Arthur W. Page

Born in Aberdeen, North Carolina on September 10, 1883, Arthur Wilson Page would become known as the founder of the modern practice of corporate public relations.

In 1905, he graduated from Harvard College and began his career at his father’s publishing company, Doubleday, Page & Co. At the publishing company, Arthur made a name for himself editing magazines, including the The World's Work, and writing editorials about the responsibilities of corporations operating in democratic societies.

After 22 years at Doubleday Page, he accepted a position at the American Telephone and Telegraph Company (AT&T). Arthur became the country’s first-ever vice president of public relations at a major corporation. He served in that role from 1927 to 1947, and was also elected to the company’s board of directors.

Over his career, Arthur was a noted educator and publisher, as well as an adviser to several U.S. presidents. Page Center cofounder Ed Block penned an essay about Arthur, which he wrote “everyone currently engaged in the practice of corporate public relations owes their careers, in large measure, to [Arthur Page’s] pioneering work.”

Although there is no direct relationship between Arthur W. Page and Penn State, distinguished alumnus Larry Foster—a public relations pioneer himself—was inspired by much of Page’s work. In 2004, Foster, along with Block and Jack Koten, established the Arthur W. Page Center for Integrity in Public Communication in the Carnegie Building on Penn State’s University Park campus.

Today, Arthur’s legacy endures through the Center’s work as an international leader in the study, promotion and advancement of ethics and responsibility in public communication.