Fleishman-Hillard's VOX Global Mandate & Hoopes Strategies Merge

April 19, 2007 | 10:46 am

WASHINGTON, April 19 /PRNewswire/ -- Fleishman-Hillard International Communications today announced the merger of VOX Global Mandate and Hoopes Strategies, LLC. The combined companies will operate as VOX Global Mandate, and will be managed by Robert Hoopes, who will serve as the firm's president.

"We are fortunate to have a public affairs practitioner of Robert Hoopes' caliber leading VOX Global Mandate," said Paul Johnson, vice chairman of worldwide growth and president of Fleishman-Hillard public affairs. "Robert and his team bring to VOX a wealth of public affairs experience and a complementary culture based on quality service and delivering results for clients. We also share a vision and approach to public affairs advocacy that is strategically grounded in the art of political campaign consulting."

Launched in 2005, VOX Global Mandate harnesses the creative resources and strategic expertise of three of America's premier political consulting firms -- GMMB, Mercury Public Affairs, and Allyn & Company. Independently, these Fleishman-Hillard companies have managed or contributed to dozens of successful political campaigns, including those of Presidents George W. Bush and William Jefferson Clinton, Senators John Kerry and Gordon Smith, Governors George Pataki and Mark Warner, and Presidents Vicente Fox of Mexico and Nelson Mandela of South Africa.

Together, through VOX, they offer corporations, trade associations, and other groups a bi-partisan approach to issues advocacy at the local, state, and national levels that leverages the same cutting edge campaign techniques that have proven successful on the American political stage: polling; opposition/opinion research; direct mail and digital communications; grassroots mobilization; media and community relations; and issues advertising. These same VOX services have also been engaged by political candidates and parties in emerging democracies around the world.

"I am extremely pleased to be joining VOX Global Mandate and look forward to this opportunity to build upon our two firms' proven records of success," Hoopes said. "VOX represents a unique opportunity to engage our global public affairs and campaign resources to provide clients what they value most -- winning. I have always had the utmost respect and admiration for the VOX and Fleishman-Hillard public affairs teams. They are highly ethical, strategically focused, and results-oriented. When it comes to campaign style issue advocacy firms, VOX is unquestionably the best in its class."

Today's merger comes as VOX Global Mandate is rapidly expanding its footprint. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., and with a major office in London, VOX recently opened operations in Tokyo, Los Angeles, San Antonio, Oklahoma City, Topeka, Little Rock, St. Louis, Springfield, Indianapolis, Chicago, Lansing, and Atlanta. The firm is currently engaged by a number of Fortune 500 companies, including the nation's premier telecommunications company, defense contractors, major sports organizations, financial service providers, and trade associations.

Robert Hoopes is a nationally recognized expert on issue advocacy, media relations, and grassroots organizing. For the past three years Hoopes has been president of Hoopes Strategies, LLC, a Washington-based public affairs firm. Prior to that, he served as a Senior Managing Director at Powell Tate/Weber Shandwick and at MCI, where he managed grassroots advocacy programs. Hoopes has been active in electoral politics for over 20 years, getting his start in national campaigns in 1987, when he worked for Senator Joseph Biden during his first run for President. He later joined the senator in Washington and also worked for Senators Chris Dodd and Alan Dixon. Hoopes provides political commentary for FOX News, NPR, MSNBC, and BBC World News Radio and Television. He is a graduate of Colby College, and has a Master's Degree from the George Washington University.

Recent VOX hires also include Ken Lisaius, a senior vice president, who most recently served as special assistant to President George W. Bush and as deputy White House press secretary. Prior to that, he helped manage and direct all state and local press activity as deputy director of the White House Office of Media Affairs. Lisaius was an Austin-based spokesman for the Bush-Cheney 2000 campaign and later served on the President-elect's transition team. Prior to the campaign, he served as press secretary to former U.S. Representative George R. Nethercutt, Jr. (R-WA) and at gabbegroup, a New York City public relations firm.

Kelley Gannon, senior vice president, is a skilled public affairs and consumer marketing professional with more than 25 years of experience in the public and private sectors. She has served as strategic counselor and advisor to executives in such organizations as the National Association of Chain Drug Stores, MCI, Cable & Wireless, and the American Gaming Association. In addition to her private sector work, Ms. Gannon has served three U.S. Presidents -- the late Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush, and George W. Bush.

Chris Matthews, senior vice president, has over twelve years of media communications and public affairs experience. He most recently served as director of communications for Senator Gordon H. Smith (R-OR), acting as Senator Smith's chief spokesman and media strategist. Prior to joining Senator Smith's staff, Matthews was communications director for the House Agriculture Committee and U.S. Representative Wes Cooley (R-OR).

Lizanne Sadlier, vice president, brings nearly 20 years of political, grassroots, and association expertise to VOX. Previously, she served as the political director for the National Association of REALTORS(R), a 1.2 million member trade organization, and was responsible for lobbying, grassroots activity, and political and legislative education for the Midwest region. Sadlier has also served in several press, grassroots, and fundraising positions for republican candidates and party committees in Washington, D.C., and California.

Beth Parker, managing supervisor, brings more than 10 years of media relations, public affairs, and consumer marketing experience to VOX on a wide array of industries, including national defense, international trade and finance. She has worked on behalf of several international governments, including Colombia, El Salvador, and Malaysia, and led consumer public relations for Martek Biosciences.

Brooke McNally, account supervisor, brings nearly five years of media, policy and political experience to VOX. Prior to joining Hoopes Strategies, where she worked on financial services, education and real estate issues, McNally served as press secretary for Congressman John F. Tierney (D-MA).

Fleishman-Hillard Inc., one of the world's leading public relations firms, has built its reputation by using strategic communications to deliver what its clients value most: meaningful, positive, and measurable impact on the performance of their organizations. The firm is widely recognized for excellent client service and a strong company culture founded on teamwork, integrity, and personal commitment. Based in St. Louis, the firm operates throughout North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East, South Africa, and Latin America through its 80 owned offices. For more information, visit the Fleishman-Hillard Web site at http://www.fleishman.com.

Fleishman-Hillard is a part of Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE: OMC) (http://www.omnicomgroup.com). Omnicom is a leading global advertising, marketing and corporate communications company. Omnicom's branded networks and numerous specialty firms provide advertising, strategic media planning and buying, interactive, direct and promotional marketing, public relations and other specialty communications services to over 5,000 clients in more than 100 countries.