by Mike Sharkey
Staff Writer
This is a very busy year for Teresa Eichner. The local political consultant has changed jobs, opened her own firm, is managing several candidates and other clients and is a wife and mother of three girls.
Busy days and busier nights.
Eichner is a senior vice president at Access Public Relations and also has her own political consulting firm — Voices, Votes and Victories. Access is in The Carling while she shares space with former City Council member Suzanne Jenkins in the Koger Center with her firm. Both jobs are about public relations and Eichner’s good at it.
“I can count the losses on one hand,” she said.
The 1992 Englewood High graduate never meant to get into PR or politics.
“I wanted to be an accountant,” said Eichner, who never went to college but hasn’t let that serve as a barrier to becoming one of the more-respected PR and political experts in town.
About 12 years ago, Eichner went to work for Paul McCormick, owner of The McCormick Agency, as his executive assistant.
“I didn’t need a degree for that. Eight months into the job, I had my first account. It was Venus Swimwear and we did model searches locally,” said Eichner. “My first week, I was making advance calls on behalf of Charlie Owen, who was running for the U.S. Senate in Kentucky.
“Paul was working on the campaign. That was my first taste of politics. They say, once you are in the business you get bit by the bug. I got bit and I have been involved locally ever since.”
Over the years Eichner has worked for dozens of candidates from School Board to judge to Congress members. She has plenty of victories on the resume, but a few that stand out include U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown twice, City Council member Denise Lee when she ran and won a seat on the State Legislature, former State Sen. Betty Holzendorf, recently elected State Rep. Charles McBurney, Mayor John Peyton and several current and past Council members. The wins are fun, but Eichner says the losses — despite an element of the election being out of the hands of everyone — are tough.
“I think a loss is the toughest thing to take,” said Eichner. “I am not a typical consultant and I think the candidates I work for will say that. I have a hard time quitting and I will do anything they ask. If they need me on a Saturday morning to walk door-to-door, I’ll do it.”
Eichner believes campaigns can take on a life of their own and many — especially their outcomes — are dictated by the candidates themselves. Often those seeking office will go beyond the normal realm and do things that only someone as close to the campaign as Eichner may see, or remember.
“(County Court Judge) Tyrie Boyer had blisters on his hand from shaking so many hands. (Council member) Jack Webb without a doubt probably didn’t sleep at night,” she said. “(Council member) Richard Clark walked in the rain door-to-door. And, Charles McBurney had a passion for winning unlike any candidate. In Tallahassee (when he was sworn in), I sat in the public viewing area and could feel his excitement. He wanted it and it was gratifying to see. Those are the kind of things I live for. Happiness on election night: that’s my adrenaline rush.”
Family’s important, too, and politics plays its role at home. Her daughters are all named after presidents: Kennedy is 11, Reagan is 9 and Eva Jane Taylor is 4. Eichner credits her husband Ric for enabling her have a near non-stop professional life. Especially in an election year.