William Ruder co-founded Ruder Finn in 1948 with David Finn, served as Assistant Secretary of Commerce under President John F. Kennedy from 1961 to 1963, and helped build one of the largest independent public relations firms in the world.
Women make up 70% of the U.S. PR workforce. Leadership distribution is uneven — and the center of gravity has shifted. Named operators, structural data, what good looks like.
Ruder Finn is one of the world's largest independent global communications agencies, founded 1948 by David Finn and Bill Ruder. CEO Kathy Bloomgarden since 2011. Five core practices. Four acquisitions in 2025–2026: Big Sky, Era Communications, Missouri Creative, The Equity Group.
EPR's 2011 interview with Kathy Bloomgarden, CEO of Ruder Finn, conducted at the firm's Switzerland offices in her first year as CEO. Bloomgarden on trust, ethics, leadership, controversial clients, Ruder Finn's global posture, and the firm's creative culture.