CHICAGO: A veteran of the Chicago PR scene, Bob Kornecki, is returning to the Windy City to become president and CEO of Burson-Marsteller's Midwest region.
Bob McEwen, whom Burson had lured away from Fleishman-Hillard in April 2002 to be its Midwest president, has left the agency.
Kornecki, who in recent years had worked for Edelman in Atlanta, expects to officially begin his new job January 5. He'll report to Chet Burchett, president and CEO of Burson USA, and Pat Ford, who was recently named to head Burson's corporate practice.
Kornecki becomes the third new regional president named at Burson since July.
Andy Hopson, formerly president of Publicis Dialog, became president and CEO of Burson's Northeast region in late July. Alan Arkatov became president and CEO of the agency's Southern California region in September.
Burson has the fourth largest PR office in Chicago, trailing Edelman, Weber Shandwick, and Golin/Harris International.
Kornecki was president of Edelman's Central region from April 1996 through September 2000, when he became president of Edelman's Southern region, based in Atlanta. In September 2002, he became global director of Edelman's corporate practice but was let go in a company reorganization this June.
