Forty-year-old San Diego firms Nuffer, Smith, Tucker PR and Gable PR have merged under the Nuffer, Smith, Tucker name to form a mid-sized shop with 26 staffers and billings north of $3.5M.
The firms started talks about a year ago amid plans to team up to pursue large contracts. Forty-one-year-old NST has strong consumer PR roots with clients like WD-40 Company and Chicken of the Sea, while Gable, set up in 1976, specializes in crisis and reputation management across several sectors with business from AT&T, Fisher & Phillips and the San Diego Zoo.
Gable founder Tom Gable, an author and former journalist, praised NST's consumer experience and capabilities in digital and public affairs as complementary to his firm's strengths. He will lead the combined firm with NST chief Bill Trumpfheller.
Trumpfheller, who started at NST in 1986 as an intern, said changing client needs and opportunities in new markets led to the combination. "It all added up," he said.
The firms consolidated in NST's offices on April 1.
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