F1rst Person
Ken Bernhardt
Taylor E. Little, Jr. Professor of Marketing
by Rhonda Mullen
As the economy has tightened so have philanthropic
dollars. With more nonprofits competing for that same
pool of dollars, a strategic marketing perspective becomes
increasingly important, says Ken Bernhardt, Taylor E.
Little, Jr. Professor of Marketing at the Robinson College of
Business.
Bernhardt should know. An expert in the marketing of
services and consumer attitudes and behavior, he has
a combined service of more than 35 years on nonprofit
boards. These currently include the Community
Foundation for Greater Atlanta (chair), Leadership Atlanta
(chair), Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau (immediate
past chair), Georgia State University Foundation (vice
chair), Junior Achievement of Georgia (executive
committee), Alliance Theatre (past chair), and others. His
role is to bring marketing thinking and strategy to the
organizations.
That strategy has changed dramatically over the years.
While serving for 26 years on the Alliance Theatre’s
board, for example, Bernhardt saw a shift in the theatre’s
budget from a heavy reliance on charitable dollars to
increasing support from corporate marketing sponsorship
dollars. At the Robinson College, Bernhardt also serves
as special assistant to the dean for corporate and
community relations. While representing the college in the
community, he often has the opportunity to work alongside
Georgia State alumni, like Alicia Philipp, president of the
Community Foundation, and William Pate, president and
CEO of the Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau.
Bernhardt has enjoyed a long career as an award-winning
teacher, researcher, and marketing consultant, most
recently earning a lifetime achievement award from the
Atlanta chapter of the American Marketing Association.
Now, he says, “I’m in the period of my life called giving
back.”
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