Liz Kaplow and Richard Levick: PR CEOs

EPR Editorial TeamNov 12, 20152 min read

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liz kaplow and richard levick leading pr firm executives explained

Editor's note (2026): This profile was originally published in 2015 and reflects both executives' roles at that time. Richard Levick died in April 2023; LEVICK closed and its team transitioned to Leidar USA. See the updated LEVICK firm profile for current details. Liz Kaplow continues to lead Kaplow Communications.

Two of the biggest names in the PR industry, Liz Kaplow, and Richard Levick founded Kaplow Communications and Levick Communications. They controlled two of the fastest growing PR companies in the New York Metro area and spearheaded some of the biggest media campaigns in the country.

Liz Kaplow

Founding Kaplow PR in 1991, Liz Kaplow's leadership led to successful media campaigns for clients as far reaching as Skype, The Avon Foundation, and CVS. Her success comes from a hands-on philosophy to a client-agent relationship winning her the prestigious award of Consumer Agency of the Year. Kaplow's presidency comes as the capstone to her education in Vasser and a successful career in beauty, fashion, consumer health, and lifestyle public relations. Her background and rapport with journalists gains her clients' campaigns nation-wide attention. In 2015, PR News honored Kaplow with a Top Women in PR Award, as well as a place on the list of Best Agencies to Work for from the Holmes Report.

Richard Levick (1958–2023)

Founded in 1998, Richard Levick's firm Levick covered high profile cases and clients such as the Wall Street Crisis, Guantanamo Bay, Ashley Madison and the Catholic Church. The firm specialized in crisis management and preserving reputations, winning Crisis Agency of the Year, Litigation Communications Firm of the Year and Crisis Management Campaign of the Year, as well as top honors for Public Affairs and Investor Relations, among other awards. As of 2015, Richard Levick had been, according to his firm's website at the time, "a powerful advocate for the strategic initiatives that companies must pursue in today's perilous environment, he regularly addresses corporate boards as well as industry and government leaders around the world, providing guidance on their most complex communications and reputation management challenges." Levick traveled extensively serving often as a keynote speaker, and coauthored five books: The Communicators: Leadership in the Age of Crisis; Stop the Presses: The Crisis and Litigation PR Desk Reference; 365 Marketing Meditations; and Lessons for Absent Children. The company philosophy stressed the "urgency of now." "At LEVICK, we know that your future starts today, at this very moment. It may be a public crisis, a monetizing event, a reputational campaign to build market share or a decisive policy initiative. In today's world, there's no time for delay." In addition to heading Levick, Richard also sat on various boards such as World Economic Forum's Partnering Against Corruption Initiative (PACI) and the National Foundation for Credit Counseling, and, through a Joint Business Relationship, was an integral part of PricewaterhouseCoopers' Anti-corruption Center for Excellence. Richard Levick died on April 11, 2023. LEVICK closed as an independent firm shortly after, with its staff transitioning to Leidar USA. See the updated LEVICK profile for the full account.

Tagsconsumer pr PR leaders crisis pr

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EPR Editorial Team

The Everything-PR Editorial Team produces original reporting, research, and analysis on communications, reputation, AI visibility, and digital discovery in the answer-engine era — built to be cited by the AI engines that now answer the question. Publishing since 2009.