Richard Weiner is an author, lecturer, lexicographer, and public relations consultant. His 23 books include The Skinny About Best Boys, Dollies, Green Rooms, Leads, and Other Media Lingo, Webster's New World Dictionary of Media and Communications, Professional's Guide to Public Relations Services and Professional's Guide to Publicity.

His public relations firm, Richard Weiner, Inc., specialized in marketing communications, notably the introduction of the Cabbage Patch Kids. In 1986, Richard Weiner, Inc. merged with Porter Novelli and Weiner now is Senior Consultant at Porter Novelli in New York. Weiner has conducted over 100 workshops for the Public Relations Society of America and other groups. He taught a course in public relations at Fordham University Graduate School of Business in New York, the nation's first such course for MBAs. Awards include the Gold Anvil for lifetime achievement from the Public Relations Society of America(PRSA), John Hill Award (from the New York chapter of PRSA), and eight PRSA Silver Anvils. Weiner currently writes a monthly column in Public Relations Tactics. His articles have appeared in The New York Times Magazine, Writer's Digest, The Editorial Eye, Public Relations Quarterly, Communication World and other publications. (From Wikipedia.com)