RICE

FINN Partners acquires RICE Communications, a 60-strong, Singapore-based, strategic communications and public relations consultancy, with expertise in travel, technology, corporate and consumer public relations across the Asia-Pacific region. RICE becomes part of the FINN APAC region, overseen by Howard Solomon, founding managing partner, who also leads FINN efforts on the West Coast of the US. The firm will be known as “RICE, A FINN Partners Company.” James Brasher, RICE managing partner, joins FINN as managing partner and lead for the agency’s combined Singapore office. After the addition of RICE, Finn will have nearly 100 total employees in that market, making FINN one of the largest PR firms in Singapore. There are no staff redundancies. “The acquisition of RICE builds on our collaborative approach to growth,” said FINN chief executive officer and founder Peter Finn.

Latinas

MVW Communications founder Melissa Vela-Williamson releases “Latinas in Public Relations: Shaping Communications, Communities, and Culture,” a book that lets 14 Latina communications tell the stories of their success. Vela-Williams cites data from the Pew Research Center, revealing that while Latinas account for 17 percent of all adult women in the United States, only about 7.5 percent of PR professionals are estimated to be Latina. The book addresses many of the hurdles those women face, such as overcoming the challenges of growing up as first-generation Latinas, fighting imposter syndrome, transitioning into leadership positions, and discovering the need for self-promotion. Vela-Williamson will host a free virtual book launch on March 5 at 2 p.m. CST to discuss the book and introduce the contributors, who will share relatable challenges and actionable advice on how to beat the odds in the public relations industry. The launch will conclude with the announcement of a sponsored book giveaway. From March 5 – March 8, thanks to the generosity of contributing author Anais Biera Miracle, interested readers can download the e-book for free on Amazon.

Thunderly

BizCom Associates and Brand J officially rebrand as Thunderly. BizCom acquired Brand J last year as a way of expanding its services from PR and social media to include lead-generation, website development, personal branding, video production and other marketing services. Thunderly's services now include franchise lead generation, digital advertising, website design, public relations, social media, thought leadership, crisis communications, graphic design and podcast production. "The name Thunderly captures our strengths—being loud, being heard, and forecasting something powerful,” said Thunderly co-founder and COO Monica Feid.