Ramsey R. Poston
Ramsey Raymond Poston (born 1966 in Washington, D.C.) is president of Tuckahoe Strategies, a strategic communications firm known for crisis management. Poston served as NASCAR’s Managing Director of Communications and spokesperson from 2004 to 2011.[1]
Career
[edit]Poston joined NASCAR in 2001 to assist in managing the controversy around the death of Dale Earnhardt.[2] Poston managed communications in a time of significant growth for the sport[3] but was also faced with a number of high-profile controversies.[4]
While at NASCAR, Poston oversaw communications regarding several major changes to the sport, including an updated championship points system,[5] racecar changes,[6] revised substance abuse policy,[7] and fan outreach and diversity enhancement.[8] Poston also oversaw NASCAR's push for greater media openness with the development of the NASCAR Citizen Journalist Corps.[9]
Poston served as the primary communications strategist and spokesperson in several controversies and lawsuits related to NASCAR. Those challenges included a major antitrust lawsuit involving a racetrack in Kentucky Speedway v. NASCAR;[10] a sponsorship lawsuit AT&T v. NASCAR;[11] and a lawsuit challenging NASCAR substance abuse policy, Jeremy Mayfield v. NASCAR.[12] In 2006, while NBC Sports was a league broadcast partner, NBC’s Dateline sent Muslim looking men to a race in southwest Virginia to see how the NASCAR fans would treat them.[13] In 2009, Poston expressed NASCAR's criticism of ABC’s coverage of the fall Talladega race, stating: "ABC missed a lot of good racing."[14]
Poston retold some of the “behind the scenes” steps NASCAR took as part of its accident investigation concerning the death of NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt in a book entitled, “Chicken Soup for the Soul.[15]
Recent Work
[edit]Poston is currently president of Tuckahoe Strategies, a strategic communications firm specializing in public relations, crisis management and litigation communications. The firm opened in 2011.[16] He also serves as senior counsel at Dominion Strategies[17] and is Of Counsel at Levick Strategic Communications.[18] Poston is a PR and crisis communications expert[19] who is sought after by journalists for insights into communications challenges surrounding professional sports issues.[20][21][22] In 2018 Poston published an ebook about crisis management, titled "The Crisis Communications Manual."[23]
References
[edit]- ^ "NASCAR revamping communications department". Sporting News Wire Service. 30 August 2010. Retrieved 6 July 2012.
- ^ St. Onge, Peter (18 February 2011). "NASCAR: Earnhardt's Death Prompted Safety Changes". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Archived from the original on 25 February 2011. Retrieved 6 July 2012.
- ^ O'Keefe, Brian (5 September 2005). "America's Fastest Growing Sport". FORTUNE Magazine. Retrieved 6 July 2012.
- ^ Bernstein, Viv (19 February 2011). "House Votes to Continue Army Sponsorships in NASCAR". NY Times. Retrieved 6 July 2012.
- ^ Fryer, Jenna (9 September 2006). "NASCAR Ponders Changes to Chase, Points System". USA Today. Retrieved 6 July 2012.
- ^ Pedley, Jim (11 January 2010). "NASCAR May Re-Introduce the Car of Tomorrow". Racin' Today. Retrieved 6 July 2012.
- ^ Perez, A.J. (18 February 2009). "NASCAR Drivers Pass Drug Tests; Concerns Turn to Crews". USA Today. Retrieved 6 July 2012.
- ^ Livingstone, Seth (1 May 2008). "Montoya is on NASCAR, Marketing Fast Track". USA Today. Retrieved 6 July 2012.
- ^ Cohen, David (24 July 2009). "NASCAR OPens Press Box to Websites, Bloggers". Social Times. Retrieved 6 July 2012.
- ^ Schreiner, Bruce (7 January 2008). "Judge Dismisses NASCAR Antitrust Suit". USA Today. Retrieved 6 July 2012.
- ^ "Court Says AT&T Must be Removed from No. 31 Car". Sporting News Wire Service. 22 August 2007. Retrieved 6 July 2012.
- ^ Newton, David (5 June 2009). "NASCAR Countersues Mayfield". ESPN. Retrieved 6 July 2012.
- ^ Ryan, Nate (6 April 2006). "'Dateline' Defends Planting Muslims at NASCAR Race". USA Today. Retrieved 6 July 2012.
- ^ Long, Dustin (4 November 2009). "NASCAR Official Critical of ABC's Race Coverage". The Virginian-Pilot. Retrieved 6 July 2012.
- ^ Canfield, Jack. "Becca's Book Review: "Chicken Soup for the Soul: NASCAR - 101 Stories of Family, Fortitude, and Fast Cars"". FrontStretch. Archived from the original on 9 July 2012. Retrieved 6 July 2012.
- ^ Mickle, Tripp (21 November 2011). "Former NASCAR Exec Ramsey Poston to Open His Own Crisis Communications Firm". Sports Business Daily. Retrieved 6 July 2012.
- ^ Joseph, Andrew (8 December 2011). "Influence Alley". National Journal. Archived from the original on 18 May 2012. Retrieved 6 July 2012.
- ^ "Ramsey Poston, Of Counsel". Levick Communications. Archived from the original on 28 June 2012. Retrieved 6 July 2012.
- ^ Ryan, Nate (September 19, 2013). "PR expert: 'MWR is staring at the possibility of extinction'". USA Today. Retrieved 22 October 2013.
- ^ Brady, Erik (September 26, 2012). "Answering 10 questions about the replacement officials". USA Today. Retrieved 22 October 2013.
- ^ Jenkins, Chris (September 25, 2012). "Packers seething as NFL replacement refs take heat". The Seattle Times. Retrieved 22 October 2013.
- ^ "Column: Quick rise and fall of Aaron Hernandez is lesson for both NFL and fans". FOX News. July 10, 2013. Retrieved 22 October 2013.
- ^ Ramsey, Poston. "Crisis Communications Manual". Tuckahoe Strategies.