Walt Riker Papers, 1943-2003
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Arrangement
Administrative/Biographical History
Walter Riker (1947- ) was born and raised in the Bronx, New York. He attended the University of Kansas, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in English in 1970. Following his graduation from the University of Kansas, Riker toured the country as the drummer of “Thump Theater” before returning to Lawrence and the University of Kansas to pursue a degree in broadcast journalism. He graduated from the William Allen White School of Journalism with a Bachelors of Science in Broadcast Journalism in 1978. Shortly after, he began his broadcast career in radio and television at Channel 13-WIBW Topeka, an affiliate of CBS. Riker rose quickly through the ranks at WIBW, becoming the State House political correspondent. This position provided him the opportunity to report from the center of Kansas politics in Topeka, where he was introduced to Senator Dole.
After working at WIBW for four years, Senator Dole hired Riker in 1981 to be his Press Secretary. As Press Secretary, Riker accompanied Senator Dole throughout his political career, including his leadership positions as Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, Senate Majority and Minority Leader and as a Presidential candidate in 1988. In addition to these duties, Riker also served as the communications leader for numerous Congressional Delegations that traveled the world, eventually visiting 58 countries with Senator Dole.
After 13 years of service, Walter Riker resigned as Senator Dole’s Press Secretary in 1993 to pursue a career in public relations at McDonalds. Riker’s tenure at McDonald’s culminated in a nine year stint as Vice President of Global Media Relations before his retirement in 2010. He remains a close friend of Senator Dole and was present at the dedication of the Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics at the University of Kansas in 2003.
Subjects (links to similar collections) Administrative Information
The Walt Riker Manuscript Collection, which spans the years 1943-2003, consists of correspondence, photographic and audiovisual materials, invitations, press passes and badges, maps, newspapers and clippings, books and magazines.
The majority of the collection relates to his tenure as Press Secretary for Senator Bob Dole. Riker worked alongside Senator Dole from 1981-1993, as his media specialist. Included in the collection are photographs of political functions, press releases, drafts of speeches, notes and itineraries. Many of the items reveal Riker’s close relationship with Senator Dole and his responsibility to promote the Senator’s public image. Also documented are Riker and Senator Dole’s extensive travels with the Congressional Delegation wherein they met such figures as Saddam Hussein, Pope John Paul II, and Deng Xiaoping, among others. Additional items not only portray Riker’s interest in politics, but also events closer to home including the Kansas City Royals World Series championship in 1985 and the Kansas Jayhawks Men’s Basketball championship in 1988.
In addition to materials pertaining to Riker's role as Press Secretary, a small portion of the collection includes essays and coursework related to Riker’s academic career at The University of Kansas. These materials consist primarily of graded papers from his time as a student at the William Allen White School of Journalism and are restricted to patron access in accordance with FERPA. The collection also includes memos and correspondence Riker acquired as a radio and television journalist for WIBW in Topeka, Kansas, from 1978-1981.