Wednesday, August 06, 2008

This just in through Jim Korkis:

[C. Thomas Wilck, a public affairs consultant for Walt Disney and the Irvine Co. who also worked in the Nixon administration, has died of kidney cancer in Irvine. He was 75. Wilck represented some of Southern California's leading businesses and was involved in many community organizations, from the Boy Scouts to the Orange County Chamber of Commerce. He died July 24. Wilck worked as Walt Disney's personal public relations consultant throughout the 1960s. His most noted work included helping Disney open Walt Disney World and the California Institute of the Arts. Wilck married Walt Disney's personal secretary, Tommie, in 1962. "The man gave away his secretary as Tom's bride, so I'd say they were very close," said Jim Stewart, the former vice president of corporate relations for Walt Disney Productions. "Walt was basically the father of the bride; he gave Tommie away at the wedding." Bill Long worked as Disneyland's marketing director during the 1970s and would often seek Wilck's advice. "He would always do his homework on an issue with class and dignity. He epitomized what a PR executive could be," Long said. ]

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