RCN Corporation, one of the top suppliers of bundled cable, high-speed Internet, and phone services, won the American Marketing Association's Washington, DC, chapter's 2007 "M" award. The award was presented for "best public relations" in the profit category. The winners in each category were decided on the basis of five factors: insight, objectives, strategy, tactics, and results. Selected American Marketing Association members from various fields, including university professors and distinguished marketers, formed the panel of judges. RCN provides its services to urban markets in Boston, New York, Eastern Pennsylvania, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Washington, DC.
Lord & Taylor hires new regional public relations team
Lord & Taylor, America's oldest department store, recently recruited several professionals to form a regional public relations team. Lord & Taylor has 48 stores in nine states and the District of Columbia and expects to re-launch itself in September. The Washington, Boston, and Midwest stores will be overseen by April Riccio, while Judith Lederman will look after the stores in New York, Connecticut, and Westchester County. Elizabeth Cooley will be in charge of the Chicago area, while the Long Island area will be looked after by Karen Loeffler. All of the new appointees held high-ranking positions prior to joining Lord & Taylor. Their associations with charities and nonprofit organizations will help promote the brand. Regional public relations heads for the rest of Lord & Taylor's divisions will be decided upon soon.
Wunderkind Public Relations hires new account executive
Atlanta-based Wunderkind Public Relations has hired Gorki De Los Santos to serve its technology, hospitality, and food-service clients. De Los Santos will be involved in developing and implementing communications programs and proposals for the firm's local, national, and international clients. Steve McAbee, the president of Wunderkind Public Relations, has designated De Los Santos as an account executive based on his vast knowledge and excellent communication skills. A member of the Public Relations Society of America, De Los Santos earlier supported and counseled the clients of a Miami-based public relations and marketing agency. Wunderkind Public Relations provides its clients with target-oriented communications programs and campaigns.
Former PR head Brian Lustig co-launches PR firm
Brian Lustig, who has spent 12 years in the PR industry, has co-launched Washington-based Lustig Communications. The new public relations, marketing, and advertising firm plans, administers, and implements communications strategies for political campaigns, budding and speculative firms, nonprofit organizations, and large companies. Lustig Communications was established three years back by Helene Lustig. Earlier, she worked as a marketing manager for Coca-Cola Enterprises. Brian Lustig, the former head of public relations for Internet phone service provider SunRocket, will handle public relations for Lustig Communications. He earlier served clients on behalf of several companies, including Adobe Systems, the Council on Competitiveness, CURRENT Communications Group, and Pulver.com. Apart from directing the Economic Policy Institute for Media Relations, Lustig has also assisted with public relations campaigns for the Presidents' Summit for America's Future, the Children's Defense Fund, the Coca-Cola Olympic Torch Relay, the Presidential Inaugural Committee, and various congressional candidates.
Public relations director appointed by Cox Marketing Group
Cox Marketing Group has hired Fran Mathay, a public relations expert, to manage the company's public relations tasks. A graduate of Queens University of Charlotte with a degree in English literature and composition, Mathay is well known for her work on professional and nonprofit panels. Prior to joining Cox Marketing Group, Mathay was associated with The Marketing Consortium. She also owned and managed a marketing-communications firm. As the director of Cox Marketing Group, Mathay will oversee media, customer, and community relations; copywriting; and planning for the firm's clients. The firm helps its clients promote their products and services by providing them with advertising, public relations, promotional, event-planning, new-media development, and strategic-planning services.
