Member Spotlight: Paul Werth Associates

Member Spotlight by Sandra Harbrecht Ratchford, President and Chief Executive Officer at Paul Werth Associates

Tell us about Paul Werth Associates.

We’re a public relations and public affairs consulting firm. That means we help people and organizations solve their most difficult communications challenges, whether that involves managing a crisis, confronting a reputational threat or providing essential information to key stakeholders. We use research and data as the foundation for our communications programs, always with the goal of helping our clients establish and maintain mutually beneficial relationships with their constituents.

Tell us about your company’s mission and values.

Our mission is to help our clients enhance their relationships with the people critical to their success. These include employees, customers, the communities where they do business, and often, regulators and policymakers. Integrity and honesty drive all of our interactions – with our associates, the media, our communities and our clients – and we work hard at living these values every day.

What are the Chamber services you use most?

For us, the greatest benefit of Chamber membership is the ability to connect with diverse organizations throughout the community. The Chamber is in a unique position to facilitate these connections, which are so important to a thriving business. It does this through events and forums and other opportunities to share experiences with other members.

Why is it important for your business and others to be civically engaged?

We’ve always believed that true corporate citizenship means engaging in ways that help other people and businesses. This is vital to a healthy community and business climate. We also truly care about what happens in the community and how people are affected on both a citywide and neighborhood level. So, our associates are often personally involved in initiatives and causes outside of their work responsibilities, and it’s something we encourage.

What is your company culture?

We believe that relationships are at the core of our success and our ability to serve both our community and our clients. Because we are strategists first, our relationships are never transactional, but based on collaboration, openness and respect. We try to do everything we can to bring out the best in ourselves and others, and that means constantly growing, learning and anticipating the future needs of our firm and our clients.

What makes Columbus such a great place to do business?

While Columbus is no longer a small town, it has retained one of the most positive attributes of one: the sense that we all rise or fall together. This has led to a degree of collaboration not found in many communities our size, even when we otherwise compete for business. Columbus, as the seat of state government and home to some of the nation’s most important businesses and educational institutions, is also rich with opportunities for well-established companies and startups alike. The affordability of living here and running a company is also increasingly a factor in drawing top talent and new ideas to the region, which only makes our business climate stronger.

To learn more about Paul Werth Associates please call 614-224-8114.