Jerry Klein

Broadcast Pioneers member Gerhart L. Klein, Esquire (better known as Jerry Klein) retired in 2018 after 35 years as co-owner of Anne Klein Communications Group (formerly Anne Klein & Associates), a national public relations firm based in the Philadelphia region. As executive vice president, general counsel and chief technology officer, Jerry managed the business, legal and technical aspects of the firm. Since retirement, Jerry has been playing ice hockey three days a week, and traveling with his (also retired) wife Anne. A life member of Broadcast Pioneers, he served 4 years as Vice-President. On July 1, 2010, he became the organization's 39th President and served four years in that office. On July 1, 2014, Jerry Klein became our Chairman of the Board and served in that office until December of 2014 when he resigned to devote more time to other interests.

While working, Jerry's diverse background made him a valuable member of the firm's counseling staff, as is evidenced by two Pepperpot Awards from the Philadelphia chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), and a Berny Award from the Public Relations Professionals of Southern New Jersey, all in crisis communications. Clients sought his advice on sensitive issues, environmental concerns and community outreach.

Jerry is chairman emeritus of Pinnacle Worldwide, an international network of independent public relations firms. He served successively as treasurer, president-elect, president and chairman from 1994 through 2002 and was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award for his service. In 2005, he received the organizations' first STAR Award for service above and beyond.

Combining his journalism and legal backgrounds with his public relations knowledge, Jerry became a nationally known authority on public relations law. He lectured at several PRSA national conferences and seminars, and for a variety of other public relations organizations. A videotape of one of his seminars is part of PRSA's video research library. He is the author of a PR law primer that was used for preparation for PRSA's Accreditation Examination, and he co-taught a graduate course in public relations law and ethics at Rowan University in Glassboro, N.J. In 2005, he contributed to a chapter on PR Law in a new textbook, Practical Public Relations: Theories & Practices, by Rowan professors Don Bagin and Anthony Fulginiti.  He also chaired a task force studying revisions to the rules regarding confidentiality of proceedings of PRSA's Board of Ethics and Professional Standards, and he served as a member of PRSA's Body of Knowledge board.

Before joining the firm, Jerry was a trial attorney with Montgomery, McCracken, Walker & Rhoads, one of Philadelphia's largest law firms. A member of the litigation department, his practice focused on commercial and environmental cases. As a lawyer, he has been admitted to practice in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, as well as before the United States Supreme Court, the United States Third Circuit Court of Appeals, and the United States Tax Court.

On the technology front, Jerry is a former chairman of the Technology Committee of PRSA's Counselors Academy, as well as a former chairman of the New Technologies Committee of the Philadelphia chapter of PRSA. While practicing law, he consulted on computerized litigation support in several major multi-party lawsuits. The AKCG Web site, which he launched in 1995, was one of the first dozen PR firm Web sites in existence and has won several awards for strategic use of Web sites in marketing programs.

Before law school, Jerry had an accomplished career as a journalist, primarily in broadcasting. He was an editor, writer, reporter and announcer at KYW Newsradio (then owned by Group W - Westinghouse Broadcasting) and WCAU (then owned by CBS) radio in Philadelphia, while his print journalism career included a stint as assistant editor of Focus magazine. He also served as press secretary for the Pennsylvania Department of Welfare.

A cum laude graduate of the School of Law at Temple University, Jerry was managing editor of the law review. As an undergraduate at Temple's School of Communications (now renamed the Klein College of Media & Communication after Philadelphia broadcasting legend Lew Klein), he studied radio, television and film, and was station manager of the university radio station, WRTI-FM. He served on the Professional Advisory Committee for WBZC-FM, the radio station at Burlington County (N.J.) College that, in its first year of existence, was named the best college station in America by the National Association of Collegiate Broadcasters. He is also a member of the Society of Professional Journalists and the Broadcasters Foundation.

Jerry has been listed in Marquis' Who's Who in America, Who's Who in the World, Who's Who in Media and Communications, Who's Who in Finance and Industry, and Who's Who in the East. Jerry and Anne, are residents of Medford, N.J., and are members of the Old Taunton Colony Club. Both have served on the club's Water Quality Committee and the Taunton Lake Preservation Initiative, and Jerry has served on the Old Taunton Colony Club board of trustees as its Treasurer since 2007. He also served two terms as a member of the Mt. Laurel Township (N.J.) Environmental Commission.

From the official archives of the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia
Bio and photo courtesy of Anne Klein Communications Group
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