Paul Zucker's papers provide documentation of the activities of one of the nation's largest public relations firms in its professional dealings with national and international corporate clients and affiliates and in its volunteer activities in behalf of civic and political groups. Although the depth of documentation varies, the papers provide information on the development of public relations programs and the methods used in soliciting prospective clients. In addition, the papers reflect Zucker's personal and professional interests.
In general, Zucker's papers consist of incoming and outgoing correspondence, memos, reports, speeches, and research material. Although the documentation is generally thorough for the 1960's, only a small portion of the collection relates to Zucker's early career or to the development of Ruder & Finn during the 1950's. The scope of the collection is also limited by Zucker's executive responsibility, and only scattered references to financial matters or to public relations services are to be found.
The RUDER & FINN, INC. records consist chiefly of an alphabetical file of clients and prospective clients. Included in these files are incoming and outgoing correspondence, memos, reports and a limited amount of research material. (The bulk of the research material originally in the collection consisted of printed materials, and much of this was separated from the collection.) This segment of the collection also includes the annual reports of Ruder & Finn -- at the time the only public relations firm to issue public statements of its status. It also includes a limited selection of the weekly reports sent to affiliates in Ruder & Finn's Field Network and a number of memos and reports concerning internal management difficulties. Also included are several pamphlets from the agency's management reprint series. Those written by Zucker, however, are filed with his personal and professional papers. A small amount of material relates to the career of William F. Ruder, one of the founders of the firm.
The RUDER & FINN, INTERNATIONAL, INC., records consist of correspondence with the firm's international affiliates. Chiefly co-ordinative in nature, this correspondence is arranged alphabetically by country, as the affiliates changed upon occasion. Information regarding actual P.R. programs is filed with the client in question in the Ruder & Finn, Inc., records. A small amount of the material in this section deals with Zucker's European business trips in 1956 and 1963.
Zucker's PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL PAPERS includes a subject file of correspondence with the various professional, political and social organizations to which he belonged, speeches (in several cases multiple versions of the same speech are to be found) and appointment registers.
