PR exec climbs Mount Kilimanjaro to teach himself, daughter life lessons

Entrepreneur Preston Rudie climbed one of the tallest mountains in the world to learn he could do less — and that his business would be OK.

By Louis Llovio
| 5:00 a.m. January 12, 2024
| 0 Free Articles Remaining!

Preston Rudie, founder and CEO of Catalyst Communications, reached the top of Mount Kilimanjaro to show his daughter that you can do anything you put your mind to.

Tampa Bay-Lakeland

Executive

Preston Rudie. Rudie, 54, is the founder and CEO of Catalyst Communication Group in Tampa, one of the top public relations firms in the city. Rudie spent a good chunk of his career in Tampa and Wisconsin working as a journalist on TV, radio and print. He also worked as communications director and district director for former U.S. Rep. David Jolly. Rudie started Catalyst, which also handles government affairs and crisis management for clients, in 2017.

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Louis Llovio

Louis Llovio is the deputy managing editor at the Business Observer. Before going to work at the Observer, the longtime business writer worked at the Richmond Times-Dispatch, Maryland Daily Record and for the Baltimore Sun Media Group. He lives in Tampa.