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Long-time OCIABC member to receive Rodney Adair Award:
Communications Group Honors Wells Fargo VP Tom Unger, ABC
JUNE 2004, PORTLAND, Ore. – The Oregon Columbia chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators (OCIABC) presented its highest award to Tom Unger, ABC, vice president and Oregon Region manager of Corporate Communications for Wells Fargo. Unger received the Rodney Adair Memorial Award at OCIABC’s annual banquet June 17.
 Unger, who earned his business communicator accreditation (ABC) in 1996, has served the local chapter in numerous leadership capacities since moving to the Portland area in 1995, including president, senior delegate and director-at-large. He has done committee work and served as an informal advisor to the chapter’s leaders.
“Tom’s contribution to our professional association over the past several years is significant,” said Barbara M. Kommer, OCIABC president. “He has given of himself, and also has championed support from Wells Fargo. Through the Adair Award, we are recognizing Tom’s contribution and thanking him for his exceptional service.”
About Tom Unger
Unger manages external and internal communications for Wells Fargo in Oregon and southwest Washington. He worked for 10 years as a newspaper, radio and television reporter/editor in Oregon, California and British Columbia before entering the corporate communications field in 1989. He worked in employee communications and media relations at St. Vincent Medical Center and Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles before joining the employee communications department at First Interstate Bank of California in Los Angeles in 1993. While at First Interstate, Unger handled communications during the acquisition of numerous smaller banks. He transferred to a media relations position with First Interstate in Portland in 1995. He was with the company when it was acquired by Wells Fargo in 1996 and handled regional external and internal communications. Unger remained with the company after Norwest Bank acquired Wells Fargo in 1998 (Norwest kept the Wells Fargo name) and again handled regional external and internal communications. Unger has won nearly 20 awards from various local, regional and national communications groups in Oregon and California. He has a Bachelor of Journalism degree from the University of Missouri at Columbia and a Professional Designation in Public Relations from UCLA Extension. He has taught classes he created in public relations and corporate communications at Glendale Community College, Portland State University, and Marylhurst University.
Adair Award
The Rodney Adair Memorial Award commemorates former OCIABC member Rodney Adair, who left the chapter with a legacy of active membership and dedicated service. The chapter created the award in 1980 following Adair’s tragic death in an automobile accident. It is the highest honor OCIABC can bestow on a member.
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