In April 1997, Ron Precht started his work as the manager for all external and internal communications with a national association headquartered in Evanston, Illinois. Though he didn’t know it at the time, he was about to embark on a 24-year leg of his career that saw him navigate global crises, develop a national weekly observance, and collaborate with leaders to increase awareness of the massage profession, among many other things. 

Roots in Service

Born and raised in Maryland, Precht always had a keen awareness of government relations and the power of advocacy work. From an early age, his close proximity to Washington, D.C., allowed him to be a witness to government work, while trips to New York City solidified his interest in advocacy.

After several years working in theater and radio, he moved to Texas, eventually working for large corporations in marketing and sales. In 1986, the opportunity to serve as Director of the U.S. Baháʼí Office of Public Information brought him to Chicago. Once he completed his service in that position, he moved on to the United Nations Association of the U.S. as President of both the Chicago chapter and Illinois division, and to communications and media relations for Rotary International.

Precht also did consulting work for several national associations, eventually working to support health care fields, including podiatry and plastic/reconstructive surgery. “That’s where I learned the importance of integrative therapists like massage therapists,” Precht remembers. 

Jumping to that fateful day in spring 1997, Precht became the communications manager at the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA). That’s also where his knack to overcome challenges really came into play. “You have to enjoy the challenge of overcoming public misconceptions— that’s why I accepted the job,” explains Precht. At the time, AMTA had roughly 26,000 members and was growing rapidly. The association needed to be proactive with the media and the public, as well as other health care organizations and governmental agencies, in educating on the importance of massage therapy.

How Communication Can Help Public Perception

Throughout Precht’s time at AMTA, he spearheaded many communications initiatives, always working to shine a spotlight on the professionalism of AMTA members and the important role the massage therapy profession plays in health and wellness. His first achievement was the development of AMTA’s National Massage Therapy Awareness Week (NMTAW) that takes place the last week of October. 

Immediately after NMTAW became a national program, Precht became part of a team that developed a report for the White House Commission on Alternative and Complementary Therapies. “This was the first major outreach on a national level to get real acceptance of massage therapy by governmental agencies,” explains Precht. “We used the growing body of research at that time to really make that connection for the administration that this is important for all Americans.”

This same work became even more important after the September 11 terrorist attacks, when the need for resources for people dealing with stress became evident and the value of integrative health care gained traction. Precht immediately got to work with several public relations firms providing information and educational resources to anyone affected by the attacks.

“After 9/11, we shifted our public relations to educating the public and the media on the benefits of massage therapy in dealing with the stress of 9/11,” explains Precht. 

The crisis of 2001 reinforced the importance of getting the message across to everyone, which led to the creation of AMTA’s Massage Therapy Tour a decade later—a tour bus traveling to major events around the country sharing educational resources and taking massage therapy and its benefits directly to people. “AMTA was simultaneously implementing radio and print campaigns,” says Precht. “It was important to share news from the profession around the country and help people understand the value of massage therapy like never before.” 

Precht’s work around crises and communicating the value of massage therapy nationally found perhaps its greatest challenge this year when the world was tested by its first global pandemic in more than 100 years. Proactively communicating with AMTA members and others in the profession about changing practice requirements during the pandemic helped massage therapists stay up-to-date and in compliance with state and federal mandates.

Massage Therapy’s Evolution

Precht has seen it all when it comes to communications efforts around the massage therapy profession. Having been with AMTA when the association first started nationally surveying consumers about their use and perception of massage therapy, Precht saw firsthand how effective communication can change public perception. In the late 90s, only 8-10 percent of Americans had experienced massage therapy. Today, that number has increased to 38 percent in this last year.

Precht believes AMTA's communication efforts to educate and inform the public about the benefits of massage therapy have helped increase AMTA's membership in recent years.

Advice for Communications Professionals 

The number one piece of advice Precht has for future communications professionals is to bridge the proverbial human connection gap. This principle has guided him throughout his career and he hopes it continues even in difficult times like COVID-19. “Building community among people is so important in order for them to care,” explains Precht. 

As a practicing Baháʼí, Precht always strives to operate from the core tenets of his faith: “service is at the core of being a Baháʼí. Accuracy and dignity are at the heart of being a communications professional,” he says. “Good communications educate people and foster understanding, and that’s what I will continue to do.”

The Road Ahead

Late last year, Precht announced his plans to retire as senior manager of communications at AMTA after 24 years of service. He plans to spend retirement with his family and two young grandchildren, inspiring them to be the best they can be. 

“I’m a lifelong learner,” he says.  “I hope to teach the next generation the value of ethical communications.”

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