Singer Associates: San Francisco Crisis PR Since 2000

Singer Associates is an independent San Francisco crisis communications and public affairs firm founded in 2000 by Sam Singer, who is founder and president. It provides crisis, corporate and regulatory communications, labor relations and public affairs support to companies, government agencies and organizations, and it has won PRWeek and Holmes Report agency honors.

Originally published June 2018. Updated October 17, 2026.

Who is Sam Singer?

Sam Singer is a former journalist and political campaign manager who served as communications director and press secretary to Nevada Governor Richard Bryan during Bryan's U.S. Senate bid, according to his agency biography. He later became president and Western Region director of GCI, a division of Grey Advertising, before starting his own firm.

PR News named him its 2008 Spokesperson of the Year.

How did Singer Associates start?

Singer opened the firm after leaving GCI and brought four clients with him: the San Francisco 49ers, Ford, BNP Paribas and Marriott, according to a 2003 Holmes Report profile. Chevron, Mirant Energy, Norcal Waste Systems, Phelps Vineyards and Consolidated Freightways followed in its first year.

What does Singer Associates do?

Singer Associates focuses on campaigns in real estate, environmental issues, regulatory affairs, litigation, labor disputes, transportation, politics, healthcare and hospitality, according to its about page. The firm also notes experience in news media, government and community relations, and digital skills. A February 2026 release describes it as a Bay Area communications firm specializing in corporate communications, public affairs and political strategy.

Its public assignments have included the San Francisco Zoo after a tiger escaped, which earned the firm a 2009 Gold SABRE Award from the Holmes Report. For background on the discipline, see EPR's crisis communications and public affairs pages.

What recognition has Singer Associates received?

The Holmes Report named Singer Associates Public Affairs Agency of the Year in 2013, and PRWeek named it Public Relations Agency of the Year in 2015, according to the firm. It also reports awards from PR News, PRSA and Bulldog Reporter.

How does Singer Associates compare with other crisis firms?

Singer Associates is a Bay Area independent with deep local political and media ties, whereas many national crisis firms run West Coast work from New York or Los Angeles. EPR profiles national peers including Sard Verbinnen & Co. and Joele Frank, and lists local firms in San Francisco PR firms.

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