By Kevin McCauley
Edelman has acquired Vollmer PR, a Texas heavyweight, in a move that doubles the No. 1 independent’s firm stake in the Lone Star State.
It’s an acquisition that caps a 20-year courtship, according to Helen Vollmer, who was initially contacted by Dan Edelman then and a dozen years ago by Edelman’s former U.S. chief Pam Talbot.
Nancy Ruscheinski, Edelman COO U.S., contacted Vollmer about a year ago and "things just fell into place." It’s been a "love story," added Vollmer.
Vollmer PR’s Houston headquarters becomes home of Edelman’s new southwest region serving Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Arkansas, New Mexico and Kansas. The operation has more than $9M revenues and 50 staffers. Edelman folds Vollmer’s Austin, Dallas and New York operation into its own offices.
Vollmer, who founded the firm in 1981, is tapped as Edelman/Southwest president. She reports to Ruscheinski. Vollmer COO Allen Caudle takes the regional executive VP/crisis and issues slot.
Vollmer notes her firm’s strength in the Texas consumer market complements Edelman’s corporate orientation that is reinforced by work for Shell Oil and Waste Management. Edelman, in turn, didn’t have a Houston office before ironing out this deal. Vollmer looks forward to plugging into Edelman’s global office network and its digital PR strengths. She also cited Edelman’s role as an independent firm, "not beholden to Wall Street," as a factor in concluding the deal.
Vollmer PR’s client roster includes the City of Houston, Texas Tourism, Travelocity, Sabre Holdings, Air Liquide America, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, Texas Ballet Theater and Comcast Houston.
Edelman has a 30-year track record in Texas. Clients also include American Petroleum Institute, Barnett Shale Energy Education Council, LIVESTRONG, Boy Scouts of America National Council, SuperMedia, and Research in Motion.
Richard Edelman, in announcing the deal, noted that only New York has more Fortune 500 companies than Houston, which he dubbed a "strategic hub for energy, technology, education, healthcare and engineering" enterprises."
He told O’Dwyer’s that Vollmer is a "great fit" for his firm as it continues to look for small to mid-sized firms to acquire.
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