Ruth Steele Walker Elected Due North President

Ruth Steele Walker has been elected President of Due North Marketing Communications, Inc., the company announced today. She assumes her new role immediately.

“It’s an exciting step and I look forward to the challenges of moving the agency further into some of the key segments it has begun to develop,” Walker said. “We know the insurance, healthcare and agriculture markets very well. We will continue to focus on the direct-to-consumer and business-to-business sectors in those segments. We will also expand our recent work in emerging related businesses such as nutraceuticals and hospitality.”

During more than 25 years with Foremost Corporation of America, the nation's leading insurer of manufactured housing and recreational vehicles, Walker consistently produced effective communications programs that resulted in increased net written premium. Her expertise in crisis communications was a vital part of Foremost's exemplary customer service in the wake of hurricanes, floods and earthquakes. Walker specializes in communications targeting the 50+ demographic, with an emphasis in communications for the 65+ segment. She was also responsible for investor relations.

Among other achievements, Walker developed communications for the merger of Foremost and Farmers Insurance, addressing audiences including customers, employees, trade and consumer media. For Foremost's 50th anniversary, she created a celebration program of internal and external promotions, special events, recognition and a 162-page commemorative book.

Earlier in her career, Walker was a newspaper reporter, a TV and radio producer, and worked in national sales and traffic at network TV affiliates. She also instructed at the university level as an adjunct professor in journalism. Walker earned a BA in journalism from Michigan State University and an MS in communications from Grand Valley State University. She is a past president of the West Michigan Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America.