Chandler Chicco Agency has brought in Heather Gartman from Ruder Finn to head its Washington, D.C., operation, following the exit of Al Jackson in the spring.
Four-year DC managing director Jackson moved to a senior VP role at O'Neill and Associates in April.
With the Affordable Care Act ramping up this fall, Chandler Chicco managing director Lisa Stockman said Washington has become an epicenter for healthcare, adding Gartman's hire comes amid a hiring spree at the healthcare specialist. "DC is playing a central role in healthcare in this country, making strong leadership of our DC office critical," she said.
Gartman was RF's Washington head, opening and leading the firm's office in the capital. She was previously a managing director at Edelman's Zeno Group in DC, following government stints at the Food and Drug Administration, Depts. of Energy, Health and Human Services, and State.
Gartman's hire is one of more than 20 at CCA and sister inventiv Health units Allidura Consumer and Biosector 2 over the past two months to keep up with business wins and organic growth. The firm has lured execs from W20 Group and WCG, Cohn & Wolfe, Feinstein Kean Healthcare and Weber Shandwick, among others.
Parent inVentiv streamlined its communications operations under Chandler Chicco founder Bob Chandler earlier this year.
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