Tulsa’s Schnake Turnbo Frank Celebrates 50 Years
Editor’s Note: Schnake Turnbo Frank, a Tulsa-based public relations firm, was founded in 1970 by the late Chuck Schnake. This article is contributed by Steve Turnbo, who joined the firm in 1982.
By STEVE TURNBO
Schnake Turnbo Frank
Anniversaries are an integral part of our society, whether it be a marriage, high school or college reunion, or a date marking the longevity of a company.
I felt privileged when asked to write about Schnake Turnbo Frank (STF) on the occasion of its 50 years in business.
The memories are truly golden.
My memories focus primarily on people and deeds. Chuck Schnake, who founded the agency in 1970, often remarked, “If you want good things said about you, do good deeds.”
Chuck lived by that creed, from his youthful days in Centralia, Illinois, his college days at Missouri, to his illustrious PR career in Tulsa.
Doing good deeds and serving clients with the utmost attention to integrity and quality remain a focal point of the STF mission.
The commitment to “giving back to giving back to the community” is instilled in the Firm’s ethos.
No organization thrives without a noble mission and a leadership team dedicated to good work and good deeds.
When Schnake began his career in Tulsa, he immediately embraced the community. His PR career was stellar, spending many years at Sunray DX before opening his PR firm.
He approached me in 1982 about merging our two firms, and I immediately said yes. It remains one of the best decisions I have ever made; however, the timing was awkward as the recession hit our state, creating new and challenging opportunities.
When Chuck retired, his son Pat Schnake and Lauren Brookey became business partners and remained so for many years before moving on to other career adventures.
STF continued to prosper and opened an office in Oklahoma City. We have representation in the Dallas market and continue to serve clients throughout the country.
While we do not do political candidate elections, we have managed numerous city sales tax and school bond campaigns over the years.
When asked about the firm’s success, my answer is constant: good people, solid work ethic, and pride in the PR profession.
The members of our firm are our greatest asset and we have the privilege of representing wonderful clientele.
Our Firm’s first clients, Tulsa Junior College (now Tulsa Community College) and Explorer Pipeline remain hallmark clients.
Our chair and CEO is Becky Frank, whose leadership skills are unmatched. She is a caring and compassionate CEO; I am honored to call her a friend.
Another outstanding leader and friend is Russ Florence, who serves as president and manages our growing Oklahoma City office. Our partners also include Aaron Fulkerson and David Wagner who have made tremendous contributions to the firm over the years.
As I like to say, there is only one way to coast, and that is downhill.
I could not be prouder of all the associates at STF and am convinced that the future for our firm remains golden.
