About Alonzo Byrd

Alonzo Byrd, Assistant Vice President, Public Affairs, Enterprise Holdings Inc.

Alonzo Byrd is assistant vice president of public affairs for Enterprise Holdings, the largest rental car company in North America.  He is responsible for the development and execution of corporate citizenship initiatives nationwide.  Byrd, who joined Enterprise in May 2002, works from the company’s corporate headquarters in St. Louis.

As a member of the Enterprise Committee on Corporate Responsibility, Byrd works with senior management to ensure external initiatives are relevant and consistent with company values.  He also works with Enterprise operating groups to cultivate and maintain close ties between community leaders, elected officials, nonprofit organizations, and multicultural groups.

Currently, Byrd is a member of the Executive Advisory Committee for the National Urban League’s Black Executive Exchange Program (BEEP); a member of the Executive Committee of the Howard University School of Communications Board of Visitors; and a foundation board member for the National Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials (NBC-LEO).  He also serves as Chair of the Nominating Committee for the St. Louis Red Cross Board of Directors; a member of the Leadership Council of Southwestern Illinois; a member of the Leadership Council for the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center; and an advisor to the St. Louis Black Rep.

Prior to joining Enterprise, Byrd was a vice president at Fleishman-Hillard Inc., a leading international public relations agency.  During his 15-year career at Fleishman-Hillard, Byrd managed a wide range of media relations, corporate relations, and diversity-related issues for Fortune 500 clients.

A native of East St. Louis, Ill., Byrd has worked as director of public relations for the
American Red Cross in St. Louis.  As a journalist, he has worked for the Kansas City Times, the Oakland Press in Pontiac, Mich., and the Belleville (Ill.) News Democrat.  He began his career in journalism in St. Louis as a stringer with The Associated Press.

Byrd, 53, is married and has one child.  He is a 1981 graduate of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism.