Public Strategies, Inc.

Public Strategies, Inc. is a public relations firm that says its "new business model" involves:
 * defining the public in a new way, as customers, employees, stockholders, voters, and political leaders
 * bringing a unique mix of talent combining corporate, government, policy, and entrepreneurial experience
 * identifying and managing public risk"

PSI specializes in crisis management PR. Its website boasts, "Public Strategies has helped many corporations involved in high-profile crises successfully weather the storm and better prepare for the possibility of future turbulence. From the 'war room' to the public hearing room, the courtroom and America's living rooms, Public Strategies is many corporations' first phone call for crisis response." PSI's website then extends this invitation to crisis-afflicted corporations: "Trying to put out a fire at this very moment? No matter where you are or what time it is, don't hesitate to call. Our crisis team can work anywhere and they never sleep." 

Ownership
In August 2006, the giant advertising and PR conglomerate WPP announced that it had bought PSI. Brand Republic noted that in 2005 PSI employed 175 staff and had revenuse of $38.5 million. 

Clients
In 2004, Public Strategies, Inc. was engaged by Diebold Election Systems to perform crisis-management public relations work. Its employee David Bear was given an apparently full-time role with Diebold.

In June 2005, PSI was hired by the major video news release (VNR) company, Medialink Worldwide. Medialink retained PSI "to keep an ear to the ground" on discussions and proposals regarding VNR labeling before the U.S. Congress and Federal Communications Commission CEO Laurence Moskowitz told O'Dwyer's PR Daily. Working with Medialink are PSI's John Krueger and William Moore. Moore is the former chief of staff to Rep. David Price, a founding member of the Congressional "Future of American Media Caucus" that was established in April 2005. 

In February 2007, O'Dwyer's reported that Public Strategies "is bolstering PR for the record $43.8 billion buyout of Texas power company TXU. ... The buyout is expected to face regulatory, political and environmental concerns and the parties involved immediately moved to head off any immediate fallout. The news release announcing the buyout said the deal has been endorsed by Environmental Defense and the Natural Resources Defense Council." 

Public Strategies disappearing advisory board
In October 2004 PSI stated on its website (now dead link) (Internet Archive copy) ([[media:PublicStrategiesPeoplePage13thOct2004.jpg|screengrab]]) that "Public Strategies' Advisory Board is comprised of some of the most highly regarded political, business, and communications experts in the world." However, by July 2005 only one, former Governor Ann Richards, remained.

The other six - José Angel Gurría, former Ambassador Richard Holbrooke, James Johnson, Thomas Meredith, former Ambassador Lyndon Olson, and former Ambassador Renato Ruggiero - were no longer listed on the company's website. Nor did Public Strategies mention whether the Advisory Board still existed.

Employees and other associates
Dan Bartlett, the former White House counsel to George W. Bush, is PSI's president and chief executive. He joined the firm in November 2007 as a senior strategist. Bartlett "provides counsel to the firm's largest accounts in key industries such as finance, telecommunications and defense. In addition, drawing on his years of foreign policy experience while serving in the White House, he has directed the firm's international growth, providing advice to leading multi-national firms and global institutions."

The website for PSI provides this list of people associated with the company, current as at July 14, 2005. :


 * Eddie Aldrete
 * Cliff Angelo
 * Rebecca Ballard
 * Ken Bentsen
 * Skyler Bentsen
 * Danner Bethel
 * Mindy Brown
 * Mark Bunker
 * Hanner Calvert
 * Cassandra Carr
 * George Caudill
 * Bill Coletti
 * Amanda Crumley
 * Merrill Davis
 * Luis De La Calle
 * Joe Dickie
 * Alejandra de Yta
 * Erica Duge
 * Jeff Eller
 * Joe Emery
 * Rick Foote
 * Lisa Fues
 * Doreen Fox
 * Adam Goldman
 * Jason Haum
 * Jane Hickie
 * Julie Hillrichs
 * Joe Householder
 * Patty Huffines
 * David Iannell
 * Kathy Jeavons
 * ChristineJohnson
 * Jim Jamison
 * Tom Jones
 * Russell Kelley
 * John Krueger
 * Sharon Lakes
 * Twyla Beth Lambert
 * Jon Loehman
 * Bob Ludke
 * Bill Maddox
 * Sarah Malm
 * Javier Mancera
 * Marina Marich
 * Meredith Marks
 * Melanie M. Martin
 * Jack Martin
 * Bill Mashek
 * Carol McGarah
 * Mark McKinnon
 * Angela R. McMahon
 * Heather McMahon
 * Amy McMichael
 * Joe McNamara
 * Mary Meagher
 * William Moore
 * Jeremy Nagoshiner
 * Katherine Nash
 * Evvie Nazro
 * Rob Norcross
 * Mark Palmer
 * Lori Pickle
 * Sarah Queen
 * Angelica Rendon
 * Eddie Reeves
 * Ann Richards
 * Charlie Richards
 * Katie Romans
 * Elizabeth Rutledge
 * Jennifer Shelley
 * Marvin Singleton
 * Tom Stewart
 * Bo Smith
 * Darry Sragow
 * Ian Stewart
 * Rob Strauss
 * Julia Sutherland
 * Tim Tessin
 * Travis Thomas
 * Cathie Bennett Warner
 * Laurie Dalton White
 * Greg Yearsley
 * Peter Zandan

In December 2004, O'Dwyer's PR Daily reported that Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton's former communications director, Joe Householder, had joined Public Strategies' Houston office.

Jill Bratina, Florida Governor Jeb Bush's former communications director was set to join Public Strategies' Washington DC office the following month. O'Dwyer's noted that Bratina "is a crisis expert who handled PA at Bridgestone/Firestone during its tire recall," and who, while at Ketchum, "worked on the Dow Chemical account handling silicone breast implant litigation and for Wyeth-Ayerst during the phen-fen lawsuits." 

Contact details
Public Strategies, Inc. 607 14th Street, N.W. Suite 500 Washington, DC 20005 Phone: 202-354-8200 Fax: 202-354-8201 Web: http://www.pstrategies.com/

Related SourceWatch articles

 * Dan Bartlett
 * David Bear
 * Diebold Election Systems
 * Medialink Worldwide
 * TXU

External articles

 * "Richards Joins PSI", O'Dwyers PR Daily, June 14, 2001. (Sub req'd.)
 * "Incoming AP Chairman Joins Public Strategies", O'Dwyers PR Daily, June 20, 2001.(Sub req'd.)
 * "WEPR Gives Public Service Awards", O'Dwyers PR Daily, October 25, 2001.(Sub req'd.)
 * "VF Pays For White House Access", O'Dwyers PR Daily, July 12, 2002. (VF is the acronym for Vanity Fair).(Sub req'd.)
 * "Adelphia Plugs into PSI", O'Dwyers PR Daily, Oct. 11, 2002. (PSI is the acronym for Public Strategies Inc).(Sub req'd.)
 * "WGA Hires Public Strategies", O'Dwyers PR Daily, March 5, 2003. (Sub req'd.)
 * "PS Advises Diebold's Voting Machine Unit", O'Dwyers PR Daily, April 23, 2004.(Sub req'd.)
 * "Brunswick, Public Strategies Handles CNOOC offer", O'Dwyers PR Daily, June 23, 2005. (Sub req'd.)
 * "PSI Listens for Medialink," O'Dwyer's PR Daily, June 27, 2005. (sub. req'd.)
 * "CNOOC Deal No Threat", O'Dwyers PR Daily, July 13, 2005.(sub. req'd.)
 * Joanne Oatts, "WPP acquires US firm Public Strategies", Brand Republic, August 1, 2006.
 * "PS Aids Huge TXU Buyout Deal," O'Dwyer's PR Daily (sub req'd), February 27, 2007.