Our Staff

Robert B. Irvine
Senior Consultant, Institute for Crisis Management

Robert B. Irvine founded the Institute for Crisis Management in 1989. His firm provides research, training and consulting services to reduce the likelihood of a crisis occurring and help organizations minimize the impact of crisis situations when they cannot be avoided.

Mr. Irvine has provided crisis consulting in the aftermath of a variety of industrial and environmental accidents. He spent nine days in Alaska after the Exxon Valdez oil spill, advising the Alyeska Pipeline Service Company, which was involved in the initial response.

More recently he has advised clients on appropriate internal/external communications and media relations in crisis situations involving violent strikes, executives facing grand jury indictment, product recalls, plant closings, unfounded rumors about AIDS, a wrongful death investigation, threats by animal rights activists, boycotts and a variety of other business disruptions.

Prior to entering the crisis consulting field in 1985, Mr. Irvine was spokesman for Dr. William Devries when artificial heart operations were performed on William Schroeder, Murray Haydon and Jack Burcham. Humana was awarded a Silver Anvil by the Public Relations Society of America for its achievements during the artificial heart program.

Mr. Irvine is the author of WHEN YOU ARE THE HEADLINE, a book for management and public relations professionals whose organizations may be involved in a major news story.

A nationally recognized expert in crisis management, Mr. Irvine has served as an adjunct faculty member at the National Emergency Training Center. He conducts workshops and seminars for corporate organizations and trade association and teaches crisis management seminars for the Public Relations Society of America.

Mr. Irvine is a graduate of Dartmouth College, and holds a masters degree from Wesleyan University. He also is a graduate of the Wharton School of Finance, University of Pennsylvania. He is accredited by the Public Relations Society of America and is a member of the PRSA Counselors Academy.