Name: Florence Quinn
Title: President/Founder
Company, city: Quinn PR; New York and Miami
Number of employees: 50
Recent project: Building our 10,000-square-foot penthouse office in Manhattan
First job: Picking strawberries for 10 cents a quart at 14
Little-known fact about you: I can make animal calls, from guinea pig to elephant.
Your Business
Essential business philosophy: Be yourself.
Best way to keep a competitive edge: Love what you do and work hard.
Yardstick of success: Progress, not perfection.
Florence Quinn as a Traveler
Most important item when traveling: My laptop tucked into an L.L.Bean bag, along with newspapers and magazines.
How I spend time on board: Working—airtime is productive time for me.
Favorite restaurant in the world: The Black Dog on Martha’s Vineyard, circa 1977—a memorable spot for its atmosphere and history.
Favorite destination: Carmel Valley, California—beautiful scenery and great walking.
About Quinn PR
Brief history of Quinn PR
I founded Quinn PR in 1987. Launching during an economic downturn never registered as a deterrent; I was energized and grateful for every client. Rather than a rigid company-wide plan, I focused on profitability and on doing the work well. Early recognition, like our first Platinum HSMAI Award, reinforced our direction. We expanded to Miami because several Florida hotel accounts required a local presence. Committing to open that office during a pitch was a risk that paid off—we opened and won the business.
Biggest challenge in travel public relations
Adapting to the shift toward content creation and diverse distribution channels. The creative possibilities are vast: ideas can take the form of stories, slide shows, blog posts, social campaigns, lists, press releases, or cause-related marketing programs. The real change is in distribution—brands now balance owned channels with paid opportunities and partnerships for non-owned platforms. Embracing that landscape is essential.
Favorite travel hot spots and advice to women travelers
I prefer destinations where walking and hiking are easy. On Martha’s Vineyard this summer I walked everywhere—between my house, the Chilmark General Store, the library, yoga and the beach. For women traveling solo or with companions who don’t enjoy long walks, I recommend choosing populated trails, carrying a cellphone for safety, and being open to meeting people through shared activities like exercise classes. Since Quinn PR now represents VBT Bicycling and Walking Vacations and Country Walkers, I’m looking forward to my first group-walking trip—perhaps in Italy.