Ragan announces Top Women in Communications Hall of Fame inductees

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Brendan Gannon
Senior Marketing Manager, Awards Programs
Ragan Communications and PR Daily
[email protected]

Ragan Announces Hall of Fame Inductees for Top Women in Communications Awards

Ragan Communications is proud to announce the Hall of Fame inductees for its Top Women in Communications Awards, Class of 2025: Kimberley Goode with BMO; Kim Olson at Land O'Lakes; Linda Rutherford of Southwest Airlines; and Lori Rosen of the Rosen Group.

These distinguished leaders have been recognized for their trailblazing contributions to communications and their profound influence on the profession.

They will be honored on March 12 at the annual Top Women in Communications Awards Luncheon.

The Hall of Fame distinction is reserved for women communicators who have demonstrated a career-spanning commitment to excellence, leaving an indelible mark on the field and inspiring the next generation of communicators.

“This year's Hall of Fame honorees have elevated the profession through their wisdom, leadership and tireless commitment to best practices in communications," said Diane Schwartz, CEO of Ragan. "And they're not done contributing and giving back to our community."

About the Honorees:

Kimberley Goode
Kimberley Goode, corporate board director and senior advisor with BMO, previously served as BMO’s Chief Communications & Social Impact Officer, overseeing global communications, media and government relations, and social impact initiatives. Her extensive experience spans leadership roles at American Express, Prudential, Kellogg Company, Northwestern Mutual and Blue Shield of California. Kimberley also shares her expertise through community board service with Chicago United, Carol Shields Foundation, San Francisco General Hospital Foundation and California State University Foundation

Kim Olson
Kim Olson, chief communications officer at Land O'Lakes, oversees media efforts for CEO Beth Ford and other executives, managing corporate digital, employee and member communications. Previously, she led communications and marketing at the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system, with extensive experience at UnitedHealth Group, Carlson, General Mills and Weber Shandwick Worldwide.

Linda Rutherford
Linda Rutherford, Chief Administration Officer at Southwest Airlines, leads key areas including Culture & Communications, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging, Technology & AI, and Southwest Airlines University. Known for building high-performing teams, she previously worked as a journalist for Newsweek and the Dallas Times Herald. A committed community leader, she serves on the boards of Make-A-Wish America, Page Society, Texas Tech’s College of Media & Communications, and the Institute for Public Relations. She will become an Advisor at Southwest when she retires in April.

Lori Rosen
Lori Rosen, founder and president of the Rosen Group, has built the award-winning PR firm into a leader in media and communications. The agency has spearheaded campaigns for major brands like Inc., People, Fast Company and Disney, along with nonprofits including the Humane Society and the Southern Poverty Law Center.

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The 2025 Hall of Fame induction will take place at the Top Women in Communications Awards Luncheon on Wednesday, March 12, 2025, at City Winery in New York City. This event will bring together industry leaders and peers to honor the achievements of the four Hall of Fame inductees and the full group of Top Women in Communications honorees, showcasing an exceptional group of women leaders.

Additional information about Ragan’s Top Women in Communications Awards and the full list of honorees can be found here.

About Ragan Communications and PR Daily:

Ragan Communications and PR Daily have been delivering trusted news, training and intelligence for more than 50 years to internal and external communicators and business executives via conferences, webinars, training, awards, subscriptions and membership divisions. Its daily news sites—PRDaily.com and Ragan.com—are read by more than 600,000 internal and external communicators.