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CIVIC, a New York-based brand experience agency, acquires strategic communications consultancy Wave Kilo. With offices in New York, Los Angeles and Miami, Wave Kilo will continue to operate as a stand-alone offering within CIVIC, reporting into CIVIC co-founder and co-CEO Stuart Ruderfer. The acquisition is intended to expand CIVIC’s existing consumer public relations capabilities, which are led by managing director, head of PR Julie Safer. Founded by Howard Clabo, a former chief communications & brand officer who led communications at Hewlett-Packard, Applied Materials, FedEx and Aura, Wave Kilo advises CEOs, boards and executive teams through leadership changes, mergers and acquisitions, activist shareholder campaigns, business transformations, restructurings, narrative shifts and corporate milestones. “Corporate leaders are dealing with continuous transformation at unprecedented speed and looking to us to help translate these pivot points into opportunities for growth,” said Ruderfer. “Wave Kilo’s expertise is exactly what we need to do that at scale.”
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Hotwire Global, which includes Hotwire and ROI∙DNA, reaches an agreement with Morning Consult to give Hotwire Global instant access to Morning Consult’s proprietary dataset for its own and client work. That access includes Morning Consult’s Intelligence platform, which features AI-native data analysis tools built on global datasets that reveal consumer behavior, brand perception, market trends and political attitudes. In addition, Hotwire Global has open access to Morning Consult’s panels to run research for its clients to create unique data-driven insights. “This partnership with Morning Consult isn’t just access to data but allows us to give our client set a new standard for how intelligence is created and consumed for ourselves and our clients,” said Hotwire Global CEO Grant Toups.
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The Public Relations Student Society of America announced its 2026–2027 International Committee at PRSSA’s 2026 Leadership Assembly, which was held April 10-12 in New Orleans. Teo Ignacio Landoni from the Universidad Argentina de la Empresa was elected as International President. Katie Thomas of Nationwide Children’s Hospital was re-elected to a two-year term (2026-2028) as the National Professional Adviser, beginning on June 1. Alicia Caracciolo of the University of South Carolina will serve as Immediate Past President. Eight new vice presidents were named as well. “Welcoming this new group of student leaders to PRSSA’s International Committee is about more than connection. It’s about shaping the future of our profession,” said PRSA chair Heide Harrell.
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Avenue Z is named a Shopify Platinum Partner, the highest tier of Shopify’s Service Partner Program, reserved for fewer than one percent of the platform’s most successful global enterprise partners. The agency will gain priority technical support, early access to new Shopify features and beta programs, and tailored support for global growth. Avenue Z also holds TikTok Platinum Partner status, giving brands a unified growth engine across commerce and content. “Platinum status reflects our ability to operate and scale with both the fastest-growing and most established brands in ecommerce at every level of the funnel and tech stack,” said Avenue Z chief innovation officer Jonathan Snow.
CashmanKatz launches CK Health, a healthcare marketing specialty... Mission North introduces its Physical Industries practice, which will focus on physical AI applications across four verticals: commerce, manufacturing, mobility, and aerospace and defense... Muck Rack, an AI communications platform, announces a new feature designed to help communications leaders identify timely opportunities to shape relevant news conversations while they are still developing.
FINN Partners opens an office in Minneapolis, its fifth location in the Midwest and its 39th worldwide... AMP3 PR hosts its annual Gifting Suite and Media Lounge in conjunction with New York Fashion Week... Curious Plot, which works with clients in the agriculture, food and companion animal industries, is accepting applications for its 2026 Seed to Succeed pro bono program.
IPREX names Big Picture PR in San Francisco, Precision Strategies in Washington, D.C., and Tiny Mighty Communications in Nashville as its first Americas Partner Cohort... Highwire launches AcroAnswers, a proprietary AI visibility platform... Big Red Oak and Naer Communications, a Calgary-based firm, form a partnership providing integrated communications and marketing services to clean energy companies and organizations across Canada.
Matter launches its Review Visibility Management service to address a shift in how companies across verticals earn trust online... A Queens school is putting out the message about Sept. 12, 2001 when people came together to help, comfort, rebuild and unite... Directive expands its Directive Communications division, which will bring PR, organic social, influencer marketing and paid social together under one integrated organization.
Praytell expands its Influence Department—which unites media, creators and social under one team... LRJ PR & Communications and Canopy Brand Group form an alliance that the firms say will bridge the operational divide between high-end brand design and strategic public relations... Twin Minds Media, Hispanic market specialist, increases the scope of its services in an effort to help brands build deeper connections with audiences through culture, storytelling, media and experiences. 
