Public relations work took him around the world

John M. Reed, 82, a veteran public relations executive who specialized in international clients including the computer giant Hewlett-Packard, the biopharmaceutical company Bristol-Myers Squibb and Pan American World Airways, died Oct. 24 at his home in the District of cardiopulmonary arrest.

In 1970, Mr. Reed started Consultants in Public Relations, which served multinational corporations, governments, associations, cultural organizations and other public relations agencies. The consultancy was largely a one-man operation, and the business moved with Mr. Reed wherever the work took him across many continents. He settled in the Washington area in 1987 and remained chairman of his company until retiring about five years ago.

Mr. Reed was an adjunct professor at American University, where he taught international public relations, edited industry publications and conducted seminars around the world. He was a fellow of the Public Relations Society of America, where he held leadership roles, and was the recipient of top professional honors.

When he received one such award in 2004, from the Arthur W. Page Society for PR and communications professionals, Mr. Reed said, "My definition of public relations is 'organized, ethical persuasion, and to me international PR means we do it someplace else -- persuading people of cultures, languages, religious, ethnicities different from our own.

"The first rule of international PR is 'get local help.' No matter how fluent we become in other languages, no matter how deeply we understand other cultures, there is no way we can attain a native's instincts for his own place."

John Matthew Reed was born in Salem, Mass., and raised in Washington, where his father was an organizer and international representative for an electrical workers union.

The younger Reed was a copy boy at the old Washington Times-Herald, then worked for the U.S. Information Agency throughout Asia in the early 1950s and for the Committee for a Free Asia, an anti-Communist organization that became the Asia Foundation research organization.

He later developed a specialty in handling international public affairs while working in New York for the Olin Mathieson Chemical Corp. and then in Moline, Ill., in the late 1960s for the John Deere agricultural and construction products company.

His memberships included Episcopal Christ Church in Georgetown, the National Press Club and the George Town Club, a social club.

His marriage to the former Gloria Masgoret ended in divorce.

Survivors include his wife of 22 years, Elizabeth Freeman "Tish" Reed of Washington; and a brother.

-- Adam Bernstein