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| Chris Goddard |
French|West|Vaughan has acquired CGPR, a public relations and consumer brand marketing agency specializing in the active lifestyle, outdoor, ski, fashion, technology and travel sectors. Chris Goddard, who founded CGPR in 1993, will continue to lead the agency, which will be known as CGPR, an FWV Agency. Former energy, conservation and urban recreation lobbyist, Goddard has also worked at Carl Byoir and Edelman. “Chris and her team at CGPR have built an exceptional reputation in strategic branding and marketing communications,” said Rick French, FWV Chairman & CEO. “They specialize in some of the consumer lifestyle categories in which FWV also has a wealth of experience, so our combined resources and collective expertise will be impressive.”
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| Justin Tobin |
Innovation guidance firm DDG, which was founded in 2009 by former American Express vice president, interactive strategy and transformation Justin Tobin, has rebranded as Gather. The rebranded firm will be organized under three service areas. Gather Strategy will identify and create growth opportunities for clients, such as revenue identification, product design, agile business process implementation and data analytics. Gather Talent aims to help clients develop and organize their teams through services such as leadership development, organizational strategy and design, women’s leadership, and training and skill development. Gather Content offers content services including editorial ecosystem building and management, social strategy and execution, video and podcast production, branding and website development. Gather clients include IBM, Forbes and TD Ameritrade.
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| Kate Riley |
InkHouse has opened InkHouse Seattle, which will offer technology, consumer and health care PR and digital marketing services in the Pacific Northwest. The new office joins InkHouse locations in Boston, New York and San Francisco. The agency says InkHouse Seattle will help support the growing number of startup companies and venture capital initiatives based in such markets as Seattle, Portland and Vancouver. It will be led by Kate Riley, who has joined InkHouse as executive vice president and general manager. Riley was previously a senior vice president at Edelman. InkHouse’s current client roster includes Aerion Supersonic, Eaze, Hyperproof, Neo4j, Nutanix, Okta, Sinch and Strava.
4media group completes its acquisition of Family Features Editorial Syndicate... Illumination PR, which represents lifestyle brands, influencers and celebrities, launches DR Media Group... EAG Advertising and Marketing acquires pay-for-performance firm INK inc. Public Relations. 
LLYC launches Signs of Pride, a campaign that revives the original protest banners of the first Pride marches... The Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry forms the Public Relations and Digital Marketing Working Group... Circle of One Marketing, a Miami-based, minority-owned marketing agency, is named official agency of record for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Miami. 
Vogel Group, a DC-headquartered government affairs and consulting firm, forms a strategic partnership with Montreal-based public affairs firm Boléro Stratégies... Matter Communications launches project-based offerings for B2C companies looking to increase brand awareness and visibility... Tucker/Hall, a Tampa-based PR and public affairs firm, opens a new office in Orlando. 
Why investing in public relations is ultimately about building bridges in a connected world.
Edelman is laying off 330 people (5.3 percent of its workforce) to cope with an anticipated eight percent shortfall in 2024 US revenues, and client demand for one-stop shopping for speciality services.
