Lee, Ivy Ledbetter

(born July 16, 1877, Cedartown, Ga., U.S.—died Nov. 9, 1934, New York, N.Y.) U.S. public relations pioneer. He worked as a newspaper reporter before becoming press representative for a group of coal miners in 1906 and for the Pennsylvania Railroad Co. in 1912. His success in improving their public images brought him many powerful clients, including the Rockefeller interests. His greatest innovation was his frankness with the press, which he took care to notify of newsworthy developments at the companies he represented.

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