Welcome to this week’s edition of recent account wins and job changes within the public relations industry. Have news you would like us to include, just let us know!
Austin
Sanders\Wingo Advertising has introduced a new division, The Knowledge Group, consisting of 23 members across offices in Austin, El Paso, Atlanta and New York. Article
Boston
Greenough Communications announced it has increased its Account Director ranks with the addition of three senior practitioners to address the agency’s growth. Brad Puffer, Amy Legere and Rachel Vaccari will provide counsel, media relations and team leadership for the agency’s healthcare, professional services, technology and non-profit clientele. Article
PAN Communications today announced the strategic hires of Lauren Arnold and Darlene Doyle as vice presidents joining the agency’s growing technology and healthcare practices. Article
Matter Communications announced it has acquired search marketing firm Search Maven Media. Article
Hollywood Public Relations this month announced the expansion of its client portfolio with the addition of Ovuline and JMATEK North America, LLC to its roster. Article
Communications professionals responsible for sustainability and CSR will share best practices in a free webinar series organized by 3BL Media and kicking off March 18. Article
Paul Andrew has been appointed Harvard University‘s vice president for public affairs and communications. Article
Charlotte
Actor Marc John Jefferies announced he has selected French/West/Vaughan as his public relations agency of record. Article
Travel and tourism firm Fuel has named Jay Juan Garcia as director of sales and marketing. Article
Chicago
Brixy has hired KidStuff Public Relations to handle marketing and public relations for the group. Article
Hyatt Hotels Corporation has named Debra Goetz as senior vice president, corporate marketing and global communications. Article
Cleveland
Major League Baseball has chosen Game Day Communications to assist in its efforts for the 2015 All-Star Game at Great American Ball Park and other related events. Article
DC
Ketchum has named Dr. Christopher Handler as SVP and director of its social marketing practice. Article
Hill+Knowlton Strategies has named Ellen Moran an executive vice president and the general manager of the global public relations firm’s office in Washington, D.C. Article
Wendy Katzen “Party Perfect” has selected Cornerstone Communications as its public relations and marketing strategy agency of record. Article
Global Strategy Group has hired Matt Canter as senior vice president. In addition, Kate Hansen has come on board as vice president, communications from FWD.us, an advocacy organization in the tech community; and John Cipriani as director, research, having most recently worked for the chief strategy officer at Microsoft. Article
Denver
Fruition has announced Melanie Davidson will be named president. Article
Los Angeles
Ketchum Sports & Entertainment has hired Kelly Mullen as VP of branded entertainment. Article
Silvercrest Advertising announced the launch of its public relations and communications department, which allows the firm to employ more enhanced cross-channel marketing tactics for its clients that can benefit from strategic media relations campaigns and programs. Article
The Pollack PR Marketing Group has been selected by The City of Santa Monica‘s Wellbeing Project as their agency of record. Article
Health Net has named Peter O’Neill vice president, investor relations and corporate communications. Article
Bud Genius has launched an investor relations website. BGMedTech.com includes company news, profiles of company divisions, updates on legalization efforts, and media relations and IR contact information. Article
Caruso Affiliated has hired Steven Martin as SVP of strategic alliances and entertainment. Article
Miami
The Resort at Pedregal announced the appointment of Cataline Green as Director of Sales and Marketing. Article
Pushing the Envelope has hired Kate Walter, MA, APR as Public Relations and Project Manager. Article
Pinnacle Advertising and Marketing announced that Waldan International has retained them for a national publicity campaign. Article
FJ Communications has recently added new assignments, including internal communications for French global energy firm Total in the Latin American region; communications strategy, media relations and event support for interactive whiteboard developer Smart Technologies in Mexico; communications planning and branding profile for Chinese manufacturer of radio transceivers and radio systems Hytera in Mexico; and external communications in Peru and Mexico for consumer finance technology company Kreditech. Article
Minneapolis
TeamQuest has announced the appointment of Dino Balafas as Vice President of Marketing. Article
New York
Ketchum‘s controversial PR assignment for Russia, a relationship that has spanned nine years, has ended in the US and Europe. Article
AMC Networks has hired Bernadette Simpao as VP of corporate communications. Article
Jaguar Growth Partners has brought on Quyen Tran as principal leading fundraising and investor relations. Article
The CHR Group has appointed Jonathan Zaback president of its newly formed Communications and Brand Marketing Division. Article
Ogilvy Public Relations announced that Melissa Smith has been named Executive Vice President and Group Director of the agency’s New York Brand Marketing Practice, effective January 2015. Article
Maine Lobster Marketing Collaborative hired the global public relations firm Weber Shandwick to help expand existing markets and find new ones. Article
Island Harvest has retained Long Island public relations firm Epoch 5 to head up its public relations, branding and marketing initiatives. Article
Susan Fraysse Russ has been named senior vice president, communications at MPA-The Association of Magazine Media. Article
Spectrum has opened in New York under the leadership of managing director Michelle Gross. Other new additions include senior vice presidents Michelle Strier and Tim Goddard. Article
Korn Ferry has hired Peter McDermott as a principal in the corporate affairs practice. Article
Shutterstock has brought on Craig Felenstein as SVP of investor relations. Article
Philadelphia
Comcast has promoted CCO D’Arcy Rudnay to EVP. Article
The annual report of the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission released on March 5, 2015 named Princeton Public Affairs Group as New Jersey’s top lobbying organization based on 2014 revenue. PPAG has held this distinction for twelve consecutive years. Article
Sacramento
Perry Communications has added the California Craft Brewers Association and the Sierra Nevada Conservatory to its client roster. Article
San Diego
KCD PR has been selected by AIG Advisor Group as its agency of record. Article
San Francisco
Chris Knight has launched Divino Group, a brand marketing and PR consultancy that plans to provide CMOs and brand marketers with solutions for the new new media world. Knight founded the firm with six others, including husband Celso Dulay, who will serve as executive producer in charge of the group’s video and broadcast news services; Diana Stoneberg, a consumer tech product expert and television and radio personality; Gretchen Throop Williams, an artist with experience across graphic design, photography, music and video; Kimberly Quinn Devine, who worked with Knight for more than a decade at FleishmanHillard and Cohn & Wolfe; and Matt Schwarz and Tania Kempf, who also worked with Knight early in their careers. Article
Austin, San Francisco & Seattle
FILTER announced the addition of three new senior level staff members and the opening of an office in Austin, Texas. Article
Chicago & Nashville
Humana Inc. has named Golin its public relations agency of record. Article
Nashville &New York
Roland Corporation U.S. announced the appointment of Nashville- and New York-based firm Clyne Media as agency of record to spearhead public relations and editorial initiatives. Article
Los Angeles & New York
After spending the past seven years as an account executive at BWR on both coasts, Kevin McLaughlin has joined Craig Bankey in Main Stage Public Relations, a bicoastal firm. Article
Hong Kong
Social media platform Hootsuite has shifted Asia-Pacific PR duties to Waggener Edstrom following a competitive review. Article
Porter Novelli has relocated agency veteran Angie Schneider from Seattle to Singapore to oversee the firm’s Asia-Pacific operations. Article
Wagstaff Worldwide announced it is now working with Bangkok-based Akaryn Hospitality Management Services. Article
Frankfurt
Fink & Fuchs PR has been awarded a contract to develop and execute public relations activities on behalf of the federal administration, including all Federal Ministries and subordinate authorities. Article
London
UK telecoms group Lebara has handed multi-market PR duties to Text 100, the Holmes Report has learned. Article
Paul Fabretti has departed Telefonica to take on a global social media role for Microsoft‘s consumer apps and services (CAS) division. Article
Alison Couper has joined online ratings and reviews provider Feefo in the newly-created role of VP, brand and communications. Article
Twentieth Century Fox Television Distribution has promoted Victoria Marcroft to VP of marketing, promotion, and publicity. Article
Hill+Knowlton Strategies has launched a people and purpose practice under the leadership of Laura House. The unit has also expanded with the addition of two specialist consultants, Eloise Hindes (formerly of AB Communications) and Kitty Gordon (who joins from Which? Consumer’s Association). Article
Media company Sanoma has named Sandra van Vreedendaal as chief communication officer. Article
Weber Shandwick has been appointed by the United Nations Volunteers to coordinate media and stakeholder launch events coinciding with publication of the second State of the World’s Volunteerism Report in summer 2015. Article
Golin has appointed Kate Miller as the agency’s first head of media to lead its “connector” community. Article
Golf brand TaylorMade-adidas Golf has appointed global social media agency We Are Social as its strategic and creative social media agency in Europe. Article
Rachael Evans has joined Man Bites Dog in a senior consultancy role. Article
Sarah Long has joined Beattie Communications to lead Only Travel, its travel PR, social and digital boutique. Article
Mischief PR has been appointed as the International PR agency for Paddy’s Bathroom, a new organic and natural children’s toiletry range created by Ella’s Kitchen founder Paul Lindley. Article
Atomic has been appointed by security specialist, RiskIQ, following a competitive pitch. Article
Virgo Health has strengthened its leadership team with the appointment of Tom Griffiths as head of digital. Article
TVC Group managing director Nicky Minter-Green is stepping down as MD of the agency, after nine years in the role. Article
Paris
FTI Consulting has added Massimo Baldinato, John Clancy, Kyra Obolensky and Roeland Van der Stappen as senior directors; Robrecht Vandormael as director; Maria Tsoni as senior consultant; and Matilda Wallmon as consultant, bringing its team in Brussels to 60 consultants. Article
PROI Worldwide has added Distinct Communication in Luxembourg to its membership to provide more comprehensive coverage in the EMEA region. Article
Sydney
Carol Potter is joining Edelman as executive vice-chairman for the firm’s Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa (APACMEA) region, after spending the past eight years as CEO of BBDO China. Article
Tokyo
Geometry Global Japan has launched a new film to draw visitors to Saga City, Japan. The film, ‘Alien of Ariake’, tells the story of an alien creature that lives in the nearby Ariake Sea. Article
Toronto
Cohn & Wolfe | Toronto announced a series of appointments to the team, further reinforcing the agency’s core strengths, and expanding its expertise and service offerings. Article
Hill+Knowlton Strategies Canada announced two new senior leaders in its corporate practice. Effective immediately, Jason MacDonald and Susan Schutta join as vice presidents in the firm’s Ottawa and Toronto offices, respectively. Article
Accor North America has awarded the public relations account for its Canadian Sofitel and Novotel hotels to Citoyen Optimum. Article
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