Without his father's intervention, Ray Kerins would never have launched his illustrious career in public relations.

The son of a Bronx, N.Y. homicide detective, Kerins was destined to follow in his father's footsteps and pursue a life in law enforcement. He had just graduated with a degree in criminal justice and even took a college internship with the Bronx District Attorney's Office in hopes of achieving this goal. But it was a fateful conversation with his father, Ray Kerins, Sr., that helped steer Kerins toward a career that culminates today with his induction in the PR News Hall of Fame.

"I was offered a full scholarship to grad school, so I asked my dad's advice on what degree I should pursue," Kerins recalled. "He looked over the list of choices and deadpanned, 'You should try Communications. You're great with people.'"

Kerins turned his dad's wise counsel into a 20+ year career as one of the top PR professionals in the United States. Through his signature Engage & Educate strategy, Kerins has helped companies and brands protect, enhance and even rebuild their reputation.

"There's no greater responsibility on a communications professional's shoulders than the protection and enhancement of a brand's reputation, and you'd be hard-pressed to find a communications pro who can shoulder that burden better than Ray Kerins," said Steve Goldstein, PR News' Editorial Director, in announcing Kerins' induction during the Winter Awards Luncheon at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C.

For nine years, Kerins managed crisis communications at GCI Group, helping brands like British Airways and Bridgestone-Firestone protect and advance their reputation in the midst of crisis. He later moved into the pharmaceutical industry through senior positions at Merck and Pfizer before taking on his current role as Senior Vice President of Communications, Government Relations & Policy at Bayer in the United States.

For Kerins, doing what is right has always been the philosophy that he has instilled in his team and any brand that he represents.

"You can't wait until the crisis hits to try and protect your reputation," Kerins says. "You must constantly engage with your stakeholders – customers, policy-makers and critics – and proactively build and earn trust while educating them on your company's products, culture and what you're all about."

This philosophy has served Kerins well with his peers, teams and the companies where he has worked.

"We at Bayer are tremendously proud of Ray and congratulate him on this high honor," said Phil Blake, President of Bayer Corporation. "Ray has built one of the best teams in the industry and is well deserving of this recognition."

According to Goldstein, the incoming class of the PR News' 2016 Hall of Fame has played "longtime leadership roles, serving as sources of inspiration within and beyond the workplace and helping to redefine and expand the roles communicators play." Kerins has fulfilled each of these criteria during his career. His commitment to protecting brand reputation and engaging stakeholders is why he is one of the five inductees in this year's PR News Hall of Fame.

About Bayer Corporation

Bayer is a global enterprise with core competencies in the Life Science fields of health care and agriculture. Its products and services are designed to benefit people and improve their quality of life. At the same time, the Group aims to create value through innovation, growth and high earning power. Bayer is committed to the principles of sustainable development and to its social and ethical responsibilities as a corporate citizen. In fiscal 2015, the Group employed around 117,000 people and had sales of EUR 46.3 billion. Capital expenditures amounted to EUR 2.6 billion, R&D expenses to EUR 4.3 billion. These figures include those for the high-tech polymers business, which was floated on the stock market as an independent company named Covestro on October 6, 2015. For more information, go to bayer.com.