As a Managing Partner at SIR, JR Hipple’s career in many ways is characterized by “the fascination with what’s difficult,” a theme borrowed from a poem by WB Yeats. JR has spent a lifetime working on complex and sensitive issues facing organizations and their leaders, drawing from a combination of skills in strategic planning, organizational development, and public relations. He has an extraordinary ability to help clients both prepare in advance for change, as well as manage and communicate during crisis situations.

He was the former president of one of the nation’s largest independent public relations firms before striking out on his own to focus more on organizational leadership, public affairs, and reputation management. He merged his practice with SIR in 2016, bringing tools, experiences, and solutions now to a wide range of clients in the public and private sectors, and especially for higher education organizations.

JR also leads SIR’s diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) practice area, through the skills he has developed for more than 15 years as a lead consultant on cultural change initiatives related to diversity issues. Working with Fortune 500 companies, universities, and government agencies, SIR’s DEI services now include assessing organizational cultures, leadership consulting, and strategic planning.

Change and issues management require effective stakeholder engagement, so JR oversees a talented group of professionals developing branding campaigns, producing videos, conducting social media activity, and even building websites for SIR clients. Gone are the days when key opinion leaders or third-party endorsements are an effective strategy to promote reputations or shield a company from criticism.  

While his work is meaningful, he never takes himself too seriously. He's genuine, kind, and authentic. Once he knows you, he's always ready to lend a hand. Plus, JR has long been engaged in a wide range of volunteer activities, including helping start the Richmond Sports Backers, one of the nation’s leading sports commissions, and currently serving as the president of the Boston University Alumni Association.