Davies

Davies, aka Davies Public Affairs, aka Davies Communications, is a U.S. public relations astroturfing company with five areas of specialization - "Pharma/Biotech, Energy, Mining, Real Estate & Crisis."

History
The company was founded in 1983.

Personnel
As of March 2010, O'Dwyers reports their personnel as:
 * John Davies, CEO
 * Robb Rice, exec. VP
 * Lisa Palmer, sr. VP
 * Taylor Canfield, practice leader
 * Michael Wong, practice leader
 * Joshua Boisvert, dir.
 * Mark Saunders, sr. strategist
 * Jolene Griffith, controller
 * Pia Dorer, mktg. mgr.
 * Caitlin Steele, office mgr.

Previous
As of June 2008, personnel info were not available on their website without signing in. The executives of the firm previously given were:
 * John Davies, CEO and Chairman
 * Brandon Edwards, President and COO
 * Robb Rice, Executive Vice President, Public Affairs
 * Phil Stone, Executive Vice President, Operations
 * Lisa Palmer, Senior Vice President, Public Affairs
 * Tim Reinauer, Vice President, Finance
 * Alixe Mattingly, Senior Counsel, Healthcare

Income and employee totals
Davies took in $8,300,217 in net fees in 2006, up 32% on the previous year. The firm has 43 employees.

PR Week ranked Davies as the twenty-fourth largest independent PR agency in the United States in 2008, with 2007 revenue of $11,900,000, a 2% increase from the previous year's total revenue of $11,700,000. The ranking also notes its staff total of 44 (2006 total: 46), with $270,455 in revenue per employee.

Astroturf tactics
"Davies Communications is another specialist in astroturf support. Mailing lists and computer databases put the firm in touch with receptive citizens, who are asked to write letters to their representatives. And if they don’t have the time, Davies Communications offers to write the letter for them, adding their signature under their consent. “We hand write it out on ‘little kitty cat stationery’ if it’s a little old lady,” says John Davies. “If it’s a business we take it over to be photocopied on someone’s letterhead. [We] use different stamps, different envelopes... Getting a pile of personalized letters that have a different look to them is what you want to strive for."

Pacifica
In 2006, CoastSider reported "A couple of participants in the Pacifica-L Internet mailing list claiming to be Pacifica residents who support the Pacifica Quarry development appear to be employees of the developer’s public relations firm [Davies Communications] in Santa Barbara."

Profile from World of Coal Ash 2009
"DAVIES Public Affairs assists firms in the coal ash industry prepare for and respond to a crisis with: crisis planning, media and spokesperson training, situational first response, crisis and issues management, media relations, grassroots supporter activation, and regulatory response. DAVIES was named Public Affairs Agency of the Year by The Holmes Report. The firm has served clients in 46 states."

Agency Statement from O'Dwyers
From the group's Agency Statement in O'Dwyers: "Davies creates messages that motivate individuals to stand up, speak out, and take action, thereby influencing the approval process at all levels. Davies develops complex communications strategies across multiple industries including: creating patient adherence programs for international pharmaceutical companies, redeveloping controversial natural resource extraction and mining projects, permitting energy facilities in sensitive environments (wind to coal plants), gaining approval for real estate developments facing though NIMBY opposition, as well as managing the communications for crisis of all types."

Clients
They are now secretive about their clients, saying their "clients expect the strictest confidentiality." Previously their website included these clients:

Health Care:
 * Centinela Hospital Medical Center
 * Cottage Hospital
 * Community Medical Centers
 * Exempla Healthcare
 * French Hospital
 * Goleta Valley Hospital
 * HCA (Hospital Corporation of America)

California Central Coast Clients:
 * Business First National Bank
 * City of Oxnard
 * City of Port Hueneme
 * City of Santa Barbara
 * City of Santa Barbara Police and Fire Department

Real Estate:
 * ADCO
 * American Beauty Homes
 * Atherton Ranch
 * Bacara Resort & Spa
 * The Baldwin Company
 * Bohannon Development

Energy and Natural Resources:
 * Aramco Services Company
 * BP ARCO
 * Chevron USA
 * Exxon Mobil
 * Pacific Gas and Electric Company

Nonprofit:
 * Braille Institute
 * Santa Barbara Botanic Garden
 * Santa Barbara Chamber of Commerce

Contact details
808 State Street Santa Barbara, CA 93101 Phone: (805) 963-5929 Fax: (805) 962-4550 Email: rrice AT daviespublicaffairs.com Web: http://www.daviespublicaffairs.com or http://daviescommunications.com

From the website, branch office phone numbers:
 * Los Angeles: 310-395-9510 (225 Santa Monica Blvd.,Third Floor Santa Monica)
 * Sacramento: 916-443-1383; 1415 L St # 1100
 * Washington DC: 202-580-8930, f(805) 962-4550 (220 South Payne Street, Alexandria, VA)
 * Chicago: 312-239-6444