Penn Central Transportation Company. Public Affairs - Public Relations Dept.

At its creation, the Penn Central Transportation Company created a Public Relations & Advertising Department based on the Public Relations Department of the former Pennsylvania Railroad. Board Chairman Stuart T. Saunders retained supervisory control of the department under his trusted subordinate, Vice President - Public Relations & Advertising William A. Lashley. At the same time, a Public Affairs Department was created under Senior Vice President R.W. Minor, a former New York Central official reporting to President Alfred E. Perlman. The Public Affairs Department was responsible for relations with governments, particularly over passenger and commuter subsidies, and it Minor was elevated to Senior Vice President - Legal & Public Affairs, reporting to Saunders, on March 1, 1970.

After Saunders forced departure and the bankruptcy of June 1970, the company underwent substantial reorganization and downsizing. On October 1, 1970, the former Public Relations & Advertising Department was restyled the Public Relations Department, with Lashley as Vice President - Public Relations. A. Paul Funkhouser, formerly Senior Vice President - Passenger Service became Vice President - Public Affairs. Interestingly, this placed all public and governmental relations under the control of Saunders's old Norfolk & Western proteges.

On July 19, 1971, the Public Affairs and Public Relations & Advertising Departments were combined as the Public Affairs - Public Relations Department with Lashley as Vice President - Public Affairs. A. Paul Funkhouser was transferred to the post of Senior Vice President - Sales & Marketing, and the public affairs function was divided. William J. Taylor, Vice President - Governmental Affairs of the Illinois Central, was named Legislative Counsel to the Trustees at took over the Washington office of the old Public Affairs Department. Lashley retained control of the office in Philadelphia, which hereafter concentrated on relations with state and local governments. In the new combined department, Senior Executive Representative William H. Tucker, and Executive Representatives James W. Diffenderfer (ex-PRR) and John H. Hildenbiddle (ex-NYC) handled public affairs, while Director - Public Relations U.W. Cunitz retained responsibility for public relations.

William H. Tucker was reassigned to report to the trustees on January 11, 1974, and Cunitz was promoted to Assistant Vice President - Public Relations and Advertising on August 1, 1974. Otherwise, the department changed little until the transfer to Conrail, which staffed its Public Affairs & Advertising Department with new people.

From the description of Records, 1968-1976. (Hagley Museum & Library). WorldCat record id: 164036073