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| Frances Alban |
Mark Allen & Co., which is headquartered in New York with an office in Los Angeles, acquires Alban Communications, establishing its first Miami office. The Alban Communications name will be retired, and all clients will transition to Mark Allen & Co. Alban was founded in 2008 by Frances Alban, who previously held roles at Weber Shandwick, Hill & Knowlton, and Jack Morton Worldwide. The agency has represented clients across South Florida and beyond, including the World Trade Center Miami, City of Miami, Douglas Elliman, Compass Real Estate, Florida Department of Health and National Association of Women Business Owners. The acquisition brings Mark Allen & Co. new capabilities and expertise in US Hispanic media, residential and commercial real estate, and health and wellness. "Bringing Frances into our leadership team enhances what we can deliver for clients,” said Mark Allen & Co. founder and CEO Mark Pasetsky. “Frances has deep media relationships in key markets and is a seasoned strategist who knows how to drive results across the most competitive and complex industry sectors."
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Buchalter, a business law firm, launches a crisis management and strategic response group, which integrates attorneys across investigations, disputes, cybersecurity and privacy, employment, corporate governance, and enterprise risk. The firm also maintains standing relationships with crisis‑communications advisers, investigators, forensic and incident‑response teams, and public‑affairs specialists, enabling the firm to activate a coordinated response quickly. The new practice advises clients on rapid internal reviews, government investigations, major cyber and privacy incidents, leadership and workplace matters, emergency litigation, governance and board oversight, and post‑crisis remediation. “Crises today unfold in real time, under incomplete information and under significant public and regulatory pressure,” said Kristina D. Maritczak, Co‑Leader of the new group. “Our team understands the urgency, discipline, and clarity required in those moments, and we are built to respond immediately.”
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5W PR expands its beauty practice to include TikTok Shop-aligned PR campaigns and creator amplification strategies. The expanded offering aims to create programs that integrate seamlessly with TikTok Shop initiatives. Services include creator partnerships, content seeding, strategic pitch development, real-time trend activation, affiliate management, and measurement-driven amplification to maximize product visibility and engagement. "By aligning PR programs with TikTok Shop and creator amplification, we are helping brands translate social momentum into measurable business impact, while maintaining authentic storytelling and credible media coverage,” said 5W PR managing partner & EVP Ilisa Wirgin.
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.
