Partners at Washington-based Stratacomm have bought the firm back from FleishmanHillard, which acquired the transportation PR specialist in 2004.
Bill Buff, co-managing partner at Stratacomm, said the firm is now independent and operated by a partnership group. “This restructuring will allow us to invest in new talent and strategies both to benefit our clients and grow the firm," he said.
The firm, which has counseled all of the major US automakers, worked on Daimler's "Smart Car" in the US and counts recent business wins as Norfolk Southern and Nissan North America.
Buff is joined in the top ranks by co-managing partner John Fitzpatrick, senior partners Ron DeFore (a co-founder) and Travis Austin, and partners Kristin Calandro Tyll, Sharon Hegart, Charlotte Seigler and John Undeland.
Fitzpatrick told O'Dwyer's FH has been a valued partner and remains a passive, minority shareholder.
Stratacomm, founded in 1995, also has a Detroit presence in Southfield, Mich.
DeFore's fellow co-founders Diane Steed and Jeff Conley are senior advisors.
DJE Holdings, parent of Edelman and Zeno, launches RUTH as an independent shop named after Ruth Edelman, mental health advocate, wife and longtime business partner of Dan Edelman.
New York City PR firms make up the largest slice of O'Dwyer's 147 firm overall ranking with 33 of 40 in the New York/New Jersey area either calling Manhattan their home or having a presence there.
Subject Matter+Kivvit, which joined forces in May, has rebranded as Avoq, an integrated shop with more than 200 professionals in Washington, New York, Asbury Park (NJ), Miami and Chicago.
While PR pros stationed at in-house comms. teams and those working for agencies share many of the same objectives, they also have markedly different top priorities, according to a recent report.
Edelman is cutting 240 employees or about four percent of its workforce to cope with the cooling down of the PR sector, according to a memo from CEO Richard Edelman.
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