Susan Davis – Founder and President of Susan Davis International

Our Town with host Andy Ockershausen - Homegrown History

Susan Davis - Founder and President, Susan Davis InternationalSusan Davis on her recent position as Chair of the Board of Vital Voices Global Partnership~ "We work with emerging women leaders throughout the world. We've trained over 15,000 young women leaders and some not so young in countries that are in conflict and transition. And I loved, loved, loved that work. . ." A Ockershausen: All right, welcome to Our Town. This is Andy Ockershausen, and we're so delighted with ... I know, see, I say it all the time but it's true. A guest is so special to us, and this lady is a trailblazer for women in formerly male-dominated industry of public relations. I grew up in Our Town and over the past almost 3.5 decades, she has grown her agency into a global public affairs and communications power house. She is known internationally for her expertise and strategic positioning, reputation management, government relations, and crisis communications. Not only has she provided counsel to government and industry heads in our country, but advises key figures across the globe. But we really got to know her very well at Fort McNair in those great days, working for the Chili Cook-Off. Susan is President of SDI. That's Susan Davis International. Susan, how did you go from the chili bowl to a global conglomerate? It wasn't easy, I'm sure. Susan Davis: No, well thank you Andy. It's really fun to be here with you and Janice and I consider both of you to be such great friends and forever friends. A Ockershausen: No question about that Susan. Susan Davis: And forever friends. A Ockershausen: We didn't say the fact you're the most gorgeous redhead in the city of Washington. But I'll tell you that all the time. Family Full of Redheads Susan Davis: You could say that ... You could maybe just say that again. It would be all right. A Ockershausen: In terms of the day of redheads. My mother was a redhead. Susan Davis: I know. A Ockershausen: And your mother was a redhead. Susan Davis: Yes, my dad was a redhead. A Ockershausen: Wow. Susan Davis: Yes, and all my brothers and sisters but one are redheads, and most of their children are redheads so. We come from big redhead genes. So the Chili Bowl, okay. I actually started my company before I started the Chili Bowl. A Ockershausen: I know you did. The Chili Bowl at Fort McNair to Benefit Children's Hospital Susan Davis: But somehow I got to be better known for the Chili Bowl, which actually was to raise money for Children's Hospital. And we grew that small little ... A Ockershausen: I remember that Susan. What great days they were. Susan Davis: It was so much fun. It was so much fun, but before that, it was in my backyard. A Ockershausen: That's right. Susan Davis: Then we moved to a couple of restaurants, and then it got to be so big. A Ockershausen: It outgrew you. Susan Davis: That we did the big Cook-Off at Fort McNair and it was the only major non-profit event that they allowed there. It was fabulous. A Ockershausen: And we had liquor. Susan Davis: And yes, it was probably too much of that. A Ockershausen: What were you drinking? A marguerita. Susan Davis: Tequila. A Ockershausen: They had that huge marguerita booze. Susan Davis: Yes, right. A Ockershausen: But Susan they were memories that I think of being with Bob Pincus and Sonny and Margo Jurgensen came, and all the people you had doing the judging. It was so much Our Town. Susan Davis: Right, exactly. It was amazing. It was true community, and it was just absolutely fabulous, from people you ... That everyone knew to people no one knew but we did and raised a lot of money. A Ockershausen: But at the end of the day we knew everybody. Susan Davis: Raised a lot of money for Children's Hospital. It was so great. Yeah. A Ockershausen: It was so great. And Susan, your impact on Our Town goes back to those early days, but are you from Wisconsin?