Mike Salzillo, a 2002 graduate of Seton Hall, recently was promoted to assistant vice president at Coyne Public Relations, LLC. Coyne was PRWeek's 2009 midsize agency of the year.
Salzillo joined Coyne Public Relations in February 2005, after leaving a position at an ad agency focused on pharmaceuticals.
"I started at Coyne as an account coordinator, at the very bottom," Salzillo said.
Salzillo has provided strategic counsel for and helped implement a number of award winning campaigns for several of the agency's clients including Shell Lubricants and Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company.
Salzillo also heads the agency's new media efforts. He is a founding member of sPRocket, the faction of Coyne PR that has been responsible for the development of the agency's social media code of ethics and process for dealing with bloggers.
As assistant vice president, Salzillo will be responsible for overseeing accounts from a managerial level. He will supervise the activation of accounts and focus on strategy and implementation, as opposed to tactics and execution.
"The dedication Mike has to his job is apparent to everyone who works with him," Shana Reyes, marketing coordinator for Coyne and 2008 SHU graduate, said. "Everyone here is excited for him and feels that this promotion is definitely well-deserved."
Salzillo credits Gary Kritz in the business school for instilling in him a much broader knowledge of marketing and Kathleen Rennie, from the department of communications, for introducing him to public relations.
"The one thing I can absolutely say is that without each of these individuals I would not be in position as the PR professional of the future," Salzillo said.
Rennie, senior faculty associate for the department of communication is one of the people Salzillo credits at Seton Hall for his success.
"It is kind of uncomfortable when students give you any credit towards the success of their career," said Rennie "I will take the little bit of credit for introducing him to the subject but in the end it's all about his intelligence, his energy, and his diligence."
In 2008, Salzillo earned his Accreditation in Public Relations from the Public Relations Society of America.
Salzillo still comes to events at Seton Hall to speak to current Public Relations Students.
"It means everything that someone who has reached his level is still willing to come back and inspire students and show them the possibilities they have for success," Rennie said.
Salzillo graduated from Seton Hall in 2002 with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication.
Alyana Alfaro can be reached at alyana.alfaro@student.shu.edu.
