Government

Celgene Corp. snags Gov. Christie's Richard Bagger as SVP

December 28, 2011

SUMMIT, NJ: Celgene Corporation has hired New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie's chief of staff Richard Bagger as SVP of corporate affairs and strategic market access. Bagger joins the company January 30.
 

One of Cain's accusers is one of PR's own

November 10, 2011

As the women who have accused Herman Cain of unwanted sexual advances came forward, one of them was identified as Karen Kraushaar, a communications director for the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) within the US Department of Treasury.
 

US cities' branding initiatives represent a new PR paradigm

Desiree Peterkin Bell, City of Philadelphia November 01, 2011

The days of getting news solely from traditional media forms are past.
 

Lane to lead UPS public affairs

October 24, 2011

WASHINGTON: Laura Lane, former MD and head of international government affairs at Citigroup, will join UPS early next year to lead its public affairs operations.
 

Huntsworth merges Dutko, Grayling in the US

October 20, 2011

WASHINGTON: Huntsworth, the parent company of Grayling, has relaunched Dutko Worldwide as Dutko Grayling, a US-based integrated public affairs offering.
 

BAE Systems names Weber Shandwick AOR

September 21, 2011

WASHINGTON: BAE Systems has formalized its longstanding relationship with Weber Shandwick by naming the agency its AOR after a competitive review that stretched over the last year.
 

Porter Novelli brings on Homeland Security's Smith

August 01, 2011

NEW YORK: Porter Novelli has hired Sean Smith, former assistant secretary for public affairs at the Department of Homeland Security, as SVP of global crisis communications.
 

Determined effort helps coalition abolish death penalty in Illinois

Michelle Lodge August 01, 2011

Repealing the death penalty in Illinois was deemed a long shot by most everyone, but that didn't stop the Illinois Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty.
 

Rasky Baerlein adds Matthews to DC office

July 25, 2011

BOSTON: Rasky Baerlein Strategic Communications has hired Democratic strategist Michael Matthews as SVP for the firm's Washington, DC, office.
 

Social media plays role after bin Laden's death

May 06, 2011

In a nationally televised news conference at about 11:40 pm EST on May 1, President Barack Obama announced Osama bin Laden had been killed at the hands of the US military.
 

Obama by knockout

May 02, 2011

Obama had a really good weekend.
 

Pawlenty says he will explore presidential run

March 22, 2011

Former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty announced his decision to form a presidential exploratory committee on Facebook, in part because the social network allows him to reach new voters and "grow the conservative movement."
 

Biden brings in journalist to lead comms

March 18, 2011

Vice President Joe Biden named Shailagh Murray his director of communications, replacing Jay Carney who was appointed White House press secretary earlier this year.
 

Study: Middle East youth desire democracy

March 15, 2011

NEW YORK: Almost 75% of Middle East youth say that the recent unrest, such as in Egypt and Libya, will have a positive impact on the lives of the people in their country, according to a new study released by Burson-Marsteller.
 

State Department spokesperson resigns

March 14, 2011

PJ Crowley, assistant secretary of public affairs for the State Department, resigned after publicly criticizing the military treatment of Bradley Manning, the Army private accused of leaking diplomatic cables to WikiLeaks.
 

Senators question government PR contract

March 01, 2011

KANSAS CITY: Senator Claire McCaskill routinely criticized the manner in which the General Services Administration hired and managed a PR firm during a Senate subcommittee hearing on March 1.
 

GSA PR contract faces federal scrutiny

February 28, 2011

A Senate subcommittee plans to hold a hearing March 1 to examine a government contract awarded to Jane Mobley Associates, as well as "contracts for public relations services at the General Services Administration (GSA) and other federal agencies."
 

HHS brings in Salcido for public affairs

February 28, 2011

WASHINGTON: The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) named Dori Salcido deputy assistant secretary for public affairs, following the departure earlier this year of Jenny Backus.
 

FDA undergoes staffing changes in external affairs

February 24, 2011

SILVER SPRING, MD: The Food and Drug Administration's office of external affairs is undergoing a number of leadership changes, including the departures of the agency's public affairs and Web chiefs.
 

Richardson to chair APCO's global advisory offering

February 23, 2011

WASHINGTON: APCO Worldwide named former New Mexico governor and Energy Secretary Bill Richardson the chairman of Global Political Strategies, the international advisory group that the agency launched last year.
 

Burson launches global political practice

February 17, 2011

WASHINGTON: Burson-Marsteller launched the Government and Political Services (GPS) Group, a global practice aimed at corporate and political clients and staffed by executives from Burson-Marsteller, Penn Schoen Berland, and Prime Policy Group.
 

Burton to leave White House

February 16, 2011

White House deputy press secretary Bill Burton, rumored to have been in the running for the press secretary position vacated by Robert Gibbs, is leaving the Obama Administration to start a political and strategic consulting shop.
 

Health nonprofit business goes to GolinHarris

February 10, 2011

WASHINGTON: The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute, a new nonprofit funded by the healthcare law, hired GolinHarris for PR support after a competitive bid.
 

Saudi Arabia taps Ketchum for PR counsel

February 09, 2011

WASHINGTON: The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia hired Ketchum to provide PR support for the annual Global Competitiveness Forum, which was held in Riyadh in January, according to a federal filing.
 

Philadelphia retailers unite to sell city as a prime business location

February 01, 2011

The Philadelphia retail community needed to update its image. "People outside the area didn't have an accurate idea of what was happening here," says Michelle Shannon, marcomms VP for Center City District, a Philadelphia Retail Marketing Alliance member.
 

A certain level of insurgency will amplify the impact of public affairs efforts

Tony Podesta February 01, 2011

How do you achieve results in Washington? The best answer: don't use a boilerplate Beltway strategy.
 

DC Influencer: Peter Cleveland, Intel

February 01, 2011

Intel's global public policy director Peter Cleveland speaks with Jaimy Lee about the ways innovation fits into the company's policy agenda
 

New dietary guidelines address sodium, obesity

January 31, 2011

WASHINGTON: Federal officials urged Americans to reduce their sodium intake and called on the food and beverage industries to help address the nation's obesity epidemic in the new dietary guidelines.
 

Report: Carney to be White House press secretary

January 27, 2011

Media outlets are reporting that Jay Carney, Joe Biden's communications director, has been named White House press secretary.
 

Obama addresses 'future' in State of the Union

January 26, 2011

President Obama framed Tuesday's State of the Union address with a "win the future" theme that calls for the need to maintain America's role as a leader in innovation.