Steve Barnes is associate editor at O'Dwyer's. His publishing career includes stints at Condé Nast, Hearst and the Wall Street Journal, where he served as assistant news editor for the Weekend Journal. He was also managing editor at ARTnews and production editor at Medical Marketing & Media.
In a past life, he taught film studies at New York University and Adelphi.
Connect with Steve on LinkedIn
| • | The New Firms on the Block(PR Firm News) Fri., Apr. 10, 2026
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| • | Accounts in Transit: Nickerson Picks Up Smartify Media(News of Accounts) Fri., Apr. 10, 2026
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| • | On the Move: Lionsgate Promotes Pecchia to SVP-Corpcomms(Personnel Appointments) Fri., Apr. 10, 2026
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| • | PR Firm News: ICR Report Sees More SPAC IPOs Ahead(PR Firm News) Thu., Apr. 9, 2026
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| • | On the Move: HAVAS Red Names Fried EVP(Personnel Appointments) Thu., Apr. 9, 2026
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| • | Accounts in Transit: Fire on the Hill Lands JERA Nex(News of Accounts) Wed., Apr. 8, 2026
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| • | On the Move: Imre Hires Ogilvy Health's De la Riva(Personnel Appointments) Wed., Apr. 8, 2026
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| • | Accounts in Transit: Emblem PR Picks Up LAIE Vermouth(News of Accounts) Tue., Apr. 7, 2026
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| • | PR Firm News: Bell Yard, Kysen PR Merge(PR Firm News) Tue., Apr. 7, 2026
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| • | On the Move: Method Communications Crowns King to Launch CorpComms Unit(Personnel Appointments) Tue., Apr. 7, 2026
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| • | PR Firm News: ChangeMakers Acquires The Creative Dept.(PR Firm News) Mon., Apr. 6, 2026
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| • | Kalshi Taps Precision's Cutter(Personnel Appointments) Fri., Apr. 3, 2026
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| • | Accounts in Transit: ELMNTL Picks Up Brunei’s Tourism Development Department(News of Accounts) Fri., Apr. 3, 2026
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| • | Publicis Groupe Acquires 160/90(Acquisitions) Thu., Apr. 2, 2026
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| • | Edelman's Mitra Shifts to Burson(Personnel Appointments) Thu., Apr. 2, 2026
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Nickerson picks up Smartify Media, a digital out-of-home advertising network specializing in digital windows and retail media displays.... Meyocks signs on to work with LoCo Lab, a company that provides tech solutions focused on enhancing efficiency, regulatory compliance and accountability across supply chains... MZ Group is engaged to lead a strategic investor relations and financial communications program for ESS Tech, Inc., a manufacturer of long-duration iron flow energy storage systems for commercial and utility-scale applications.
Lionsgate, which brings together diversified motion picture and television production and distribution businesses, promotes Laurel Pecchia to SVP, corporate communications... Anonymous Content, a New York-based film production and management company, recruits former Showtime/MTV executive vice president Liza Burnett Fefferman as chief communications and marketing officer, a newly created position... Legacy Motor Club brings on Ryan Grab as VP, marketing and communications.
ICR releases a report that says the SPAC IPO market has been trending upward—and is likely to stay on that track... Washington Women in PR is sponsoring an April 15 event that looks at how women can change the dynamics that often keep them in lower-visibility positions through strategic self-advocacy and organizational awareness... Life Science Cares Boston, an organization supported by LaVoieHeathScience, will convene leaders, employees and partners from across the life sciences industry for its annual Impact Breakfast on April 13 at the Omni Boston Hotel at the Seaport.
HAVAS Red names Adeena Fried EVP health & wellness, based in New York... Genius Sports Limited, a provider of real-time sports data, names Tony Marlow as CMO... Deerfield Group, which works with clients in the healthcare and life sciences sectors, promotes Bill Veltre to chief media officer... The Public Affairs Council brings on Monica Day as senior manager in its political affairs practice, Deanna Wisniewski as senior manager of communications and Sam Kasner as manager of events. 
Fire on the Hill, which has offices in London and New York, lands renewable energy developer JERA Nex... TEAM LEWIS takes on AOR duties for PetScreening, which provides pet policy management software... Echo-Factory, a Pasadena, CA-based marketing agency specializing in healthcare and life sciences, is selected as AOR for Catalina Island Health, Santa Catalina Island's only medical facility.
Imre names Paulina De la Riva chief strategy officer. De la Riva joins the agency from Ogilvy Health, where she most recently served as EVP, strategy for North America... FNK IR, a strategic investor relations firm focused on smaller cap companies, brings on Greg McKinley as director, investor relations... Bear Icebox Communications, a Chicago-based firm, promotes Sean Wille to VP, strategy + operations... Abode Worldwide, a specialist firmthat works across hotels, short-term rentals and the wider serviced living sectors, appoints Kerry Wilson as chief operating officer.
Emblem Public Relations comes on board as agency of record for LAIE Vermouth, a craft sipping vermouth... AMP3 Public Relations picks up AOR duties for Dr. Scholl’s Shoes... KNB Communications, a healthcare marketing and PR agency, is engaged to elevate awareness around the launch of Novare.
Bell Yard Communications and Kysen PR, London-based firms that focus on legal market and litigation PR, are merging. The combined firm will operate as Bell Yard Kysen Communications... FINN Partners launches Travel with Tastemakers, a global report that looks at more than 25 destinations through the eyes of the creatives who shape them... Baker Public Relations, a woman-owned agency based in Albany with offices in Pittsburgh, PA and St. Petersburg, FL, rebrands as The Baker Agency. 
Method Communications names Lexy King SVP to head up the agency’s new corporate communications specialist group... Five9, provider of the Intelligent CX Platform, appoints Jay Lee as chief marketing and growth officer... Sundial Media & Technology Group, which is the parent company of such brands as ESSENCE and Refinery29, appoints Amanda Butler as CMO.
ChangeMakers, an independent shop with 400 professionals across Canada and the U.S., is merging with The Creative Dept., which advises innovative and culture-shaping companies on brand strategy and creative direction... Full Court Press Communications, a Bay Area-based strategic communications firm, celebrates its 25th anniversary... R&J Strategic Communications marks its 40th anniversary by launching its Moments That Made a Difference campaign.
Precision Strategies co-founder and managing partner Stephanie Cutter, who also worked for President Obama, is moving to Kalshi, the world’s largest prediction market, where she will serve as policy advisor.
ELMNTL, a Denver travel PR firm, brands, assumes global PR duties for Brunei’s Tourism Development Department... Laura Davidson Public Relations is picked by Sonas Collection, a portfolio of family-owned boutique hotels and luxury retreats located along Scotland’s West Coast... Stretch PR, adds Hairdo Spirit Wear, a line of temporary hair accessories, to its roster.
Publicis Groupe enters into a definitive agreement to acquire global sports and culture-first agency 160over90.
Sujata Mitra, who has been EVP and group head, earned media at Edelman for the past seven years, joins Burson as U.S. chair of earned media, effective April 20.