PULLMAN, Wash. – Phil Weiler, a strategic communications expert with more than 26 years of experience, has been named vice president for marketing and communication at Washington State University. He will start at WSU on May 1.
He has served in a variety of executive marketing, strategic communication and public relations positions during a career in higher education, the corporate sector and government.
At WSU, he will serve as chief marketing and communication officer for the Pullman campus and WSU system. He will lead efforts to build a comprehensive, integrated communication and marketing strategy and plan. He will supervise the Office of University Communications, which includes marketing communications, news, Washington State Magazine, web communications, video, photography, graphic design, production coordination, WSU Press, printing services, Cougar Copies and mailing services.
“Phil joins us at an exciting moment in the university’s history,” said WSU President Kirk Schulz. “We’ve launched the Drive to 25, our institutionwide effort to be recognized as a top 25 public research university by 2030, and Phil’s leadership will be critical in achieving that goal. I’m delighted with the vision, experience and energy he will bring to growing our reputation.”
Weiler is the senior executive director of marketing and brand management at the University of Illinois at Chicago, the city’s public research university. His duties include overseeing the development of campuswide marketing initiatives that align with the university’s brand and identity.
He developed and implemented the annual strategic communications plan and led the first comprehensive, multiyear marketing campaign 2006-14 at the University of Oregon (UO) where he was assistant vice president, first for strategic communications and later for marketing services. He was a senior public relations manager at Symantec Corp. for six years and director of communications for the City of Eugene for 10 years before beginning his higher education career.
“Washington State University is one of the truly great institutions of higher learning in America,” he said. “There is much to be proud of here. It will be an honor to help tell the story of WSU’s outstanding faculty, researchers, students and staff.”
Weiler earned a bachelor’s degree in public relations at UO. He is accredited by the Public Relations Society of America. He is a past president of the Oregon chapter of the society, past public relations committee chair for the Eugene chapter of the American Cancer Society and a member of the International Collegiate Licensing Association.
John Gardner, who has served as vice president for both the WSU Foundation and University Communications, will return to full-time status as vice president and chief executive officer of the foundation.
News media contact:
Robert Strenge, WSU News, 509-335-3583, rstrenge@wsu.edu