Gerding Becomes Second CEO in Pay for Performance Pioneer’s 28-Year History
Overland Park, KS–INK inc. Public Relations, the first pay for performance public relations firm in the country, today announced Ryan Gerding has been named Chief Executive Officer. Gerding will succeed INK’s Founder and Chairman, Richard Grove, who will remain with the company in an advisory role and lead INK’s new business efforts. Gerding has worked at INK for nearly 22 years, serving most recently as President and Chief Operating Officer starting in 2018.
“It is truly an honor to be trusted with leading such an incredible group of public relations professionals,” Gerding said. “I’ve got some pretty big shoes to fill. Dick has been a tremendous mentor, partner, and friend. I would not be the PR professional or person I am today without his guidance and support.”
“Ryan has been integral in helping to drive INK’s success for the last two decades,” Grove said. “I can’t wait to see where he takes the company next.”
Richard Grove founded INK after spending years working for and with traditional public relations firms, and becoming frustrated with the hourly fee and retainer-based model. INK was born out of the idea that public relations firms should be accountable and rewarded for real results, not just for effort.
“Companies hire public relations firms for a lot of reasons, but they usually fire them for one: they didn’t deliver results,” Grove said. “Our model delivers the earned media coverage that our clients want without saddling them with fat retainers and hourly fees. We’re experts at making our clients newsworthy.”
Many of INK’s public relations professionals are former journalists, including Gerding, who spent eight years as a local television reporter, photographer, and anchor in Columbia, MO; Cedar Rapids, IA; Sacramento, CA; and Lafayette, IN. He is a proud graduate of the University of Missouri School of Journalism. He has three grown children and lives with his wife and two dogs in Lee’s Summit, MO.
About INK inc. Public Relations
INK inc. Public Relations is the nation’s first pay for performance PR firm. INK’s pioneering model ensures that its clients are paying for real results, not just for effort. INK’s physical headquarters is in Overland Park, KS. The company also has a network of senior-level PR professionals working out of home offices in major media markets around the world. Learn more by visiting https://www.inkincpr.com.
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