Megan E. Hakes, Senior Vice President

Megan E. Hakes (née Hayden) is a senior vice president and co-founder of Reputation Partners, a corporate communications consultancy. She has 11 years of experience developing and executing strategic public relations campaigns for clients in a diverse array of industries. Along with Nick Kalm and Jane Devron, Megan founded Reputation Partners in 2002. The firm is headquartered in Chicago, with satellite offices in Milwaukee and Brussels.

At Reputation Partners, Megan is charged with developing and leading multi-faceted corporate positioning programs that include business, financial, and trade media relations, executive positioning, influencer engagement, and employee communications. In addition, Megan has deep experience assisting companies in formulating and executing responses to significant business challenges, such as opposition campaigns initiated by unions and community activists, high-profile litigation, reductions-in-force, attorney general and regulatory investigations, workplace violence issues, and senior executive terminations/departures.

Megan has worked with a number of domestic and global organizations, including Equity International, an international private equity firm; Fifth Third Bank, a diversified financial services company; Lincoln International, an international investment banking firm; Methode Electronics, a global electronics manufacturer; and Von Maur, a regional high-end department store chain.

Prior to joining Reputation Partners, Megan was the director of corporate communications at Household International (now HSBC North America), one of the nation's largest financial services companies. While at Household, Megan served as the company’s spokesperson and led the development and implementation of its multifaceted external communications program, including the company's strategic response to activist, regulatory, legal, and legislative issues.

Megan joined Household from Edelman Public Relations Worldwide, where she was instrumental in the execution of numerous communications programs on behalf of clients such as Allstate Insurance Company, Eckerd Corporation, and Thomas Cook Global & Financial Services, with a special concentration on issues/crisis communications, financial media relations and corporate positioning.

Megan received a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science with a concentration in communications studies from the University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa. A native of Wisconsin, she lives with her husband Josh and son Charlie in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin.