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Jay Allen
Jay Allen (Rogers, AR) is the key principal of Jay Allen Communications, a consulting firm he established in 2005 following a 26-year career in corporate communications and government affairs. For 10 years, from 1995 to 2005, Jay served as the chief communications and government affairs officer for Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., one of the largest companies and most recognized brands in the world. Prior to Wal-Mart, he served in key positions in the corporate headquarters office of Fleishman-Hillard, Inc., an international public relations firm based in St. Louis, and with AT&T.
During his time with Wal-Mart, Jay led and drove improvement in several critical areas for the company, including Corporate Communications, Government Relations and the Wal-Mart Foundation. For example, he took a leadership role with the Wal-Mart Board of Directors and senior management in establishing for the first time an overall reputation strategy for the company in response to one of the most intense external environments any company has ever seen.
In addition, Jay was instrumental in advancing the Corporate Communications area at Wal-Mart from a relatively small and reactive area to one that today has become a proactive communications agent for the company. He was also instrumental in building from ground-up an effective government relations program and presence for Wal-Mart in Washington, D.C., and at the state and local level. During Jay’s leadership, Wal-Mart also significantly heightened its focus on philanthropic giving and corporate responsibility, and today has become the largest cash giver to charity in corporate America.
While at Fleishman-Hillard, Jay provided crisis and corporate communications support and counsel to a variety of clients in business sectors and industries including telecommunications, energy, economic development, travel and tourism, financial services, not-for-profits, and others.
Today, Jay is an active community leader in his home region of Northwest Arkansas, and through his consulting firm provides communications support and counsel to several Arkansas-based companies and organizations.
Jay holds a Bachelor of Journalism from the University of Texas at Austin.
He and his wife, Terri, and their three children reside in Rogers, Arkansas.