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VVK PR + Creative launches in Detroit. Peter Van Dyke, who was most recently CEO of Van Dyke Horn, will serve as the CEO of the new firm. Lambert took a minority stake in Van Dyke Horn last month following Van Dyke’s resignation from the firm. Working alongside Van Dyke will be Michael Sherman, who will serve as VVK partner and executive vice president of production, and Jamie Kaye Walters, who will serve as partner and COO. Sherman and Kaye Walters started up video production company Velocity Cow in 2008. The company is opening with a nearly 15-person team providing integrated communication services to a portfolio of more than 20 clients. As part of its launch, the firm is starting up the VVK Fellowship, which will foster a diverse talent pipeline for the agency and industry.
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Vested Ventures, the investment arm of Vested Communications, invests in financial planning software platform Anasova and Qoins, a financial services platform for automated debt management and repayment. Anasova intends to use the funding to advance and promote its free financial planning tools. Anasova primarily distributes their plans as a white-label solution to enable companies, employee benefits programs, and other groups to provide financial planning as a benefit to their users, employees and members. Qoins will use the investment to help them scale their platform and create additional functionalities that fulfill the organization’s mission of providing underrepresented communities with education and tools to pay off debt and plan for long-term financial goals. Other recent investments made by Vested Ventures include U-Nest, 51 Labs and the Museum of American Finance.
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JDA Worldwide, which works with consumer brands, non-profit organizations and growth companies, acquires The KAIROS Company, a Glendale, CA-based public relations and strategic communications firm. Johnnie Moore, who founded The KAIROS Company in 2015, will become president of JDA Worldwide as part of the combining of the two companies. JDA Worldwide also plans to expand its client services in Washington, D.C., Nashville, Los Angeles and internationally. “The KAIROS team brings additional international experience to bolster our global impact,” said Phil Daniels, chief performance officer of JDA’s parent company Prolific. “Combining forces with The KAIROS Company meets a key need of JDA to expand our communications practice."
Brunner, a Pittsburgh-based integrated marketing agency, acquires AdSkate, an AI-powered creative analytics and marketing intelligence platform that helps brands and agencies optimize advertising performance... Augustine Agency launches Flavor Theory, a foodservice marketing practice aimed at helping restaurants, food manufacturers, distributors and institutional dining organizations grow their brands and businesses... The Acceleration Community of Companies releases a report finding that almost half (49 percent) of Gen Z sports fans say they have become interested in a new sport or athlete because of fan-created content or something entirely outside the sport. 
VPE Communications, which helps organizations authentically connect with diverse audiences, celebrates 38 years in business and announces a new ownership structure... Praytell expands into the Asian market with the opening of a new office in Singapore... The International Public Relations Network unveils a new visual identity and redesigned website. 
SourceCode Communications launches SourceCode Germany, establishing the agency's first office in continental Europe... Clario Group acquires Ted Miller Group, a Miami-founded agency focused on clients in the technology, travel & leisure and financial services sectors... Global Situation Room’s Global Risk Advisory Council is hosting a July 23 webinar that will go over the results of its new Reputation Risk Index.
Havas acquires MUT, a Barcelona-based firm focused on experiential marketing and sustainable events... IPREX lauches its AI Task Force...D S Simon Media, one of the first companies to produce a satellite media tour, celebrates its 40th anniversary... Washington Women in Public Relations is sponsoring an event that shows communications pros who work with associations how they can get their messages across clearly, credibly and courageously. “How Associations Lead with Strategic Storytelling,” at 6 p.m. on July 16.
TEAM LEWIS starts up its AI Practice... Thunderly launches a year-long storytelling campaign focused on how franchising can provide a pathway to business ownership... JIN, a European communications consulting group, introduces "AI Campaigning", a corporate offering designed to model and anticipate stakeholder behavior.
