ASHBURN, Va., Feb. 3, 2023–Officials of DG Public Relations, LLC, today announced the death of
company co-founder, David “Jerry” Daly on January 11, 2023, due to complications arising from
aspiration pneumonia.

While in graduate school at Boston University, Daly helped create the first Great American
Smokeout, originally designed as a scholarship fundraiser for a local high school before he came
up with the idea to get people to donate the price of a pack of cigarettes as the first step
toward a commitment to quit smoking.

Daly’s first job out of undergraduate school was public relations director for the Tulsa Area
Chapter of the American Red Cross. While there he worked on a promotion that resulted in
one of the largest and most successful blood drives up until that point. He later worked for
multiple public relations agencies, including Burson-Marstellar and Harshe‐Rotman & Druck,
before entering the hospitality sector with Holiday Inn and Harrah’s.

Daly founded Daly Gray Public Relations, LLC, the predecessor of DG Public Relations, LLC, in
1987. During his career at that company, he was directly responsible for and/or oversaw
multiple industry milestones: the first hotel crisis communications plan; the first hotel property-
level Twitter campaign; the launch of more than a dozen hotel brands; the industry white paper
on paper clip REITs; empowering women and minorities through mentorship and educational
programs; winning more than 50 international, national and regional awards, including the
Silver Anvil and four Golden Quills; and hosting the first world-wide employee meeting via
satellite. He also took great pride in being named Honorary Duck Master at the Peabody Hotel
and winning a lifetime achievement award at the 20th annual Lodging Conference in Phoenix,
Ariz.

Born Feb. 3, 1944, Daly is survived by his bride of 53 years, Katheryn; his children, Chris, Jason,
Shannon, Patrick and Andrew; and his grandchildren, Finn and Lilah.