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| Paul Cohen |
The New York Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America names Attention Comms CEO Paul Cohen as 2026 president of its board of directors. Cohen succeeds Ken Kerrigan, who has held executive posts at Bliss Group, Infinite and Weber Shandwick. Kerrigan will now serve as immediate past president. Bill Smith, SVP at Highwire PR, will serve as president-elect. The 2026 Board will guide the chapter’s mission to educate, mentor, and inspire public relations and communications professionals while strengthening PRSA-NY’s role as a trusted resource. As president, Cohen’s priorities include delivering more frequent, high-value programming on a consistent cadence, expanding mentorship opportunities, strengthening member engagement, and positioning PRSA-NY as a forward-looking, stabilizing force for communicators navigating uncertainty. Consult O'Dwyer's online directory for a list of PR firms in the New York area.
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Startr Co., a strategic communications agency based in Los Angeles and New York, with a focus on scaling next-generation brands, marks its 10th anniversary with the launch of a renewed brand identity and redesigned website. The agency says its new visual identity mirrors its evolution and growing role as a strategic advisor. The redesigned website is aimed at offering a sharper lens into StartrCo.’s capabilities, portfolio, and approach to building communications programs. StartrCo.’s PR services include media relations, influencer marketing PR, affiliate marketing PR, crisis communications, and reputation management. “This milestone reflects the trust our clients place in us, the talent of our team, and the ideas that have shaped our work over the past decade,” Startr Co. CEO Monica Guzman Escobar.
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Michael Best Strategies, an affiliated consulting firm of national law firm Michael Best, is introducing a corporate advisory service. The new service, a joint venture between the two firms, is designed for business leaders seeking strategic counsel. They are also collaborating on a single source data center advisory service, which brings together their legal, regulatory, government relations and strategic communications expertise to help major utilities, construction suppliers and contractors, data center operators, and coalitions navigate power and utility issues, land use and permitting, and public affairs. Michael Best Strategies has also added Bill McCoshen, a firm partner since 2021, to its board of advisors, and brought on Nathan Craft, who previously managed global public affairs initiatives at SC Johnson, as principal and director of strategic communications.
Champion, which specializes in restaurant, franchise and consumer brands, opens a Miami office, adding to its operations in Dallas and Los Angeles... Violet PR, a Montclair, NJ-based firm that focuses on economic development, commercial real estate and place branding, opens a second office on Park Avenue South in New York... Inflection Point, a founder-led, senior growth systems partner for startups and growth-stage businesses, launches... PRSA announces the recipients of its inaugural Women of Impact Awards. Honorees honorees were recognized during the PRSA Women of Impact Summit & Awards at the Union League Club of Chicago.
FleishmanHillard is shuttering its 20-member Dublin office as Omnicom Public Relations reorganizes its global operations... Vested acquires Watermark, a D.C.-based public affairs and special situations firm.... Matter earns two Pinnacle Awards 2026 Marketing & Communications honors for its clients.
Quad/Graphics launches Direct, a Quad Agency to help marketers create, execute and measure direct marketing campaigns in one connected offering... InnoVision Marketing Group SVP/senior creative director Giselle Campos and SVP/general manager Alanna Markey are among the first-ever winners of the San Diego Business Journal’s Indispensables Awards, which recognizes professionals who make the greatest impact within their organizations and across the San Diego business community... Park Place Technologies, an IT infrastructure services firm that works with Feintuch Communications, releases the second episode of its “The Savvy CIO” podcast. 
Ripley PR is named a silver winner in the TITAN American Business Awards’ Outstanding PR Campaign category... Excellera, a corporate-advisory firm, came in at number one in deal count, as well as fourth in deal value, in Mergermarket’s list of top EMEA firms... Thunderly is telling the stories of military veterans who transferred the discipline, organization and leadership skills developed in service to their country into successful post-military careers as franchise business owners, as part of its year-long "American Dreamers: The Stories of Franchising" effort.
Legendary Boston PR man George Regan is stepping down from day-to-day management of his namesake firm. The 75-year-old will remain chairman.
