Top public relations executive to teach strategic communications at ASU

Mark Hass, a leading strategic communications executive and entrepreneur, is joining Arizona State University as a strategic communications professor.

Hass, who served as president and CEO of Edelman U.S., will teach at ASU’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication and the W. P. Carey School of Business beginning in August. He will hold the rank of professor of practice as part of a joint appointment between the schools.

With more than three decades of experience as a journalist, entrepreneur and strategic communications professional, Hass will work to build a strong link between the Cronkite and W. P. Carey Schools, teaching both communications and marketing classes, while serving as a mentor to students.

“I am delighted to be joining the ASU community and its highly regarded communications and business programs,” Hass said. “I look forward to working with the excellent students and faculty at both schools and contributing to the way communications, in a business context, is understood and taught.”

Hass led Edelman’s 14 U.S. offices and its 2,400 employees from 2012-2014. He oversaw operations and performance of the company’s largest division, and led many of the firm’s digital public relations and storytelling innovations. He also was president of Edelman’s offices in China for two years.

Previously, Hass was the founder and CEO of MH Group Communications, a startup that was purchased and merged into Edelman in 2010. At MH Group, he worked closely with key clients, including United Airlines during its merger with Continental Airlines, developing digital corporate communications strategies.

Hass also served as Global CEO of MS&L Worldwide, a leading communications firm that is part of the Publicis Groupe, where he acted as a senior counselor to many of the world’s largest companies, including General Motors and Procter & Gamble. He joined MS&L in 2002, when his first independent public relations agency, Hass Associates, was acquired by and merged into MS&L. He grew his startup into Michigan’s largest digital communications firm, developing one of the nation’s first online newsrooms for Chrysler Corp.

“ASU is fortunate to have a seasoned business executive like Mark as a part of our faculty at both the Cronkite School and W. P. Carey School of Business,” said Amy Hillman, dean of the W. P. Carey School. “He brings a wealth of experiential knowledge that will enrich our understanding and education of marketing, public relations and communications.”

Hass started his career as a reporter and editor, working for 16 years at newspapers such as The Miami Herald, The Syracuse Post-Standard and The Detroit News, where his staff won the Pulitzer Prize in 1994 for reporting about government corruption.

“Mark Hass is a master of strategic communication and marketing, advising some of the world’s largest companies,” said Christopher Callahan, dean of the Cronkite School. “We are thrilled to welcome him to ASU and look forward to him sharing his expertise with our outstanding students.”

Most recently, Hass served as founding partner of Peconic First, a boutique investment and consulting firm, focused on digital innovation in the marketing and communications industries. He also is a senior advisor at Teneo Strategy, a global communications and business advisory firm. He earned his bachelor’s degree in English from the State University of New York at Buffalo.

The W. P. Carey School of Business at ASU is one of the top-ranked business schools in the United States. The school is internationally regarded for its research productivity and its distinguished faculty members, including a Nobel Prize winner. Students come from about 100 countries and include about 50 National Merit Scholars.

The Cronkite School is widely recognized as one of the nation’s premier professional journalism programs. Cronkite’s full-immersion professional programs give students opportunities to practice what they’ve learned in a real-world setting under the guidance of professionals. The school’s public relations lab is a full-service PR agency where students develop campaigns and strategies for clients that range from Fortune 500 companies to startups and nonprofits.