Jim O'Leary, a 2002 MSU graduate, was chosen as the second-youngest member of PR News Online's "15 to Watch" award for his work in the public relations department.

"He's got not only the work ethic, but the self-confidence and the passion, which are all critical to being a leader," said Michael Holland, director of Honeywell Hometown Solutions, and O'Leary's supervisor. "He's got the right tangibles and intangibles that help drive the success he has on a daily basis."

O'Leary, who received degrees in international relations and history, said he credits James Madison College, in large part, to his success.

"In a place like James Madison, where you have great teachers and smart students, they challenge you," he said. "Being successful in life requires you to challenge others and challenge other peoples' assumptions and ask why."

He is working in New York as the communications leader for Hometown Solutions, a department of Honeywell, an international technology and manufacturing company.

While O'Leary's role with Honeywell is largely administrative, his position within Hometown Solutions has allowed him to communicate frequently with people and earn him the recognition as one of the "15 to Watch."

"I'm positive that the fact that I'm working with Honeywell to improve people's lives was a key factor to receiving this award," O'Leary,26, said. "Being a PR professional is a bunch of things. One of the main things is being able to communicate with your main audiences. And in many cases, helping those people through a variety of ways."

Most of O'Leary's responsibilities involve human relief, program management and communicating general information as a spokesman for the company.

He led a group of Honeywell employees in relief efforts in Jurez, Mexico after the homes of 175 Honeywell employees stationed there were damaged or destroyed by intense rains. About 5,000 of Honeywell's 120,000 global employees are currently in Jurez.

"When we have disasters around the world, we go into the disaster zone and either help the people or our employees there," O'Leary said. "I'm the lucky guy who goes in the disasters."

Diane Schwartz, vice president and group publisher of PR News, said in an e-mail that O'Leary's leadership won him this honor.

"Jim was selected to lead a global communications assessment of one of Honeywell's major divisions is impressive enough," Schwartz said. "The way he went about that task was even more impressive. This was a lofty responsibility, and he rose to the occasion."