Communications had proofing and quality management systems like no other agency I had seen. Jim created a job-tracking system that enabled the agency to maintain 50 or more active assignments at a time without missing deadlines. At the end of the day, his desk was clean as a bosun’s whistle.
Jim and his long-time office manager Cheryl Chase wrapped up work and closed the Rhodes Communications building in late June. He alluded to what retirement would entail: playing music with the Tidewater Bluegrass Music Association and Gospel Lights group at his church; enjoying time with his wife, Amy, and their family; and writing a book on the D-Day Normandy invasion. Jim’s father was commanding officer of a gunfire support ship that led the first wave of landing craft into Utah Beach.
(For lighter missives, you can follow his blog at www.jimsgems.net.).
While Jim does not mind saying goodbye to the deadlines associated with his business, he said he will miss the personal relationships and friends he made over the years. In a farewell note to clients and associates, he mentioned having a “generous supply of cold beer” in the ‘fridge, should anyone stop by.
That we will, Jim.
Cheers! —Elizabeth