Alumni named VP of Government Relations for General Motors

By Rachel Collins
ASST. FEATURES EDITOR

As a student at Evangel, Robert Ferguson was a Communication Studies major. Now, as a successful businessman, he serves as Vice President of Government Relations for General Motors.

With a past of more than 20 years of experience in the private and government sectors, Ferguson said he is thankful for the time he spent at Evangel. “I had attended the University of Texas at Arlington previously and that was a big campus. Having the ability to be in smaller classes to get to know your classmates and to have a direct connection with your professor and administration made the college experience much better and much more satisfactory.”

Ferguson said he enjoyed living on campus as a Scott First South resident.

Ferguson has held a number of senior-level positions in legislative and government relations, management, marketing and communication technology.

Before he joined GM, Ferguson was a senior strategist at Public Strategies, Inc., a business advisory firm with offices in Washington, D.C.; Dallas and Austin, Tex.; and Mexico City, Mexico As a senior strategist, Ferguson provided counsel to corporations and other organizations, with a focus on international business, technology and public policy.

Prior to his role at Public Strategies Inc., Ferguson served as the president of state legislative and regulatory affairs at AT&T, a position he held between 2005 and 2008. In that role, Ferguson was responsible for overseeing external and regulatory matters in the U.S. and managing the company’s public policy organization.

From 2002 to 2005, Ferguson served as group president and CEO of SBC’s Enterprise Business Services, where in this position, he was responsible for sales and customer care for SBC’s enterprise and federal government accounts and the corporation’s long distance, Internet and data communication companies.

As a 1985 graduate, Ferguson encouraged current students to make the most of their college career. “Learn all you can. Enjoy the college experience. It’s a unique time in your life, and it’s an opportunity to make friendships that will last a lifetime. The social part of Evangel is just as important as the educational experience.”