Zipko Strategy and Connolly Kuhl Group, St. Paul, MN-based shops, are merging under the name Velocity Public Affairs.
The combined firm will focus on strategic planning, grassroots marketing and mobilization, government relations, marketing communications, coalition building and media relations.
 (l-r) Mike Zipko, Patrick Connolly, Carl Kuhl |
“Velocity is an opportunity for both of our companies to build on what is already a strong partnership,” said Mike Zipko, who founded his firm four years ago.
“We bring together a unique mix of media, business, government and political campaign experience that is incredibly important to help our clients,” added Patrick Connolly and Carl Kuhl, who founded Connolly Kuhl in 2010.
Zipko has served as deputy communications director for Governor-elect Jesse Ventura’s transition office and deputy press secretary for Minnesota Governor Arne H. Carlson.
Connolly has worked on behalf of the Mayo Clinic, U.S. Senator Norm Coleman and the Minneapolis and Saint Paul Chambers of Commerce. Kuhl’s experience includes positions as campaign manager, communications director, press secretary, field director and policy liaison.
Velocity will serve public sector, non-profit and industry clients across the upper Midwest.
DJE Holdings, parent of Edelman and Zeno, launches RUTH as an independent shop named after Ruth Edelman, mental health advocate, wife and longtime business partner of Dan Edelman.
New York City PR firms make up the largest slice of O'Dwyer's 147 firm overall ranking with 33 of 40 in the New York/New Jersey area either calling Manhattan their home or having a presence there.
Subject Matter+Kivvit, which joined forces in May, has rebranded as Avoq, an integrated shop with more than 200 professionals in Washington, New York, Asbury Park (NJ), Miami and Chicago.
While PR pros stationed at in-house comms. teams and those working for agencies share many of the same objectives, they also have markedly different top priorities, according to a recent report.
Edelman is cutting 240 employees or about four percent of its workforce to cope with the cooling down of the PR sector, according to a memo from CEO Richard Edelman.
Have a comment? Send it to 
No comments have been submitted for this story yet.