Best PR Firms in Portland Oregon

By the Everything-PR Editorial Team
Edited on Sep 5, 2026.

Originally published December 2015. The Portland Oregon PR landscape has shifted; some firms below may have since merged, rebranded, or closed. For the current master index of every PR firm Everything-PR has profiled, see The PR Firms Directory.

Portland, Oregon punches above its weight in independent PR. The leading firm is Weinstein PR, founded by former 15-year Nike corporate communications director Lee Weinstein, followed by family-owned AM:PM PR and food/beverage specialist Little Green Pickle. Beyond the omnipresent global networks, a handful of local firms have built reputations that carry outside the Pacific Northwest — anchored by long-tenured founders, sector specialization, and durable client relationships.

The leading PR firms in Portland at a glance

Firm	Founded	Specialty	Why they rank
Weinstein PR	2007	Corporate, client-first orientation	Founder spent 15 years as Nike's director of corporate communications
AM:PM PR	2010	Consumer, tech-adjacent	Family-owned; combined 60 years experience; clients incl. 7-Eleven, Motorola, Lyft
Little Green Pickle	2010	Food, drink, national chefs	Founder also created Feast Portland, a nationally ranked food festival
Maxwell PR + Engagement	1997	Natural/organic brands, tourism	Agency of record for Tillamook County Creamery Association (since 1909)
A.wordsmith	2009	Thought leadership, positioning	Founder built career at Weber Shandwick Worldwide and Standing Partnership

Five that stand out.

Weinstein PR

Founded in 2007 by Lee Weinstein, Weinstein PR built its reputation on putting clients first. Weinstein spent 15 years as director of corporate communications at NIKE before opening the firm in his home state.

A member of Public Relations Boutiques International — an organization that shares the firm's client-first orientation — Weinstein PR donates a percentage of yearly profits to community causes. Notable local work has included the Oregon Wave Energy Trust, Pacific Northwest College of Art, and the Portland Plastic Surgery Group.

AM:PM PR

Family-owned, co-founded in 2010 by Pat and Allison McCormick. Combined 60 years of industry experience. Located in the Cyrk Building — designed and built with sustainable materials, which tells you something about the agency's positioning.

Pat McCormick received a lifetime achievement award from the Public Relations Society of America. The firm's client roster has included 7-Eleven, Motorola, and Lyft. Strategic partnerships with 7/Apps and other creative and marketing shops extend the firm's reach beyond what a boutique headcount would suggest.

Little Green Pickle

Founded in 2010 by Carrie Welch and Jannie Huang. Specialty: food, drink, national chefs, and consumer food brands.

Welch also founded Feast Portland — named one of North America's 15 best food festivals by Fodor's and the best food festival in the country by Thrillist. The firm's client roster has included Rachael Ray, Le Cirque, and Food Network talent, alongside some of Portland's leading restaurants and artisans. Recent work included the revitalization of Scott Paul Wines.

A.wordsmith

Founded in 2009 by Ann Smith. Prior to launching the firm, Smith managed accounts at Weber Shandwick Worldwide and Standing Partnership. Managing partner Gretchen Hoffman brings 15 years of experience, including internal marketing leadership at GreenRoad.

The firm's reputation is built on client-partner relationships that read as equal parts rapport and trust — thought-leadership content, case-study development, positioning, and outreach delivered with minimal client oversight.

Maxwell PR + Engagement

Founded in 1997 by Jennifer Maxwell-Muir. Independent. Specialty focus: natural and organic industry leaders, and premier tourism destinations and attractions.

Maxwell-Muir has been recognized in the Portland Business Journal 40 Under 40 and named to the Oregon Business Magazine Leaders to Follow. Client roster has included Kettle Brand Potato Chips, La Terra Fina, Pacific Foods, and Whole Foods Market. The Tillamook County Creamery Association — in business since 1909, known internationally for its award-winning Tillamook cheddar — has named Maxwell PR its agency of record.

What Makes Portland's PR Scene Distinct

Three structural traits set Portland's independent PR bench apart from other mid-sized U.S. markets. First, deep NIKE and outdoor-industry roots — Weinstein and multiple other regional operators cycled through NIKE communications before going independent. Second, a strong food-and-beverage cluster that supports specialist firms like Little Green Pickle and Maxwell PR. Third, a values-first client-selection culture that shows up in almost every founder bio — B Corp certifications, community giveback programs, and stated preferences for mission-driven clients.

How to Choose: Comparison FAQs

Weinstein PR vs. AM:PM PR for a corporate/consumer brand — which fits? Weinstein has deep Nike-lineage corporate communications pedigree and a client-first PRBI membership. AM:PM brings broader consumer and tech-adjacent client experience (7-Eleven, Motorola, Lyft) with extended reach through creative-agency partnerships — the choice depends on whether the mandate is corporate-reputation-first or broader integrated consumer marketing.

Little Green Pickle vs. Maxwell PR for a food/beverage brand — which one? Little Green Pickle specializes in chef, restaurant, and national food-personality PR (Rachael Ray, Food Network talent). Maxwell PR is the stronger fit for natural/organic packaged-goods brands and tourism, with the Tillamook agency-of-record relationship as proof of category depth.

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• The PR Firms Directory — Master index of every PR firm EPR has profiled
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