Kirk Englehardt (B.S. ’94) has always appreciated the power of excellent communication. After working a myriad of communication positions, including a radio anchor and a public information officer, Englehardt certainly understands the potential of communication to benefit people and expand influence.
He shares, “I enjoy treating communication and marketing as a system that requires optimization. Looking at all of the pieces and players and figuring out how best to put them together so that the greatest impact is achieved is tough – but fun. Most of all, I’ve enjoyed working with many highly-creative people while solving some very tough problems.”
Englehardt recently accepted a position as the Vice Chancellor for Marketing & Communication at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. He helps define the university’s brand, grow the University Relations team, develop communication and marketing strategies and oversee WUTC, the city’s NPR radio affiliate.
Englehardt explains, “UT Chattanooga is an outstanding school, but it’s a best kept secret. It has an excellent story to tell, but it’s not yet being shared internally or externally in a strategic way. While these may seem like problems that would keep someone up at night, they are exactly the reasons why I’m thrilled about this new opportunity.”
FSU’s Communication program has provided the stepping-stones for Englehardt to take on this new position. His degree has allowed him to successfully work a variety of jobs in communication and thus build and impressive career.
He says, “I could not be more proud of my degree from Florida State. Every job I’ve had has built upon the solid foundation provided by my FSU degree.”
After graduating, Englehardt’s career goal was to become the next big nationally syndicated radio talk show host. He started hosting and producing community television shows at a local cable company in South Florida, and then went on to be an anchor and reporter at WIOD Newsradio 610 in Miami. However, he soon realized that radio wasn’t for him. He then became the public information officer for the Broward County Sherriff’s Office and eventually went on to higher-level public relations and communication positions. He worked within a local school district, a state department of education and finally within higher education.
One of the proudest moments of Englehardt’s career occurred when he was leading communication for the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI). During a town hall meeting, the GTRI director recognized the Communications Office as being responsible for bringing in a $40 million research contract, the largest single contract that GTRI had ever received.
Englehardt explains, “The director told us that the Communications Office deserved all the credit, and then described how our efforts generated the phone call that led to the contract. I was in the audience and nearly fell out of my chair.”
While attending FSU, Englehardt participated with the Marching Chiefs. He still remembers how terrified he was walking into the band room for the first time despite the seven years of experience he’d had playing the trumpet. All of his hard work was paid back with great memories of the crazy experiences he had traveling the country with 450 of his closest friends, who he calls his family.
In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his wife, who he met at FSU, and two sons. They enjoy participating in new adventures and outdoor activities, such as running and hiking.
He took his sons to the Peach Bowl last year, their first FSU football game.
He shares, “The final score wasn’t what we’d hoped it would be, but the Marching Chiefs won halftime hands-down with their Star Wars show. Just amazing!”
To learn more about the Communication programs available at Florida State, follow this link. Additionally, for more information about the Marching Chiefs, click here.