Jon Harmon founded Force for Good Communications, following a 23-year public relations career at Ford Motor Company.

Harmon is experienced in all aspects of reputation management, including financial, legal and labor issues, crisis communications, product promotion and brand building, and communications strategy. A strategic thinker and advisor to senior management, he has excellent leadership and team-building skills, exceptional media relations ability, as well as direct experience with the new social media.

As Director – Communications Strategy at Ford, Harmon led a global strategic initiative to help Ford succeed in a communications environment rapidly being transformed by consumer-generated media, globally integrated communications, media-savvy adversary networks and ever-increasing expectations of a corporation’s social responsibilities.

Previously, as Director of North American Product Public Affairs, Harmon led a team of 35 PR professionals with a $12 million annual budget and responsibility for the media launches of all Ford, Mercury and Lincoln vehicles.

Brand-building was his core mission when Harmon led the public relations team at Ford Division. His innovative “Manhattan on a Tank of Gas” media demonstration for the Ford Escape Hybrid earned PR Week’s Platinum Award and provided Escape Hybrid with the positive momentum that culminated in it being named North American Truck of the Year.

Crisis management has been a cornerstone of his career as well. Harmon led both the media relations and internal communications teams during the epic Ford-Firestone tire crisis in 2000-01, a communications crisis that has become a staple case study in university PR classes.

Harmon’s breadth of PR experience includes communications for high-profile labor relations – he was the sole corporate spokesperson during the pivotal 1996 Ford-UAW contract negotiations. Additionally, he has been Ford’s chief spokesperson for legal issues, environmental and safety issues, and advanced technology.

Behind the scenes, Harmon has experience in executive reputational counseling, media training, executive speechwriting, internal communications and annual report production.