skier tommy

Pat Kingsley, the grande dame of Hollywood spin, is stepping down as chairwoman and chief executive of the public relations firm she led for nearly three decades.

Kingsley's position at PMK/HBH will be assumed by partners Cindi Berger, who began her career as a receptionist in the firm's New York office 24 years ago, and Simon Halls, who was a founding partner of Huvane Baum Halls before it merged with PMK in 2001. Nate Schreiber, the firm's executive vice president of brands and events, has been promoted to president.

Kingsley, 75, said she wanted to focus on working more closely with her clients, including director Michael Mann and stars Will Smith and Jodie Foster, rather than managing the multimillion-dollar firm that has expanded beyond its core film and television businesses.

The agency, which Kingsley co-founded in 1980, rakes in more than $15 million a year, up from its initial $1.5 million annually, according to company executives. In 1999, PMK was purchased by Interpublic Group, a global marketing corporation that also owns publicity firms Rogers & Cowan and Bragman Nyman Cafarelli.

Although she insists that she is not retiring any time soon, this move in effect passes the torch to her younger colleagues.

"Business projections and financial reports are not what I enjoy doing most," Kingsley said. "I took accounting in college and my instructor suggested that I not continue the course. We are now a conglomerate and it's daunting. I want to be involved in the creative aspects of working with clients. That is what I enjoy."

PMK in recent years has taken on corporate clients such as American Express Co. and Reebok International Ltd., sports figures including Olympic downhill skier Bode Miller and musical acts like the Dixie Chicks. It was Berger who led the effort to recast the Chicks' image as a mainstream pop/country band that stood for freedom of speech when the country-and-western music establishment turned against them after lead singer Natalie Maines made a remark critical of President Bush.

"Now that there are three of us, there is three times more energy to grow the company in different areas," Halls said. "Pat Kingsley gave us a huge leg up. We are lucky we get to expand from what is already a huge business."

At the zenith of her power, Kingsley was feared for her tough negotiating tactics and respected for advising clients on topics others might fear to broach. For 14 years, Kingsley represented Tom Cruise and she consistently advised him not to mix his controversial beliefs as a Scientologist with his career. When Cruise fired her in 2004, he became embroiled in a firestorm of bad press after publicly touting his religion, criticizing Brooke Shields for taking antidepressants and appearing out of control as he jumped on Oprah Winfrey's couch during an interview.

Three years ago, Kingsley also made headlines when she unceremoniously fired longtime partner Leslee Dart. Dart, who presided over PMK's New York office, was passed over as Kingsley's heir apparent. Dart now runs her own company, 42West, and still represents such clients as Martin Scorsese and Nicole Kidman.

"Pat taught me how to up my game," said Halls, whose specialty was launching up-and-coming talents such as Gwyneth Paltrow and Russell Crowe. "She exposed us on how you do a film campaign from soup to nuts." The American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation (ABSF) seeks two tough cross-country skiers to dress as Birkebeiner warriors and trek 51 kilometers from Cable to Hayward on Saturday, Feb. 23, 2008.

The two skiers will dress in authentic gear, use wooden skis and depict the 800-year-old rescue of Prince Haakon, the baby who became one of the most popular kings in Norwegian history.

The Birkebeiner warriors have became a Norwegian symbol of courage, perseverance and character in the face of adversity. The historic rescue inspired the creation of three ski marathons―the Birkebeinerrennet in Lillehammer, Norway, launched in 1932 and skied on the same route as the famous rescue; the American Birkebeiner, launched in 1973 when Tony Wise examined his Norwegian roots to create a high-profile event for Telemark Resort; and the Canadian Birkebeiner, launched in 1985 in Edmonton, Alberta.

In addition to seeking two Birkie warriors, the ABSF is also needs a skier to depict Inga, the baby prince's mother. Inga will wear traditional garb and ski either the 51-kilometer Birkie or 23-kilometer Kortelopet before meeting up with the Birkie warriors and baby Prince Haakon at the Main Street finish line in Hayward.



Inga and the Birkie 2008 warriors will be "ambassadors on the trail," encouraging both skiers and volunteers. The warriors carry a baby doll along the course until Main street, where they'll pick up a real infant "prince" before skiing the last two blocks to Inga at the finish line.

"Since this is the 35th anniversary of the American Birkebeiner, we felt it important to highlight the historic roots of the race with Inga, Baby Prince Haakon and the two Birkebeiner warriors," says Ned Zuelsdorff, executive director of the ABSF.

He adds: "We are challenging skiers to find a friend, and tell us in 300 words or less why they would be the best Birkie 2008 warriors―Torstein and Skervald.

Entrants must show ability, passion and tradition. They must demonstrate that they are capable of skiing the 51-kilometer trek on wood skis while wearing warrior costumes, carrying period weapons and transporting baby Prince Haakon.

"The Inga entries can be part of or separate from the warrior entries," Zuelsdorff says, adding, "Again, we are looking for a 300-word essay that shows passion, ability and tradition and demonstrates why the entrant should be selected as the cherished mother of the baby Prince.

The American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation will supply the Birkebeiner and Inga outfits and Birkebeiner weapons. Selected skiers must supply their own wooden skis.

To enter the competition, e-mail a 300-word essay to birkie@birkie.com. There should be one essay per warrior pair and one for each Inga. The deadline for submissions is Nov. 1, and both men and women are encouraged to apply.

"Be concise and persuasive," Zuelsdorff said. "The four most recent warriors will review the essays and select the best pair to ski as the 2008 Birkebeiner warriors as well as the winning Inga. All three winners will be announced Dec. 1."

Bill Pierce of Hayward and Johnny Ingdall of Minneapolis replicated the rescue in 2003; Jim Vanden Brook of Madison and brother Tom, of Arlington, Va., simulated the 2006 rescue; and Phillip Schaefer of Tomahawk and his son, Michael, of Cleveland, Ohio, re-enacted the historic trek in 2007.

All six previous winners said that skiing as one of the Birkebeiner warriors made that Birkie their most memorable.