PR Week (US) articles from September 2003

PR Week (US) archives from September 2003

Sorrell claims WPP's PR businesses showing signs of stabilization.(Martin Sorrell)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... LONDON: Following the lead of rivals Omnicom and Interpublic Group, marketing services holding company WPP became the latest in the sector to say that its PR and public affairs business was showing signs that it has finally 'stabilized.' ...

Allstate RFI has incumbent H&K preparing for repitch.(Hill & Knowlton public relations U.S.)
September 1, 2003... NORTHBROOK, IL: Insurance giant Allstate is reviewing its three-year-plus relationship with Hill & Knowlton to determine if the firm will remain its agency of record. Allstate routinely reviews vendor contracts, and considers whether to...

Vivendi vet Hullin to join Boeing as SVP of communications.(Tod Hullin appointed )(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... CHICAGO: Boeing has hired noted PR veteran Tod Hullin as its new SVP of communications after a search conducted by Korn/Ferry. Hullin will join the company on September 12. He replaces Judith Muhlberg, who left the company in March after...

Aluminum Association mulls agency hire for branding campaign.(public relations U.S.)
September 1, 2003... WASHINGTON: The Aluminum Association (AA) is on the hunt for an agency to lead an industry-wide branding campaign. However, the group still may decide against such a campaign because it is concerned that similar efforts by other organizations...

One Day's Pay ups push to make 9 11 a day of service.(onedayspay.org)
September 1, 2003... WASHINGTON: One Day's Pay, an organization formed to memorialize the victims of September 11, has entered 'phase two' of its initiative to establish September 11 as a national day of observance, said the group's president, David Paine. The...

R&C hired to promote the new TV Guide.(Rogers & Cowan/Weber Shandwick)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... LOS ANGELES: Weber Shandwick's Rogers & Cowan (R&C) has been named agency of record for TV Guide after a competitive pitch. The entertainment PR firm is charged with creating a PR campaign to support the magazine's updated image, and...

GLAAD asks candidates to state views on gay issues.(gubernatorial race California)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... LOS ANGELES: A few weeks ago, GLAAD began a media outreach campaign aimed at encouraging California's political journalists to question gubernatorial candidates about their position on gay, lesbian, and transgender rights. GLAAD initiated...

Valdmanis named president of GCI's Canada operation.(Robert Valdmanis appointed by GCI Group Inc.)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... NEW YORK: GCI Group has named Robert Valdmanis president of GCI Canada. He replaces Nancy Croitoru, who left to become CEO of the Food and Consumer Products Manufacturers of Canada. Valdmanis was most recently a principal at the New...

NEWS BRIEF: Intrado hires Ketchum as its AOR.(Ketchum Advertising Inc. agency of record)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... LONGMONT, CO: Intrado has hired Ketchum as its AOR. Intrado develops technology that manages and delivers information for telecoms providers and public-safety organizations. Ketchum's San Francisco office will lead the account, providing PR...

NEWS BRIEF: Schwartz Communications adds six new clients.(public relations firms U.S.)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... WALTHAM, MA: Schwartz Communications has added six new clients to its roster: visual-analysis software firm Anacubis; AusAm Biotechnologies, which develops new methods to identify and treat diseases; Brightec, which develops night-luminescent...

NEWS BRIEF: Gallagher Group adds to its roster of hi-tech clients.(Kivera and Peribit Networks)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... LAFAYETTE, CA: Gallagher Group Communications has added Kivera and Peribit Networks to its roster of hi-tech clients. Kivera develops technology for location-based products and services for wireless, directory assistance, emergency response,...

NEWS BRIEF: W.A. Wilde picks Topaz Partners.(public relations U.S.)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... HOLLISTON, MA: W.A. Wilde, a direct-marketing services firm, has picked Topaz Partners to promote its services, which include database management, web-based product management, printing, and creative services.

NEWS BRIEF: Calysto Communications launches support systems practice.(public relations U.S.)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... ATLANTA: Telecommunications PR firm Calysto Communications has launched an operations-support systems practice, which will focus on promoting OSS innovations and technologies in the communications industry. Calysto will work with companies that...

NEWS BRIEF: Bette Levin joins Fleishman-Hillard as SVP.(senior vice president)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... WASHINGTON: Bette Levin has joined Fleishman-Hillard as SVP. She will specialize in developing large-scale PR programs for association, government, and private clients. Most recently, she spent two years at Ogilvy PR Worldwide overseeing work...

NEWS BRIEF: 5W Public Relations acquires IndustreePR.(public relations U.S.)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... NEW YORK: 5W Public Relations has acquired boutique PR agency IndustreePR, which specializes in fashion, lifestyle, and entertainment. IndustreePR was founded by Tracy Nguyen, who has joined 5W as director of fashion and lifestyle.

NEWS BRIEF: The MWW Group hired by Ddi Corp.(public relations U.S.)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ: The MWW Group has been hired by Ddi Corp to provide corporate communications and financial media relations.

NEWS BRIEF: Piaggio USA retains R.C. Auletta & Company.(Vespra scooters marketing)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... NEW YORK: Piaggio USA has retained R.C. Auletta & Company to develop a national PR and marketing program for Vespa scooters. The Italian scooter was reintroduced to the US market in 2000.

NEWS BRIEF: Keating Public Relations appointed.(Broadmark Asset Management L.L.C.)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... FLORHAM PARK, NJ: Keating Public Relations has been appointed to serve as strategic communications counsel for Broadmark Asset Management, an absolute-return investment advisor. Keating will provide corporate communications and media relations...

NEWS BRIEF: Diamond Communications Consulting completes project.(Multiple Sclerosis Challenge Walk)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... BOSTON: Diamond Communications Consulting has completed a project to promote the second annual MS Challenge Walk by building awareness and helping to recruit participants. The three day, 50-mile event held in mid-September on Cape Cod is...

NEWS BRIEF: St. John & Partners joins MAGNET Global Network.(St. John and Partners Advertising and Public Relations Inc.)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... JACKSONVILLE, FL: St. John & Partners Advertising & Public Relations has joined the MAGNET Global Network, affiliating with 40 other independent advertising agencies in North and South America, Europe, Asia, and the Pacific Rim. It is the only...

NEWS BRIEF: Duke Health System clarification.(Correction Notice)
September 1, 2003... CLARIFICATION: In the Corporate Case Study on Duke Health System (August 11, 2003), the news office was inaccurately reported to have assisted the family with media training instead of media relations.

Tech firm Akamai picks FitzGerald as agency of record.(Akamai Technologies Inc. retains FitzGerald Communications Inc.)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... CAMBRIDGE, MA: After two years without a PR agency, Akamai Technologies has chosen FitzGerald Communications as its US agency of record. Akamai previously worked with the now-defunct NYPR. 'We've been doing PR in-house,' explained director...

State Department issues RFPs aimed at overseas media.(request for proposals to United Arab Emirates )(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... WASHINGTON: The State Department furthered its efforts to gain a foothold in the world of Arab media last month with the release of two new RFPs. The first is a call for an agency that can develop and implement an internet campaign to...

Johnson leaves Golin as part of staff shuffle.(Tim Johnson resigns Golin/Harris International)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... SAN FRANCISCO: A senior staff reorganization at Golin/Harris International has prompted the departure of Tim Johnson, former MD of the firm's San Francisco office and worldwide director of its technology/e-business team. The firm's...

PRSA survey spotlights the industry's lack of diversity.(Public Relations Society of America)
September 1, 2003... NEW YORK: PR practitioners believe that agencies lag behind other areas of the industry in recruiting diverse talent, according to a new diversity survey conducted by the PRSA. In the survey of 2,023 PRSA members, only 41% of the...

NASA's PA operation was prepared for CAIB report.(National Aeronautics and Space Administration response to Columbia Accident Investigation Board U.S)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... WASHINGTON: NASA responded contritely to the Columbia Accident Investigation Board's (CAIB) no-punches-pulled report last week, and media preparation kept the PA office's call volume manageable. 'We get it,' NASA administrator Sean O'Keefe...

Thomson taps ex-Avon SVP to guide corporate affairs.(Thomson Corp. appoints Brian Martin)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... STAMFORD, CT: The Thomson Corporation, the dollars 8 billion financial information provider, has named Brian Martin to its top communications post. As SVP for corporate affairs, a newly created position that reports to the president and...

US assigns media director to oversee Iraqi-based press.(journalist training)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... WASHINGTON: US authorities in Iraq have appointed a media commissioner to provide training and impose restraint over the country's rapidly growing press. The number of local newspapers published in Iraq, as well as the number of television...

PRN's new website to focus on global disclosure issues.(PR Newswire, www.disclosureresource.com)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... NEW YORK: PR Newswire (PRN) has just launched www.disclosureresource.com, a free online tool to provide investors with educational materials on global disclosure. The portal, which has gained the support of both the National Investor...

Figure ventures to bring 'reality' into fashion pub world.(magazine publication U.S.)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... NEW YORK: It may be all about clothes, relationships, health, and beauty, but don't look for rail-thin models or any other fantastic figments common to lifestyle magazines in Figure, a new glossy publication now on sale at a few popular retail...

Volvo to start nominee search for '04 Awards.(Volvo Cars of North America and the Volvo for Life Awards)
September 1, 2003... IRVINE, CA: Volvo Cars of North America has announced that beginning September 16, it will seek nominations for the second annual Volvo for Life Awards. Launched as a grassroots-styled program last year, the Volvo for Life Awards is a...

FDA releases details on latest action plan.(Food and Drug Administration U.S.)
September 1, 2003... ROCKVILLE, MD: Two weeks ago, the FDA publicly released the details of its new strategic action plan, 'Protecting and Advancing America's Health: Responding to New Challenges and Opportunities.' The specifics came almost five months after...

Camera blends digital and disposable.(Pure Digital Technologies retained by Communication Strategies)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... SAN FRANCISCO: The first disposable digital camera is creating a picture-perfect opportunity to appeal to consumers who are reluctant to buy a new camera, and those already comfortable with digital technology. 'There is a huge demand for...

Motorola moves two key PR units to downtown Chicago.(public relations U.S.)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... CHICAGO: Cell phone maker Motorola, trying to spruce up its image with trendy urbanites, is moving two key divisions from the suburbs into the heart of Chicago's business district. Geoffrey Frost, chief brand officer for the company's...

H&K vet named to top post at Turner Classic Movies PR.(Justin Pettigrew formerly of Hill & Knowlton Inc.)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... ATLANTA: Turner Classic Movies (TCM) has named Justin Pettigrew VP for PR. A former SAE at Hill & Knowlton and a publicist at The Weather Channel, Pettigrew was promoted from director of PR for TCM. The 24-hour cable channel shows films...

Media stays hungry in summer slowdown.(Alexis Walsko, Lola Red PR for Renewable Choice Energy)
September 1, 2003... NEWPORT, RI: On August 11, a truck carrying a one-ton load of coal pulled into this tony coastal town. The truck's sole function was to dump its load and then leave, and it was running more than two hours late. But neither the tardiness nor the...

Die casters bring in two agencies to boost awareness.(North American Die Casting Association retains Schindler Communications and Lipman Hearne)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... ROSEMONT, IL: The North American Die Casting Association has hired two PR agencies to launch a dollars 1 million integrated campaign on behalf of the industry. The move comes in the face of increasing competition from foreign producers....

EDITORIAL: Firms temper optimism with pragmatism and a renewed focus on running business wisely.(public relations firms U.S.)(Editorial)
September 1, 2003... Summer is basically over, and there is more than a change of seasons in the air. Much of the industry chatter lately has focused on a growing sense that business is picking up out there. Could it be true? Agencies are telling us that they are...

OP-ED: Ask the right questions and you'll find the right client.(choosing a public relations firm, guidelines U.S.)(Column)
September 1, 2003... Having been in PR for more years than we care to admit, and in the hi-tech PR business for about 20 years each, my three cofounders at Chen PR and I have seen many changes. With the dot-com bubble having come and gone, the days of companies...

ANALYSIS: Applied Acquisition - Applied buyout represents the end of an era in tech PR.(public relations U.S.)
September 1, 2003... The sale of Applied's PR operation to Next Fifteen turned heads, many viewing it as another blow to tech PR. But to others, it was the right move for all. When Alan Kelly announced that he was selling his PR operation, not too many people...

PAUL HOLMES: Corporations must consider how shareholders are impacted by strategic philanthropy efforts.(public relations U.S.)
September 1, 2003... There was a time when corporate philanthropy was merely a reflection of the CEO's personal interests. Just as CEOs who enjoyed golf would likely direct sponsorship dollars toward golf events, CEOs who had survived a battle with prostate cancer...

CORPORATE: Case Study - Texas shoppers buy into H-E-B's focus on community.(public relations U.S.)
September 1, 2003... Long known for its philanthropic efforts and innovative ideas, grocery giant H-E-B has begun to embrace PR as it adds to its already substantial presence in Texas and Mexico. Sherri Deatherage Green reports. Actions, not words, define PR...

THE AGENCY BUSINESS: Dealing in reality is vital to fulfilling entrepreneurial aspirations.(public relations firms U.S.; includes related article "Tips for starting your own agency")
September 1, 2003... In talking to PR pros who have made the successful transition from agency exec to entrepreneur, Paul Cordasco learns that the key to starting a firm lies in the details of your plan, not the dream of getting rich. 'I decided to start my...

MEDIA: Media Roundup - Men's grooming attracts the media.(public relations U.S.)
September 1, 2003... Due to popular TV shows, product lines, and US males' growing quest for knowledge on the subject, men's grooming is becoming a prominently covered media topic. Vanity has never been something American men are eager to admit to, but...

MEDIA: Journalist Q & A - John Edwards III.(The Wall Street Journal wsj.com)(Interview)
September 1, 2003... Name: John Edwards III Publication: The Wall Street Journal Title: News editor Preferred contact method: john.edwards@wsj.com Website: wsj.com As a news editor at The Wall Street Journal, John Edwards' view of the media...

MEDIA: Media Watch - Blackout casts light on US vulnerabilities.(editorials U.S.)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... The 2003 Blackout, the largest ever, spotlighted the need to update the US electrical grid. Editorial writers across the country were nearly unanimous in viewing the outage as a wake-up call. Others focused on how the public's handling of the...

MEDIA BRANDS: Google News' broader reach makes headlines with an editor who's normally difficult to crack.(news website U.S.)(Product/Service Evaluation)
September 1, 2003... At about 11am on August 22, 2003, the Google News website featured links to stories on topics ranging from the aftermath of the bombing of the UN's Baghdad headquarters to a review of Jackie Chan's latest film. The news organizations...

PROFILE: Stephens sticks with truth during HP's ups and downs.(Suzette Stephens, Hewlett-Packard Co.)(Interview)
September 1, 2003... With a background in TV journalism and parents who honed her debating skills, Suzette Stephens knows that establishing credibility and trust comes before telling HP's story. Andrew Gordon reports. Suzette Stephens' career began by arguing...

ON THE SAME TEAM: Major pharma companies and nonprofits are finding ways to work together toward common goals.(public relations U.S.)
September 1, 2003... An article appearing in the May issue of the Harvard Business Review ends, 'We are standing at the threshold of an unusual era. The baby boomers will start to retire in less than a decade, squeezing public budgets even more than they are today....

REGIONAL FOCUS: NEW JERSEY PENNSYLVANIA - Expanding the horizon.(public relations firms U.S.; includes related article "Philadelphia: stuck in the middle")
September 1, 2003... Local agencies are struggling to attract larger local clients. Matthew Creamer reports. The past few years of economic doom and gloom have done nothing to erode the optimism of Steve Rosen, president of Star/Rosen PR, a Cherry Hill,...

PR TECHNIQUE: WINNING GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS - When times are hard, turn to Uncle Sam.(public relations firms U.S.)
September 1, 2003... While many agencies are put off by rigid systems and daunting processes, Douglas Quenqua finds that working on a government account has many rewards. You needn't be Halliburton to win a government contract. You don't even have to go to...

CAMPAIGN: Toronto looks into tourism recovery after SARS scares.(retains Fleishman-Hillard Inc.)
September 1, 2003... PR Team: City of Toronto and Fleishman-Hillard (Toronto) Campaign: Toronto: You Belong Here Time Frame: July-September 2003 Budget: dollars 2 million In April and May alone, SARS was blamed for sucking dollars 190 million out of...

CAMPAIGN: Visiball turns Tiger Woods' Open woes into solid exposure.(Visiball Solutions introduces goggles that spot golf balls in the rough)
September 1, 2003... PR Team: Visiball Solutions (Toronto) and The Graubard Group (New York) Campaign: Visiball launch Time Frame: May 2003-ongoing Budget: dollars 20,000 total for launch It was just the opportunity that The Graubard Group, which works...

CAMPAIGN: AAFA awards gala fashions new look to expand appeal.(American Apparel and Footwear Association)
September 1, 2003... PR Team: American Apparel and Footwear Association (Arlington, VA) and The Bromley Group (New York) Campaign: American Image Awards Time Frame: Fall 2002-spring 2003 Budget: dollars 25,000 Strategy The organization hired The...

THE PUBLICIST: Great photographs and a bad image can take paparazzi far.(Steve Sands U.S.)
September 1, 2003... Entertainment publicists have been having fun this week exchanging e-mails about Steve Sands, an infamous celebrity photographer who was arrested while covering Arnold Schwarzenegger's recent visit to New York. Loathed for his aggression...

PR PLAY OF THE WEEK: Stores save savvy PR for tax-free sales.(public relations U.S.)
September 1, 2003... NEW YORK: Thanks to the public's inherent desire to stick it to the IRS, several retailers have been able to turn the 'tax-free' sales popping up across the US into a valuable PR opportunity. A New Mexico sporting-goods shop captured the...

TOY BOX: E2e flashlight shines in darkest hour.(surefire.com)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
September 1, 2003... In its product catalogue, Surefire says the E2e Executive Elite flashlight is 'small enough to carry undetected... yet tough enough to survive and thrive in the harshest environments.' Well, I'm no hunter, and Manhattan isn't exactly the...

BOOK REVIEW: Word of mouth is what Buzz is about.(Buzz: Harness the Power of Influence and Create Demand)(Book Review)
September 1, 2003... Buzz is another in a growing list of books that look beyond the world of mass market advertising to give advice on how to reach today's ad-jaded consumers. The nomenclature may be different here - the authors speak of alphas and bees instead of...

AstraZeneca scraps early DTC campaign for new cholesterol drug.
September 8, 2003... WILMINGTON, DE: Just days after The Wall Street Journal published an article that dissected the strategy behind AstraZeneca's latest DTC marketing campaign, which was on behalf of its new cholesterol-lowering drug Crestor, the company decided...

BLJ to underscore Russian reforms during Putin visit.(Brown Lloyd James, Vladimir Putin)
September 8, 2003... NEW YORK: As Russian President Vladimir Putin prepares for a fall trip to New York, the Russian government has hired Brown Lloyd James (BLJ) to handle the nation's positioning in the United States. The account, a seven-figure deal when...

HBO casts its eye on Washington lobbyists in latest series 'K Street'.(Brief Article)
September 8, 2003... WASHINGTON: HBO is turning its lens on the Beltway this week with the debut of a new reality-based series about Washington lobbyists. K Street mixes working politicians and lobbyists, including the likes of Michael Deaver, Mary Matalin, and...

Perkins leaves WS for PR director role with Ernst & Young.(Charlie Perkins has left Weber Shandwick to become director of PR for the Americas at Ernst & Young)(Brief Article)
September 8, 2003... NEW YORK: Charlie Perkins has left his post as EVP and head of Weber Shandwick's corporate-reputation practice to become director of PR for the Americas at accounting giant Ernst & Young. He will lead a staff of eight and take responsibility...

Free of defunct parent, Rio hires Porter Novelli as AOR.
September 8, 2003... SANTA CLARA, CA: Rio has risen from the ashes of SonicBlue, its former consumer-electronics parent company, which went out of business earlier this year. And now the maker of mp3 players has hired Porter Novelli as its AOR to help get the word...

LA mayor's Middlebrook joins Fleishman.(Matt Middlebrook to head Fleishman-Hillard's San Francisco public affairs practice)(Brief Article)
September 8, 2003... SAN FRANCISCO: Matt Middlebrook will join Fleishman-Hillard in October to head up the agency's San Francisco public affairs practice. Middlebrook is currently Los Angeles Mayor Jim Hahn's deputy mayor for communications and policy. He will...

Cisco asks VP King to help oversee search process.(Jere Brooks King)(Brief Article)
September 8, 2003... SAN JOSE, CA: As Cisco's RFP has grown in scope, VP of corporate communications services Jere Brooks King has been brought in to oversee the process along with Claudia Ceniceros, Cisco's senior director of corporate PR, who initiated the...

Otto quits Edelman for Brooks Sports' corporate comms.(Tamara Otto)(Brief Article)
September 8, 2003... BOTHELL, WA: Tamara Otto has joined Brooks Sports as corporate communications manager. Before joining Brooks, Otto was an account supervisor in Edelman's Seattle office. Otto replaces Jacqueline Hennessey, who left the company to spend...

NEWS BRIEF: Cohn & Wolfe's consumer group awarded account.(by Taro Pharmaceuticals)(Brief Article)
September 8, 2003... NEW YORK: Cohn & Wolfe's consumer group has been awarded an account by Taro Pharmaceuticals to handle PR for the launch of ElixSure, a line of spill-resistant children's cold medicine.

NEWS BRIEF: Carlson Marketing Group acquires Peppers & Rogers.(Brief Article)
September 8, 2003... MINNEAPOLIS: Carlson Marketing Group has acquired Peppers & Rogers Group, a management consulting firm. The two will maintain their own identities and names, but will collaborate on serving their joint client base. Peppers & Rogers' 100...

NEWS BRIEF: FD Technologies appoints Topaz Partners.(to handle the US launch of its Decept Snowskate product)(Brief Article)
September 8, 2003... MALDEN, MA: FD Technologies has appointed Topaz Partners to handle the US launch of its Decept Snowskate product, designed to duplicate the sensation of riding a skateboard on the snow. The agency will handle outreach to retail, consumer, and...

NEWS BRIEF: Business Wire forms an agreement with Getty Images.(Brief Article)
September 8, 2003... NEW YORK: Business Wire (BW) has formed an agreement with Getty Images that allows BW members to hire photographers for commissioned photo shoots, and select images from Getty's pre-shot collections. Under the terms of the agreement, BW and...

NEWS BRIEF: Stacey Podber and Maria Dottori join Fleishman-Hillard.(Brief Article)
September 8, 2003... NEW YORK: Stacey Podber and Maria Dottori have joined Fleishman-Hillard's New York media services group. Podber joins as a VP, while Dottori joins as a senior consulting producer. Before coming to Fleishman, Podber was a staff producer for the...

NEWS BRIEF: Waggener Edstrom opens new office in Bay Area.(Brief Article)
September 8, 2003... SAN BRUNO, CA: Waggener Edstrom has opened a new office in the Bay Area. The agency had an office in Santa Clara, CA until June 2001, when the lease expired. The agency chose not to renew the lease, and had staff work from home offices. The new...

NEWS BRIEF: Maguire Properties retains Financial Dynamics.(for an integrated business-communications program)(Brief Article)
September 8, 2003... LOS ANGELES: Maguire Properties, a real-estate investment trust, has retained Financial Dynamics for an integrated business-communications program. Maguire focuses on class-A office space in Southern California, and raised approximately dollars...

NEWS BRIEF: PAN Communications gains several clients.(Brief Article)
September 8, 2003... ANDOVER, MA: PAN Communications has added several clients to its technology, professional services, and trade show practices: CareKey develops technology that allows health plans to exchange information with patients in a secure online...

NEWS BRIEF: Hi-tech PR firm Shelton promotes Stacey Gaswirth.(to EVP)(Brief Article)
September 8, 2003... DALLAS: Hi-tech PR firm Shelton has promoted Stacey Gaswirth to EVP, and Katie Olivier to VP of PR. Gaswirth will oversee the firm's PR, creative design, and marketing operations, as well as client services and business development. Olivier...

NEWS BRIEF: Matthew Rose joins The MWW Group as SVP.(Brief Article)
September 8, 2003... NEW YORK: Matthew Rose has joined The MWW Group as SVP. Rose will help lead new-business initiatives and manage many of MWW's corporate communications accounts in the New York office. Rose has worked in corporate, financial, crisis, and...

Canon cuts ties to Rowland after 18-year relationship.(parts ways with public relations firms Rowland Communications Worldwide)(Brief Article)
September 8, 2003... LAKE SUCCESS, NY: Canon's consumer-imaging division has parted ways with Rowland Communications Worldwide after nearly two decades. Deborah Szajngarten, PR manager for the consumer-imaging division, declined to state why the company and the...

Fleishman playing both sides of vote on Proposition 12.(Fleishman-Hillard)(Brief Article)
September 8, 2003... DALLAS: Fleishman-Hillard and one of its subsidiaries have found themselves on opposite sides of a political table. Allyn & Co., a Dallas-based public affairs firm that Fleishman acquired in January 2002, represents Save Texas Courts, which...

MCI gets governance advice from Breeden.(Richard Breeden)(Brief Article)
September 8, 2003... NEW YORK: A sweeping corporate-governance report from former SEC chairman Richard Breeden, a partner in Edelman's group of corporate governance advisors, outlines a 'blueprint for action' in which aggressive investor communications plays a...

Corporations preparing for final push on asbestos bill.
September 8, 2003... WASHINGTON: Major US corporations ranging from Pfizer to Halliburton are mobilizing scores of public affairs professionals across Washington this fall in hopes that the new legislative session will bring an end to years of costly...

Information on rebuilding steady since 9 11 attacks.(Brief Article)
September 8, 2003... NEW YORK: As the world observes the second anniversary of the terrorist attacks that devastated lower Manhattan, the information campaign tasked with educating the public on the rebuilding of the area continues. The main thrusts of the...

Former Ogilvy CEO Seltzer lands new role at Ruder Finn.(Bob Seltzer to head agency's new marketing practice)(Brief Article)
September 8, 2003... NEW YORK: Ruder Finn has hired former Ogilvy PR CEO Bob Seltzer to head the agency's new marketing practice. Seltzer left Ogilvy in August 2002, after a few tough years marked by layoffs and diminishing revenues. He spent his time away from...

Plesser brought in to promote Finland Embassy website.(Plesser Associates)(Brief Article)
September 8, 2003... WASHINGTON: The Embassy of Finland has tapped Plesser Associates to help it market a new website intended to educate American children about Finnish culture and democracy. Press counselor Kristiina Helenius said the inspiration for the...

CASA unveils 'Family Day' PSAs as part of latest anti-drug initiative.(National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse)(Brief Article)
September 8, 2003... WASHINGTON: The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University launched a nationwide campaign last week to publicize a new survey suggesting that teenagers who regularly eat dinner with their families are less...