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| Andrew Graham |
Public Relations Society of America/New York announces Andrew Graham, Clear founding partner, will serve as 2021 president. KWT founder and Prophet founder and CEO Aaron Kwittken is named president-elect. Internova Travel Group PR manager Kellie Jelencovich will take on the role of immediate past president. The chapter has also expanded the board, creating three new roles to support its Diversity, Equity & Inclusion efforts. GLAAD CCO Richard Ferraro will serve as VP (diversity & inclusion); Lippe Taylor VP, media Rashidah Timothy will be senior director (diversity & inclusion); and PAN Communications VP & GM/New York Brandon Thomas will be associate director (diversity & inclusion).
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ASTRSK PR is awarding a full year of free PR services to a BIPOC, woman and/or LGBTQ+ founded startup. The firm says the contest is intended to address a situation in which less than 10 percent of all venture capital deals go to initiatives with founders who are women, people of color or LBGTQ+. The winner of the contest receives a one-year contract with ASTRSK, valued at over $200,000. To be considered, startups must have at least one female, LGBTQ+ or minority founder, be consumer-facing (no B2B startups) and early-stage (no more than $1.5 million in funding). Applications will be accepted through Nov. 27, with five top finalists selected by Dec. 4 and a winner named on Dec. 17. To find out more, or apply, click here.
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San Diego-based marketing agency Power Digital has acquired DataQ, a customer activation and targeting technology tool. DataQ employs proprietary algorithms and advanced extract, transform and load technology to help companies increase purchase frequency, reduce customer churn and find customers similar to their most valuable clientele. “With the incorporation of DataQ, we can offer game-changing intelligence, making our approach that much more data-driven,” says Power Digital CEO Grayson Lafrenz. This marks the second acquisition of the year for Power Digital, which acquired Covet PR in August.
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.
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. 
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.
PAN consolidates its AI visibility research and best practices into the AI Credibility Hub... The Door, the integrated PR and marketing subsidiary of Dolphin, opens an office in Miami... Collins + Co., of Baltimore expands its operations with an office in Denver, led by chief of creative Carli Cohen and VP of marketing Melissa Novitski... The Global Risk Advisory Council is hosting an April 14 webinar that will look at how executives and organizations in the philanthropy sector can navigate this time of unprecedented risk. 
