By Denise Grayes, Senior Client Services, Business Wire
Here are the latest changes and updates in the PR industry. To learn more about each news item, simply click the hyperlink. Have your own update to include? Let us know!
Atlanta
Marketing Inspirations has been selected as a finalist for four campaigns for the 2015 Atlanta Marketer of the Year Awards (AMYs), and received recognition as a finalist in the Atlanta American Advertising Awards (ADDYs). Article
Porsche Cars North America has appointed Christian Koenig as vice president public relations. Article
Austin
Drumroll announced that it has hired Nicole Sanchez into a new Account Director position, created to support continued agency growth. Article
Chicago
Derivatives clearing organization OCC has hired David Prosperi as first vice president, public relations, and Patricia Overstreet-Miller as first vice president, corporate communications, both reporting to newly appointed as executive vice president, business development Scot Warren. Article
FoodMinds has added the American Frozen Food Institute to its client roster. In addition, Welch Foods has named FoodMinds its agency-of-record for health professional and nutrition influencer communications. Article
Cleveland
FrazierHeiby has named Bryan Haviland as president. Article
DC
Crosby Marketing Communications has promoted Jeff Rosenberg to EVP, leading its advocacy and social media practice. Article
Clutch recently published its first report on leading search engine optimization consultants. Article
Denver
The American Advertising Federation (AAF)-Kansas City recently held its American Advertising Awards and honored Woodruff Sweitzer for its work with AMVAC Chemical Corporation. Article
Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) honored the nation’s largest integrated travel marketing firm MMGY Global with its top award, “Best in Show” for its rebranding and advertising campaign for the city of Cleveland. Article
DBC PR + Social Media has been appointed PR agency of record by cocktail soda maker Q Drinks. Article
Crosby Marketing Communications has promoted Jeff Rosenberg to executive vice president. Article
Global Strategy Group has hired Matt Canter as senior vice president. Article
Telluride Ski & Golf Resort has selected Buffalo Brand Invigoration Group to direct golf-focused public relations for its breathtaking mountain course and associated memberships, stay-and-play packages, and instruction programs. Article
Story Partners has hired Adam Croglia as a director. Article
Los Angeles
American Apparel has named Thoryn Stephens as chief digital officer, a newly created role at the company, and Cynthia Erland as SVP of marketing. Article
Movement Public Relations announced the signing of its newest client, The Detour Bistro Bar, a Culver City restaurant founded by Los Angeles locals and long-time caterers Ranni Kumgisky and Dane Pearson of Great Dane Catering and Events. Article
Automotive search site AutoWeb has selected JMPR Public Relations as its public relations agency of record. Article
Pacific Shore Holdings announced that Smith Public Relations has been named as its new marketing and public relations agency of record. Article
Miami
The Florida Department of Citrus and Mexican theme park Experiencias Xcaret have signed on as initial clients for The Agency, a new integrated communication firm focused on the millennial sector. Article
As Orlando-based integrated marketing agency Chatter Buzz Media prepares to celebrate its third year in business this Spring, its co-founders, Shalyn Dever and Ashley Cisneros Mejia, pause to reflect on a historic 2014. Motorsports communication professional David Hart will be joining the Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca team as public relations manager, effective March 2. Article
Brad Goldstein, former corporate affairs director at Oxbow Carbon, has left the company to start a crisis communications and crisis management firm-Resilience Communications. Article
NTC (Nationwide Title Clearing, Inc.) has hired Gina Morales, APR, to serve as the Vice President of Marketing for the leading post-closing services provider. Article
Fetching Communications has added new clients including the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists for its National Service Animal Eye Exam Event; The Rein Coat, to raise awareness of its therapeutic calming coat for pets; and Daybreak/Lindy & Co. to raise visibility of its treats and mission. Article
Minneapolis
The Integer Group has appointed Michael Rivera as Executive Creative Director out of Integer’s Des Moines office. Article
Nashville
DVL Seigenthaler, a Finn Partners Company, has promoted three to partner: Jonathan Carpenter, Mark Day, and Andrea Lindsley. Article
Memphis International Raceway has hired Craig Wack as director of public relations and marketing. Article
Newport Beach
Strategic video communications firm D S Simon Productions has added an industry veteran to its expanding sales team. Brian Devenny, who worked at D S Simon for six years as director of media relations, has rejoined the company as Senior Account Manager for the West Coast. Article
New York
Ted Sabarese has joined Porter Novelli as regional creative director, North America. Article
Financial communications specialist ICR has hired public affairs veteran Michael Robinson as managing director and former business and financial journalist John Jannarone as senior vice president. Article
DKC Public Relations has launched BR&, a branding and advertising arm. The group will be led by Karen Whittey, VP and creative director. Article
OpenLink has brought on Aspectus PR as its global communications partner following a competitive pitch. Article
King + Company announced it has been retained by Juice from the Raw, an Online Cold-Pressed Raw Juice Cleanse. Article
Blue Chip Public Relations announced it has been retained by EQIS Capital Management to earn media coverage for the new book, “Mutual Funds Exposed,” by its Chief Financial Strategist Dr. Kenneth Kim and Chief Investment Officer William R. Nelson, as well as for the company and its offerings to investment advisors and their clients. Article
TapImmune Inc. announced the company’s management team has selected New York City based PCG Advisory as agency of record for Investor, Public, and Social Media Relations. Article
Barbara Branagan-Mitchell, owner of Branagan Communications Consultants, is celebrating 22 years of success as a sole proprietor entrepreneur in 2015. Article
Focus Media announced that Michael Bieger has recently been promoted to director of public relations. Article
European social data intelligence company Talkwalker announced its entry into the U.S. market with the opening of offices in New York City. In coordination with the NYC launch, Talkwalker has hired Todd Grossman as CEO Americas. Article
Richard Rubenstein, President of Rubenstein Public Relations, has announced that Amy Delson has joined the agency as Vice President. Article
Hawkins International Public Relations has named Michelle Kelly vice president, client services, and Martha Carrera account director. Article
Aspectus PR has been selected by OpenLink to act as its global communications partner. Article
Ogilvy PR has promoted Suresh Raj to the newly-created role of MD of global business development. Article
Korn Ferry has hired Peter McDermott as principal. Article
Philadelphia
The organizers of the 50th Anniversary Celebration of the LGBT Civil Rights Movement have hired Cathy Renna, SVP of TargetCue, to lead media relations and visibility activities for events in Philadelphia this summer. Article
David Neff, Founder and President of Philadelphia-based Neff Associates, will be receive this year’s Grace Labouchere Award for Corporate Humane Awareness at The Fur Ball, the annual celebration and fundraiser of the Morris Animal Refuge. Article
Rita’s Italian Ice has brought on Vault Communications as its PR AOR. Article
Phoenix
China Mist Iced Tea has named Santy as AOR. Article
Amendola Communications announced it has been selected as the public relations and content marketing agency of record for Zynx Health. Article
LaneTerralever has been named the PR Agency of Record for the Arizona chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Arizona Chapter (NMSSAZ). Article
Fitmoo, Inc. has selected Las Vegas-based Forté PR as its public relations agency of record. Article
Zion & Zion continues to add to the ranks of its senior talent with the hire of public relations professional Teri Morris. Article
Las Vegas-based Quillin Advertising, Public Relations & Social Media has hired Antonia Genov as social media manager. In addition, Melanie Shafer was promoted to public relations supervisor. Article
San Francisco
Waggener Edstrom Communications has been selected by Tallie as communications agency of record to help the San Francisco-based company disrupt the expense reporting industry. Article
Seattle
Amazon is unifying oversight of PR and public policy under the leadership of former White House press secretary Jay Carney. Article
San Diego & San Francisco
Wonacott Communications has hired Johner Riehl as vice president and Andrew Park as account director for its interactive entertainment and technology PR team. Article
London
WGSN has hired Ogilvy PR as its global PR agency of record. Article
Mobile virtual network operator Lycamobile has called in Chime agencies Harvard and Essentially to oversee PR and sponsorship strategy in the UK. Article
MeetingRooms.com has hired Weber Shandwick as its PR agency of record ahead of its official launch in March. Article
Nautilus has extended its relationship with the Hoffman Agency to support support a European rollout of its latest home fitness products. Article
Eulogy! is launching a strategic content marketing division to help clients amplify their stories across a wider range of online and offline channels. E!Content is led by Noelle McElhatton. Article
Corporate and public affairs firm Cicero Group has launched a healthcare practice under the leadership of former Baxter senior communications director Fiona Cohen. Article
Firefly Communications has been appointed by global talent management software provider Cornerstone OnDemand to handle public relations and digital communications in the UK, and support with European agency co-ordination. Article
Mind Candy has appointed Fever as its new retained UK consumer agency. Fever’s sister agency, Nelson Bostock Unlimited, has also been appointed to drive Mind Candy’s corporate PR program. Article
The Press Association has appointed Sophie Lister to the role of communications manager, responsible for managing external and internal communications for a number of divisions within the company including news, images and sport. Article
The Pension Protection Fund has appointed Lansons to provide communications and external relations support on a retainer basis. Article
Marketing and PR agency Zoodikers Consulting has hired Marcus Chrysostomou as its senior account director. Article
Paris
Publicis Groupe has announced its acquisition of South Africa’s Epic Communications, two weeks after the Holmes Report revealed the deal’s details. Article
Spanish communications consultancy Infopress has rebranded as Atrevia. Article
Waggener Edstrom Communications announced six new strategic partners in Africa. Core Public Relations, Corporate Talk Group, Exclamation Marketing Ltd., Hotwire PRC, Lift Consulting and XLR8 reinforce WE’s commitment to the fast-growing African continent and extend the agency’s service network to 18 new markets in Africa and more than 100 globally. Article
Grayling and Huntsworth Health have partnered on a health and wellness offering for the Middle East and Turkey known as Grayling Health. Article
Hill+Knowlton Strategies has strengthened its Portuguese office with the appointment of creative director Tiago Veiga. Article
Sydney
BlaBlaCar has called on Chase India to oversee government affairs as it launches operations in India. Article
Toronto
Canadian luggage retail brand Bentley Group has named Narrative PR as its AOR. Article
Precious metals producer SilverCrest Mines has appointed Michael Rapsch as vice president, corporate communications. Article
Ireland + Hall Communications has added four new clients: design shop twenty2b Design; teALCHEMY, a Canadian tea brand; former professional athlete turned artist Brendan Murphy, who has founded World143, a crowd-funding organization; and beauty brand Takie’moto Cosmetics, founded by “urban Model” turned entrepreneur Nicole Hamilton-Takemoto. Article
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