A Florida Publicist

Devoted to Promoting the State of Florida

1930s - 40s: National Editorial Association (NEA) Annual Familiarization Tour of Florida
Russell Kay was instrumental in creating the annual NEA tour of Florida and its attractions throughout the state. He invited newspaper editors and their families to come on a tour to learn more about Florida. 

The NEA tour and convention took place each year. About 400 people attended from 35 to 40 states. Families gathered on ten or so Greyhound or Tamiami Trail busses and were driven around the state. They toured Silver Springs, Cypress Gardens, the Tarpon Springs sponge docks, Weeki Wachee Springs, Bok Tower, Miami, and its Parrot Jungle and Seaquarium, the African Safari on the lower east coast, Daytona's famous beaches, Marineland (between St. Augustine and Daytona), St. Augustine’s Fountain of Youth and old San Marco Fort, Thomas Edison's home in Ft. Myers, the old Naples hotel, the Everglades (where they learned about the Seminole Indians). They visited Clewiston and surrounding sugar cane fields, the Lake County towns of Leesburg, Mt. Dora and Eustis, Orlando, St. Petersburg, Tampa, and Ybor City, where world-famous Have-A-Tampa cigars were made, Sarasota with its famous Lido Beach and beautiful Siesta Key, and many stops in between. 

The newspaper editors were entertained by the nightlife in Miami, such as the Royal Palm Club, with popular performers of the day. There were planned stops for lunch and dinner each day, complete with a late afternoon cocktail party hosted by different businesses or attractions in various towns each night.

This exposure lead to a significant increase in tourism as well as a surge of interest in Florida as a retirement destination.

1933 - Publicity Director at the “Century of Progress” Chicago World’s Fair for the State of Florida.

1935 - Publicity for the inaugural Pan American flight from Tampa across the bay to St. Petersburg, FL. Took his family on the ten-minute flight along with about 20 state dignitaries.

1939 - Publicity Director at the World's Fair in New York City for the State of Florida. He promoted Florida’s attractions and natural beauty and arranged for the “Florida Flyer over New York City,” which took the Florida delegation on a flight over the city and fairgrounds.

Circa 1950s to 1960s - Florida State Fair publicity and public relations

Additional publicity work: 

The Great Lakes Exposition in Cleveland, Ohio

Barron Collier's Madison Square Exhibit in New York

The City of Daytona Beach, FL

The City of Denver, CO