Between value and effect

Prof. Dr. Lothar Rolke is an authority in PR. He taught and researched at the Mainz University of Applied Sciences for a quarter of a century. And in doing so, understood how to combine science with practice. Influenced by his time at the Reporter PR agency, he has always sought the relevance of his research to practical applications, making him an asset not only to students but also to corporate communicators, who have often sought his advice. Now Lothar Rolke has retired, or, as he himself says, entered a new freedom . Those who know him suspect that he will still remain connected to PR. His penchant for the true success factors in PR, for the business significance of corporate communications and the stakeholder compass he developed will continue to drive him in the future, but in moderation, because he already has plans with his wife and family for the time after university. In his many years at Mainz University of Applied Sciences, Lothar Rolke has earned an excellent reputation in a variety of positions. It is futile to try to document this completely. Nevertheless, we have dared to try and ask Rolke’s companions for a contribution about common experiences, memories of encounters and incidents or about topics they associate with Lothar Rolke. The result is a colorful potpourri of sometimes personal, sometimes professional contributions – all in all a breviary about this special person.