In media circles, he is the face and voice of UNMC.
On campus, he is “the” person to contact when a story breaks.
For the past 18 years, Tom O’Connor has passionately promoted UNMC to all who would listen.
In doing so, the senior associate director of UNMC’s Public Affairs has helped build UNMC’s stature through thousands of local and national newspaper, television and radio stories. For his exemplary performance, O’Connor has received the Chancellor’s Gold ‘U’ Award for November.
“It’s a privilege to work at UNMC,” O’Connor said in his Swanson Hall office. “This is the best PR job in the city. There is so much happening here that you always have something of interest to the media. The constant array of stories makes it fun.”
The Oskaloosa, Iowa, native, who grew up in Des Moines, has 29 years of media relations experience in Omaha. Said Rose Ann Shannon, news director of KETV Channel 7: “I don’t think there’s a member of the media who has not had contact with Tom. You can call him any time of the day or night and he’ll graciously take your phone call…he understands we’re a 24-7 business. When Tom calls with a story idea he has credibility. He doesn’t call us with things that he knows are questionable stories.”
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He discovered the UNMC job in a newspaper ad and has become one of UNMC’s biggest ambassadors. “You hear people whose lives have been changed by the medical center and it makes you feel proud to work here,” O’Connor said. “It’s mind-boggling to see the incredible things going on here. It’s life-saving work that truly makes a difference in people’s lives.”
Plus, the people at UNMC are exceptional, he says. “It’s a unique combination of people who work here that makes this place special — caring health professionals who take care of patients, researchers who are looking to solve the mysteries of science, and educators who are sharing their knowledge with students,” O’Connor said.
It’s some of those very people who applauded O’Connor’s public relations skills in their nomination letters:
- “There is no one who works more tirelessly, giving his time and passion in media relations, for the good of UNMC.”
- “Tom’s exemplary performance, especially in directing media relations, has positively influenced, both in quantity and quality, the media messages seen daily about UNMC through radio, television, newspapers and other media.”
- “The old adage ‘the difficult we do immediately and the impossible takes us an extra day’ is Tom’s mantra.”
- “Tom truly believes in UNMC and the people he represents and supervises. He always has the best interests of UNMC in mind and is constantly thinking of ways to raise the medical center’s stature.”
- “To many in the media, he is UNMC.”
O’Connor is a familiar and respected face in Omaha’s public relations community. He has been involved in the Nebraska Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America since 1985 and has served in a variety of positions, including president.
He has contributed countless hours to the Wellness Council of the Midlands and the Omaha Press Club, where he serves as chairman of its signature “Face on the Ballroom Floor” ceremonies. O’Connor has helped coordinate the past 20 honorees, including such newsmakers as Dick Cavett, Chuck Durham and CNN anchor Chuck Roberts.
O’Connor also has co-hosted nearly 900 broadcasts of “Community Health Line,” a 30-minute radio show that airs each Wednesday on KIOS (91.5 FM) and features UNMC health professionals.
Effective public relations does make a difference, O’Connor said, recalling a rheumatoid arthritis study that aired several years ago on Channel 7 with a contact phone number. “We literally got hundreds of calls after that” he said.
O’Connor and his media team are working to ratchet UNMC’s national exposure. “Dr. Maurer wants the medical center to be world-class and from a PR standpoint that means building a stronger national media presence,” O’Connor said.
The key is building relationships, being accessible and pitching UNMC’s best stories and experts. “Reporters quickly learn who comes through for them,” O’Connor said. “They know our media relations team can get them an expert within a matter of minutes.”
Even outside the office, O’Connor networks with journalists. For the past six years, he has assisted reporters at the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament in St. Louis and last year helped with the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s Final Four tournament in St. Louis.
Whether it’s in the media or after hours, O’Connor is making a difference. Each month, he stops by the American Red Cross building to donate plasma. Since joining UNMC, he has donated more than four gallons of A-negative blood and nearly 200 units of platelets and plasma. “It’s fulfilling and not that hard to do to make a difference in people’s lives,” he said.
He and his wife, Karen, have two grown children. The Hibernian enjoys playing basketball, golf and fantasy football, following Creighton basketball and Hawkeye football and basketball and spending time with his two grandchildren.