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Interpublic Group launches its Motor City Marketing and Communications Fellowship, a jobs program that recruits students from the city’s Wayne State University and College for Creative Studies for jobs at IPG agencies that support General Motors. The two-year paid fellowship is designed to give recruits a chance to understand “the full spectrum of communications, marketing, creative, experiential and relationship marketing.” Those selected for the program will work at four different agencies over the course of the two years, spending six months at each position. The program is set to get underway later this year. “As we create campaigns and experiences that connect with GM’s diverse customer base, we also want to build inclusive agency teams that reflect these customers,” said McCann Worldgroup chairman and CEO Bill Kolb. “We’re fortunate to have these great universities in Detroit, and they will be a terrific sourc of talent.”
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| Kath Kerry |
GCI Health is expanding into the Middle East by integrating with the healthcare team of fellow WPP firm ASDA’A BCW. The combined entity will now operate as GCI Health Middle East. GCI says that the move gives it access to the markets of UAE, KSA, Kuwait, Bahrain, Jordan and Qatar. GCI Health Middle East is being led by Kath Kerry, GCI president Europe & Middle East, who will manage the existing Dubai-based hub team and the regional network office. She will partner with Sunil John, president–Middle East of BCW and founder of ASDA’A BCW, to lead the existing regional team and drive the unit’s growth. “The launch of GCI Health Middle East enhances our capacity to deliver exceptional health focused communications in the region at a time when governments are investing significantly in healthcare infrastructure,” said GCI Health global CEO Kristin Cahill.
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Milldam Public Relations, which focuses on communications for tech companies, establishes a West Coast office in Beverly Hills. The agency’s founding location is in Concord, MA. The new site will serve as Milldam’s primary presence for the Western United States. Milldam president and founder Adam Waitkunas will lead the new office. “As the tech space continues to grow in Los Angeles, Milldam will help fill the gap in specialized and cost-effective public relations. Companies in places like Silicon Beach are finding permanent homes in Southern California, and Milldam is well-positioned to meet their strategic communications needs,” said Waitkunas.
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Israeli PR technology company Propel is expanding internationally, with recent adopters of the platform in Singapore, Ireland, the UK, Canada and the US. Propel was started up by Cutler PR founder Zach Cutler, who sold the firm to Kite Hill in 2018. Its public relations management software offers users a global media database, email integration for media outreach, a full-service monitoring suite, in-depth business outcomes tracking and advanced reporting capabilities. The company says it recently acquired its 100th customer, including such companies as Google, Real Chemistry (formerly W2O), the Daily Mail, Antenna and Ditto PR.
BPCM is appointed agency of record for two of Champagne’s most distinguished houses, Krug and Ruinart... Santa Cruz Communications, which specializes in the U.S. Hispanic market, marks its 25th consecutive year working with the Billboard Latin Music Awards on Telemundo as PR AOR.. Forte Mare PR lands Woolly Clothing Co., a Seattle-born maker of merino wool basics.
Evocati PR, a purpose-driven PR and marketing firm, picks up Bioservo, a Dallas-based medical technology company specializing in soft assistive devices.... The Point PR, a travel and hospitality agency, lands Aspen Snowmass and Park Hyatt Riviera Maya... Hannah Cranston Media comes on board for Brightland, a California-based producer of olive oils, vinegars and honeys. 
Rubenstein Public Relations picks up OS Therapies, which offers gene-edited, Listeria-based cancer immunotherapies... Brandman adds Lough Eske Castle, a five-star Castle hotel and gateway in Donegal, Ireland... LRJ PR & Communications lands Case-Mate, a company whose products range from phone cases to a curated line of such accessories as beach bags.
Hemsworth is named PR agency of record for enterprise travel technology company Revelex... Bolt PR comes on board as PR agency of record for Lexar, which provides high-performance memory and storage for consumers, creators and professionals who capture, store and move data... The Wilful Group is engaged to support the UK launch of refurbed, one of Europe’s leading marketplaces for professionally refurbished products.
The Uptown Agency is named agency of record for USA Bobsled/Skeleton, the national governing body for the bobsled and skeleton in the US... SPM Communications adds L&L Hawaiian Barbecue, Sunfly and Puttery to its client roster... Grant PR, which has handled such clients as 3M, Empire State Realty Trust and WNET Thirteen, signs on commercial retail real estate brokerage firm Rova.re.
