Kevin Phillips
Founding Partner, Chief Operating Officer
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Jarrard Inc. Co-founder and COO Kevin Phillips is a national leader in guiding organizations successfully through communicating change during hospital mergers, acquisitions and other high-stakes transactional moments while navigating the evolving difficulties of the current healthcare environment.
Phillips brings our clients more than 20 years of deep political communications experience at the local, state and national levels—from serving in presidential, Senate and House campaigns to advising candidates in state legislative and judicial races to overseeing the media operations center for multiple national political conventions. He began his career in Washington, D.C., as a communications/press aide in politics and then worked closely as a top aide for more than 10 years with former Tennessee Governor and current U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander.
Phillips was a key member of the team that completed the first for-profit hospital conversion in the state of Connecticut and helped repair the reputation of a major academic medical center in New York. He has led numerous Catholic hospitals and health systems through a change in sponsorship and oversaw communications for the largest not-for-profit system “merger of the year.”
Today, while he is primarily managing the operations of the firm, Phillips continues to provide strategic advice and counsel to clients and client teams through transitions, reputation issues and competitive positioning as health systems seek to leverage political strengths and solidify relationships to meet their goals.
Kevin is our primary liaison with IPREX, the world’s leading partnership of independent communications firms with 65 members, 1,600 staff and 110 offices around the globe. Formerly a committee chair, Kevin now serves on the global board of IPREX as president of the Americas.
He received his Bachelor of Arts in English from James Madison University and his Master in Business Administration from Auburn University.
Worth Knowing:
- Has mastered the art of crafting the perfect béarnaise
- Hangs out with his two pocket beagles, Truman and Harper (extra points for getting the name connection)
- Was on the campaign teams that brought both the NBA Grizzlies and the NHL Predators to Tennessee