WASHINGTON, DC—Burson-Marsteller has appointed Navy Reserve Rear Admiral Vic Beck as a managing director in its US public affairs practice. Beck has more than more than 20 years of experience working with both companies and government entities. He will be based in Washington, DC and Boston, reporting to Nate Tibbits, chair of the US public affairs practice.

Beck serves part-time as the vice chief of information for the United States Navy. He is the senior officer in charge of leading the Navy Reserve public affairs program worldwide and oversees about 500 communication professionals. As vice chief of information, he also serves as the primary advisor and principal reserve liaison to the chief of information.

Beck has been a member of the US Navy Reserve for more than 25 years. He was on active duty from 1985 to 1992, and since 1990, he has been a public affairs officer in the reserve and on active duty. He was recalled to active military service to serve as director of public affairs for NATO headquarters, International Security Assistance Force and US Forces in Afghanistan from November 2010 to September 2011.

In Baghdad, he was the chief of media operations at headquarters Multi-National Force Iraq from August 2007 to April 2008. He also spent time in Dubai as the director of an international media engagement team for US Central Command from April to August 2007.

Earlier in his career, Beck was the vice president of communication planning and strategy at S4, a consulting firm, and vice president at Peter Arnold Associates, a public relations agency.