Catapult PR-IR Celebrates 15 Years

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Congratulations to the team at Catapult PR-IR, which celebrated its 15th anniversary last week.

“It’s amazing the number of great clients and employees that have all contributed to the success of our company and helped shape the “Catapult way” of leveraging public and analysts relations to drive results that impact business success,” said Terri Douglas, co-founder and principal at Catapult. “Our current work around category building and strategic narrative development further differentiates Catapult as a highly experienced and strategic firm to work with.”

Womer Elected to PRSA College of Fellows

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Congratulations to Kelly Womer of Linhart PR, who was elected to the PRSA College of Fellows. Womer joins such people as Sydney Ayers, Jane Dvorak, Gwinavere Johnston, Jeff Julin and Bob Schenkein as members of the “honorary organization within PRSA composed of more than 300 senior practitioners and educators, each of whom has left a significant footprint on the public relations profession.”

Post’s Browning-Blas Offers Thoughts on PR Relationships

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Former Denver Post food editor Kris Browning-Blas shared a few parting thoughts about PR people with Eater as she prepared to transition to a communications position with Colorado State. Among them:

  • “PR is sort of like service. There’s really an art to PR.”
  • “Being overly familiar is another example of bad PR. Sending me a press release and then following up in a few days saying, ‘Why haven’t I heard back from you? Are you mad from me?’ “
  • “… to PR people who say, ‘Can I get a story on this, and when is it going to run?’ I say, ‘No and no.’ Same with allowing them to see a story before it’s published, which is completely against the rules at the Denver Post. If you want to control the story, then you buy an ad and put whatever you want in there.”

(Hat tip: Anne McGregor Parsons at WordenGroup)

Denver PR Jobs

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Among those hiring this week are the American Water Works Association, the Apartment Association of Metro Denver, the Archdiocese of Denver, the Colorado Department of Human Services, the Colorado Rapids, the Downtown Boulder Business Improvement District, HealthMEDX, IP Commerce, Metropolitan State University of Denver, Oakwood Homes, Paladin, Terumo BCT and The Arcanum Group.

Denver PR Jobs

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Among those hiring this week are the Alzheimer’s Association Colorado Chapter, Book Trust, Colorado Farm Bureau, Colorado Water Trust, DigitalGlobe, DISH Network, Gaiam TV, Habitat for Humanity of Metro Denver, Johns Manville, Larimer Humane Society, National Wildlife Federation, ProBuild, Rocky Mountain PBS, Special Olympics Colorado, Tennyson Center, University of Colorado at Boulder and SSPR (Colorado Springs).

Sondermann Consciously Uncouples from SE2

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SE2 is bidding farewell, at least formally, to co-founder Eric Sondermann, who plans to focus on his other varied interests including “further civic leadership, more writing and commentary, some high-level consulting, perhaps even something entrepreneurial, as well as time on his bicycle.” Sondermann will continue to collaborate with SE2 “on current and future projects, ensuring continuity for existing clients.”

The firm says that remaining co-founders Eric Anderson and Susan Morrisey will share SE2 ownership and split leadership responsibilities.

DStreet Celebrates 10 Years

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Congratulations to DStreet, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary.

“DStreet launched ten years ago with a vision of creating defining moments for our clients. During the last ten years it has been our great privilege and honor to do just that for a whole host of organizations, including Cabela’s, The Colorado Governor’s Energy Office, Denver Comic Con, Farm Credit, IQNavigator, and many, many others,” said DStreet president Jennifer Dulles. “Today we get to celebrate one of our own defining moments—and to take a moment to thank all of the people who have trusted in us as an agency partner and invested in us as an organization.”

MGA Announces 8 New Clients

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MGA Communications has added eight new clients: Better Business Bureau of Denver/Boulder, City and County of Denver Financial Empowerment Centers program, Colorado Behavioral Healthcare Council, Crescent Point Energy, Jefferson Center for Mental Health, McKinstry, National Flag Football – Colorado and the GLBT Community Center of Colorado.

MGA is providing a variety of work to the clients, including marketing and promotions, media relations, crisis consultation, research, and strategic planning.

Linhart, Philosophy, CSG Big Winners at 2014 Gold Picks

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Linhart PR, Philosophy Communication and Communications Strategy Group were the big agency winners at last night’s PRSA Colorado Gold Picks awards event. Using the proprietary and highly sophisticated Denver PR Blog formula to determine which agencies fared best (four points for the Grand Gold Pick, two points for a gold, one point for a silver), the results are:

1. Linhart PR (17 points) – Seven gold, three silver
2. Philosophy (13 points) – One grand gold, two gold, five silver
3. CSG | PR (10 points) – Three gold, four silver
4. DStreet (6 points) – One gold, four silver
5. Weber Shandwick (5 points) – Two gold, one silver
6. CIG PR (4 points) – Two gold
6. Webb PR (4 points) – Four silver
7. Bawmann Group (1 point) – One silver
7. Blake Communications (1 point) – One silver
7. GroundFloor Media (1 point) – One silver
7. WildRock (1 point) – One silver

And the non-agency winners were:

1. Dish (6 points) – Two gold, two silver
2. Exclusive Resorts (5 points) – Two gold, one silver
3. DIA (4 points) – Two gold
4. Denver Art Museum (3 points) – One gold, one silver
4. Farm Credit (3 points) – One gold, one silver
6. CU Skaggs School (2 points) – One gold
6. Great Outdoors Colorado (2 points) – One gold
8. Arapahoe Library District (1 point) – One silver
8. City of Aurora (1 point) – One Silver
8. Colorado State University (1 point) – One silver
8. Kaiser Permanente (1 point) – One silver

Note: This list has been updated to reflect several non-agency winners that I inadvertently excluded.

Metzger Rebrands as Metzger Albee

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Metzger Associates has rebranded as Metzger Albee Public Relations, reflecting the role that President Doyle Albee has played in the firm’s success over the past 10 years. The firm also announced that it is relocating its headquarters to a more central Boulder location at 25th and Walnut. Said Founder and CEO John Metzger:

“Doyle started one of the PR industry’s first social media practices when he became a partner, and has since established one of the country’s most experienced digital marketing teams built upon our B2B and tech PR heritage. With our move into new offices, and re-inventing the agency model while we’re at it, the time was right not only to share ownership, but to change our name to Metzger Albee Public Relations.”

 

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Joanne Ostrow Giveth, and Taketh Away

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Following her puff piece on 9News Vice President of News Patti Dennis last month, Denver Post media critic Joanne Ostrow went completely the other direction today when she called out 9News photojournalist Brian Willie for his conflict of interest in serving as a family spokesman in an incident 9News was actively covering. Her lede:

Question: According to journalism ethics, when is it proper for a TV station employee to serve as a spokesperson on a news story the TV station is covering?

Answer: After that employee leaves the media job.

Larry Holdren Departs Pure Brand, Forms Own Firm

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Congratulations to Larry Holdren, who has decided to leave Pure Brand to start his own firm, Holdren Strategic Communications. From Larry:

“After nearly 10 fantastic years with Pure Brand Communications, I’m excited to announce that I’ve spun off our reputation management and training business to form Holdren Strategic Communications. While we’ll operate independently from Pure, the plan is to work together on select pieces of business. We will focus on providing strategic communications services – including strategy development, reputation/issues management and communications/media training – to clients who operate in highly complex, regulated and/or controversial environments.”

CPR News Seeks Underwriter for Larger Trophy Case

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Colorado Public Radio took home two regional Edward R. Murrow Awards, bringing this year’s award count to 12. Other 2014 honors include four National Headliner Awards, four Colorado Broadcasters Association (CBA) Awards and two National Education Writers Association Awards:

  • “Colorado Matters” reporter and producer Lesley McClurg’s story “Flood leaves many Colo. immigrants homeless and paperless” won a regional Edward R. Murrow Award for best hard new reporting. It examined the devastating effects of last year’s flooding on Colorado’s immigrant population. 
  • “Colorado Matter” host Ryan Warner and CPR contributor David Hill’s story “Remembering John Denver, the singer who embodied Colorado” took home the regional Edward R. Murrow award for top news documentary. The story featured a retrospective examination of folk-singer John Denver who would have turned 70 last year. 
  • Education Reporter Jenny Brundin also received six awards this spring, including two National Education Writers Association Awards, two National Headliner Awards and two CBA Awards. Judged on seven different education stories, The National Education Writers Association awarded Brundin best broadcast beat reporting. Her report “DPS kids get away with death threats, fights and more, teachers say” examining discipline in Denver’s Public Schools placed third in the single-topic/feature category. Other award-winning stories by Brundin include “Students sway to saxophone during ‘silent’ lunch” and “How a student lost and found hope: Dajina Bell,” both receiving a CBA and a National Headliner Award. 
  • The CPR news team also picked up two awards for coverage of “Colorado’s 2013 flooding,” including second place in the breaking news/continuing coverage of a single event category from the National Headliner Awards, and a certificate of merit in best news coverage of a single event from the CBA. 
  • Coverage of the “March on Washington’s 50th Anniversary” produced by Warner, Brundin, “Colorado Matters” Senior Editor Elaine Grant and former Public Insight Network Reporter Lee Hill received first place in the best news special or public affairs program from the CBA. Three other editions of “Colorado Matters” also won first place in public affairs from the National Headliner Awards.

Wagstaff Adds Account Supervisor in Aspen

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Wagstaff Worldwide has hired Sally Spaulding as an account supervisor in its Aspen office. Prior to joining Wagstaff, Spaulding worked for the Aspen Skiing Company, where she helped rebrand The Limelight Hotel, open element 47 restaurant at The Little Nell, and launch The Oasis champagne bar on Aspen Mountain. Prior to that, she was community relations director for the City of Aspen.

Spaulding replaces Jim Guttau, who took the Director of Public Relations position at Four Seasons Hotel Denver.

The Bawmann Group Adds Kris Kitto as Senior Counselor

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The Bawmann Group has added Kris Kitto as a senior counselor. Kitto returned to Colorado in 2013 after spending seven years in Washington, D.C., covering Congress, the White House and national politics for The Hill newspaper and other publications. He continued his policy communication work in Colorado last spring as a consultant on a project involving the new recreational marijuana market’s regulatory framework.

“We are honored to welcome Kris to the TBG team,” said Brad Bawmann, TBG president and CEO. “As a former journalist, Kris brings a unique perspective to our work with clients. His experience and expertise make him a perfect fit for our team as we all work together to consistently meet and exceed our clients’ communication goals.”

WordenGroup Adds Civitas as Client

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WordenGroup has added Denver-based urban design studio and landscape architects Civitas to its roster of clients. WordenGroup’s other architectural clients include Boulder’s Arch 11 and Jackson, Wyo.’s Blake Architects.

Civitas has done redevelopment projects in the Central Platte Valley, Stapleton and Larimer Square, and was recently named part of the team selected by the City of Denver to morph the National Western Stock Show into a vibrant year-round Western heritage-based National Western Center development.

Denver PR Moves

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  • Cactus has hired Jenny Topolosky as PR manager. Topolosky joins the agency from IMA.
  • The City of Arvada has hired Maria VanderKolk as communications manager. VanderKolk previously was the PIO at Adams County School District 14.
  • dovetail solutions has hired Mary Kusek as a client services associate. Kusek most recently was assistant director for media relations at the Univiersity of Texas at Austin.
  • Avnet has hired Julie Wagoner as web & social media specialist. She previously was a social media specialist at Bellco.
  • Linhart PR has promoted Tim Streeb to senior account director.
  • Barefoot PR has added Jamie Bradley as a senior associate.

PRSA Colorado Media Roundtable Luncheon

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Registration has opened for PRSA Colorado’s most-popular lunch program – the annual media roundtable.

Annual Media Roundtable Luncheon
11:30 – 1 p.m., Wednesday, April 23
Comedy Works South
5345 Landmark Place, Greenwood Village, CO 80111
$30 for students; $35 for members; $49 for nonmembers

This year’s media attendees include:

  • Vicky Collins, Teletrends
  • Kasey Cordell, Senior Editor, 5280 Magazine
  • Heather Draper, Banking/Finance/Legal Reporter, Denver Business Journal
  • Jim Hooley, General Reporter, Fox 31 and KOA
  • Rob McClure, Photojournalists, CBS4
  • Barry Petersen, Correspondent, CBS News
  • Rory Schmalzried, Executive Producer News Logistics, KMGH-TV
  • Kristine Strain, Assistant News Director, CBS-4
  • Eric Whitney, Reporter, Colorado Public Radio
  • Daliah Singer, Associate Editor, 5280 Magazine

SE2 Promotes Two to Principal

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SE2 has promoted Abbie Vacanti Kesner and Jill Hamilton to the position of principal. From SE2:

Jill Hamilton and Abigail Kesner have been with SE2 for four and three years, respectively. During this time they have managed significant integrated communications campaigns for public, nonprofit and private-sector clients. Their work has ranged from promoting public health to early childhood education to energy.

Ex-CEO of Patagonia Joins Backbone Media

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Former Patagonia CEO Casey Sheahan has joined Backbone Media as a senior advisor. Backbone, which specializes in outdoor clients, has offices in Denver; Carbondale; and Jackson, Wyo. According to the Associated Press, “Sheahan lives in Carbondale and left Patagonia in February. At the time, he said he wanted to spend more time with his family, enjoy outdoor recreation in the area and help the fight against oil and gas development on the Thompson Divide.”

GM CEO Credited for Handling of Recall Crisis

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When General Motors named Mary Barra its first female CEO three months ago, who knew the biggest hurdle she would likely face would be trying to undo the damage done by her predecessors? For all of her business acumen, it may simply be her likability and sense of trustworthiness that determines whether she survives.

Forbes, among many others, gives her credit for navigating the crisis with aplomb:

… Ms. Barra struck exactly the right tone: calm, in control, honestly sympathetic, yet not going to be pushed into a statement she did not want to make. She was unfailingly polite, and seemed dedicated to finding out the truth, and then to addressing it head-on. She did not grandstand nor was she flustered; she did not defer nor did she deflect the criticism, but she did stand up to her questioners when they were not clear, in a way that was neither angry, nor defensive, nor subservient.

 

DStreet Adds Comic Con-related Client

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Comic Book Classroom has retained DStreet to promote Denver Comic Con and specifically highlight the event’s unique literacy mission.

“Denver Comic Con has quickly become one of the biggest cons in the nation,” said Jennifer Dulles, DStreet president. “It’s not only attracting some of the most sought-after pop culture celebrity guests, but it’s doing it with an underlying mission of literacy and a focus on kids and diversity. It’s really changing perceptions about what a con can do.”

Hazlett Named Director of Corporate Communications at MWCUA

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Patti Hazlett has been named Director of Corporate Communications at Mountain West Credit Union Association (MWCUA), where she oversees the public affairs and communications duties for the regional tri-state trade association. Hazlett most recently was president of PH Communications, and she has led public relations efforts for a major real estate management company, healthcare corporations, Special Olympics Colorado and several professional sports organizations.