What might not be clear in the hoopla that's surrounded Tyson Foods Inc. (the company agreed in a plea bargain reached last week to pay $6 million in fines and costs for giving former agriculture secretary Mike Espy thousands of dollars worth of illegal gratuities) is that one of those targeted in independent counsel Donald C. Smaltz's probe is Tyson Director of Media, Public and Governmental Affairs Archie Schaffer.
Tyson, however, hasn't been hush-hush about Smaltz including Schaffer in his investigative round-up. Tyson issued a press release Dec. 29 about the plea agreement that said the investigation of Tyson Foods has been closed - with the exception of Schaffer and Jack Williams, a Washington, D.C. lobbyist Tyson uses. Both received "target letters" from Smaltz this past summer.
So far, Schaffer told PR NEWS, his job is secure and that Tyson has been up front and "aggressive" throughout what he termed a more-than-three-year "ordeal," but the media appears to have had a different take and has been critical of the company's handling of the dispute.
Shaffer said his office handled about 20 media queries last week in response to the plea agreement. (Tyson, 501/290-7232)
Pinnacle Publishing, Inc. premieres LinkInfo, http://www.linkinfo.com, a tracking and analysis service for Web marketing and promotion specialists. An annual subscription is $199; however, charter subscriptions are available for a brief time at $149. The service tracks "in-links" from external Web sites to a designated URL.
Press Access, which specializes in information and automation for those in the high-tech industry, has launched Press Files, a Web-based service providing media information, contact management, opportunity alerts and release dissemination. For a price tag between $400 and $3,000 annually, a single user can tap into data that's updated weekly. (Press Access, 617/542-6670)
Valuation Technologies, Berkeley, Calif., has joined the fleet of Data Downlink Corp.'s information services for those in investor relations. Using 17 different models, Valuation Technology provides data on publicly held companies and their stocks as well as institutional investors. Valuation is available on a pay-per-view and subscription basis at http://www.xls.com. Costs per spreadsheet range from $10 to $250. (XLS, 914/243-7410)
Gallen Associates, formerly in Oakland City Center, Calif., has a new address: 2033 North Main Street, Suite 440, Walnut Creek, Calif., 94596; ph: 510/930-9848; fax: 510/930-9903.
Ira Thomas Associates, an advertising and PR firm in Youngstown, Ohio, has opened an office near Cleveland at 4511 Rockside Road in Independence. (ITA, 330/793-3000)
Nellis Communications merged Jan. 2 with The St. George Group. Nellis, a PR firm, will fold into marcom house The St. George Group, with founder Jim Nellis serving as senior VP and director of PR at TSGG. The combined firm will remain in Pittsburgh. (TSGG, 412/471-1090)
