Richard Wade

Background

About Richard Wade

Rick Wade is a consultant (Rugby Hall Communications) and senior counselor to APCO Worldwide, the international public affairs firm. He assists hospitals, health systems, related businesses and arts and community groups in periods of growth, change, innovation or crisis. His goals for clients: build trust, organizational morale and ensure the organization’s valued reputation. He provides writing and editing to structure and communicate messages to a wide range of publics. From 1991 to 2009, he was senior vice president for communications at the American Hospital Association, acting as its spokesman on national television, radio and in print media and architect of its communications strategies.He led its pioneering Reality Check initiative, measuring the public’s changing perception of hospitals and health care and triggering local and national efforts to strengthen hospitals’ public trust. He is a trained facilitator, leading focus groups, interviews, and retreats. He has written for national publications, book chapters and film scripts. He was a principal speechwriter for AHA and counseled hundreds of AHA members over the years in times of crisis and change. He was vice president for communications at the Maryland Hospital Association (1979-1991) and earlier was an award-winning journalist, as a press secretary to elected officials and director of public information for two county governments. Wade currently is freelance a theatre director, writer and occasional actor on the professional, college and community levels. He has written more than a dozen plays and musicals and directed more than 70 productions, including operas, musicals, comedies and dramas. In 2008, the Arts Council of Anne Arundel County cited him for achievement in the performing arts with its “Annie” award.