A conversation with Jim DeLorenzo: CEO, JHD Enterprises LLC, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Communication World, July-August, 2005

What historical figure do you most identify with and why?

I am drawn to Theodore Roosevelt, not because of his successes as president of the United States, but because of the adversity he overcame in his childhood (asthma and other problems) and in his early adult life (the sudden loss of both his first wife and his mother on the same day).

Which word or phrase do you think is overused right now?

I'm frustrated by the overuse of spin in public relations.

How would you explain your profession to a child?

I have a hard enough time explaining it to my parents! Usually I ask the child if he remembers seeing an athlete or another person interviewed on TV. I ask if he knows how that happened, and then I explain how I make calls to the media on behalf of my clients to get them media coverage.

What did you have to learn the hard way?

I learned the hard way not to count on anyone other than myself in any business situation, and that I have to be 100 percent accountable 100 percent of the time!

What do you sing or hum when you're alone?

Usually it's whatever song pops into my head, or one I've just heard recently. I have been known to break into "The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia" at inappropriate moments, and I whistle (not hum) almost all the time.

What talent would you most like to have?

I would love to have the talent to be a professional baseball player. I found out when I was in the third grade that I was completely uncoordinated, and knew early enough in life that I would have to be a "behind-the-scenes" guy in the sports world. I traveled with my high school and college baseball teams, worked as a scorekeeper and league administrator for local teams, coached a little, and did some consulting work for the Philadelphia Phillies. I absolutely love baseball.

What movie character would you like to portray and why?

I love character actors and character parts, not the lead guys. I have always enjoyed the work of the late actor Claude Rains, so perhaps Capt. Louis Renault in Casablanca. Not the lead guy, but a factor in the final outcome.

Is there a book that changed your perspective on life?

I read Edmund Morris' book The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt when I was a freshman in college, and it has stayed with me for more than 20 years. Roosevelt achieved great things through continued hard work, perseverance and a belief in himself, and he reached goals seemingly beyond his station in life.

What's the best reward for a job well done?

When someone actually takes the time to say thank you. One of the most gratifying experiences in my career happened years ago. I was able to get a full-page black-and-white photograph of a relatively obscure college basketball player published in a major national publication. The young woman came to my office with boxes of cookies, balloons and a big thank-you card signed by her and her parents. It was one of the highlights of my career, and it happened in 1988.

What is your personal motto?

"Whatever doesn't kill me makes me funnier." My wife says its sounds like something Nietzsche might say if Seinfeld had influenced him. And, where it's appropriate, I remember a line from Singin' in the Rain: "Dignity, always dignity."

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