News from Singer & Associates, R&R Partners, Podesta Group, and F/W/V
Singer Associates quits work for opponents of Golden State Warriors arena construction
The Mission Bay Alliance has lawsuits pending against the Golden State Warriors and UCSF about the building of the Warriors new arena currently slated to have 18,000 seats at the cost of approximately $1 billion. Singer Associates, a PR firm founded by Sam Singer, and Boies, Schiller & Flexner, a high-profile law firm in the area have both stopped their work on behalf of the Alliance citing “strategic differences” as their reason for leaving.
Singer & Associates was founded in 1990 by Sam Singer.
South Sudan invests in PR – But what about their people?
South Sudan is only five years old, but they are a nation in turmoil, ravaged by war, famine, and sometimes their own government. The government seeks help from outside sources and is willing to invest $2.1 million for PR and lobbying firms from 2014 through 2015. Firms like R&R Partners and Podesta Group have helped South Sudan polish their image, lobby for further U.S. aid, and do what they can to push aside sanctions for some of the atrocities happening by the government or government troops such as murder, rape, and starving their citizens.
R&R Partners is best known for the Las Vegas campaign – “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.” The Podesta Group was founded by brothers, John and Tony Podesta in 1988 while operating under a variety of “Podesta” names. They are headquartered in Washington DC and have strong and deep ties to the current Democratic National Party, including the White House, past, present, and possibly future. John Podesta doesn’t do much within the firm these days he’s busy being Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign manager. John was previously the leader of President Obama’s transition team, as well as chief of staff for President Bill Clinton.
Of course, the actions taken by the PR firms and the South Sudan government in lobbying attempts are all legal so long as they meet the appropriate filing requirements, but sometimes it can leave people wondering.
French/West/Vaughan add eight staff members to Raleigh office FWV now has another eight members in their Raleigh office – they include:
Corey Adams brings commercial production experience while working with companies such as Nestle, Purina, Wells Fargo, STIHL Power Tools, and Reebok. He will serve as Creative Producer.
Megan Byers comes to FWV from SHIFT Communications Boston working as a Sr. Account Exec, she will continue as a Sr. Account Exec at FWV.
Megan Byrne, after graduating from NC State and filling a post as an intern at FMV, she will now take on the role in the travel and tourism division as Account Coordinator.
Angela DeRusha comes in as VP of Advertising Services. She has expertise in a wide number of sectors working with top-tier clients such as Mercedes-Benz, IBM, and Blue Cross/Blue Shield.
Brad Grantham has 20 years of media and public relations including being a broadcast news director. He worked as Sr. communications exec with Zehnder in Louisiana.
Clay Hanback will be a Sr. Account Exec in Raleigh. He’s worked with such clients as Under Armour Outdoors, Cabela’s Outfitters, and YETI Coolers.
Maggie McDonald left Ketchum’s DC office behind to join the Raleigh office as an Account Supervisor. She’s worked on national PR campaigns with FedEx, Hershey’s, and Clorox.
Erin McGuire will be an Account Executive. She worked previously with Luckie & Company, an advertising agency in Alabama as a production manager.
That’s all eight of them. Congrats to the expanding FWV team in Raleigh.
