Jack Guthrie

Jack Guthrie, Founder

Jack Guthrie is the founder of Guthrie/Mayes Public Relations, one of the largest independently owned public relations firms in the state of Kentucky. Guthrie sold his interest in the firm in September 2005 to three senior staff members. He remains active in the firm.

Jack began his career in 1964 in the public relations department of Philip Morris Inc. in New York City. He was appointed community relations manager for the company's Louisville facilities in 1967 and moved back to New York as director of communications for Philip Morris in 1969.

He returned to Louisville two years later as president of the Kentucky Derby Festival (1971-1977) where he was the driving force that propelled the two-week event into national prominence as one of the nation's largest civic celebrations. Jack launched his own public relations firm in 1977.

He was appointed to the University of Kentucky Board of Trustees for a six-year term as Alumni Trustee in 1996. Jack, a 1963 UK graduate, was named president of the UK Alumni Association in 1988 and currently is on its board of directors. For eight years, beginning in 1993, he was president of UK’s School of Journalism Alumni Association and chairman of the Kentucky Journalism Hall of Fame Committee. He was the first public relations executive to hold the position of president of the Louisville Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. Jack was named Man of the Year by the Louisville Advertising Club in 1995, and has received numerous other professional and personal awards over the years.

Jack is a member of the Governance Committee of Louisville Central Area, immediate Past President of the Main Street Association, the Executive Committee of the Society of Professional Journalists and a member of the Louisville Rotary Club. During his career Jack has served on the boards of numerous other community groups including Greater Louisville Inc., Trinity High School Foundation and Jewish Hospital & Sts. Mary's Healthcare Foundation.