PRSourceCode’s 2nd Annual "Top Tech Communicators" Study

The IT editorial community’s ranking of the best PR agencies and corporate PR departments



2007 Winners Announced

Honorable Mentions - Individual PR Practitioners

Profiles of Honorable Mentions

Jodi Amendola, Amendola Communications



Jodi Amendola is a seasoned public relations and marketing communications expert with nearly two decades of experience in counseling, implementing. and overseeing strategic marketing and public relations programs for a diversified healthcare, technology, real estate, and professional services client base. She is a hands-on leader providing strategic direction and ongoing involvement in all phases of client public relations and marketing programs. Amendola has placed client stories in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and top tier trade journals in various market niches. She has led campaigns for industry giants and start-up companies, including Cisco, Intel, TriZetto, Carefx, MEDSEEK, Saxa (formerly Shea Commercial), World Communications Center, AXIA Health (now Healthways), Dermacare Laser & Skincare Clinics, and Mphasis Healthcare Solutions.



Amendola Communications is a full-service national public relations and marketing firm specializing in healthcare, technology, real estate, and professional services. We provide personalized service, national and local contacts, and customized business-to-business and direct-to-consumer programs that scale to match client needs. Visit www.acmarketingpr.com for more information.

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Sonia Bovio, Brodeur



Sonia Bovio is a vice president at Brodeur, managing the Phoenix office and providing support for technology clients. Her clients have included mass storage, networking, semiconductor, supply chain, technology distribution, and wireless companies. Bovio’s 20 years of marketing communications and journalism experience include a position as director of corporate communications and public relations at computer distributor Pinacor, a $5 billion subsidiary of MicroAge, as well as mass storage, Internet marketplace, and software companies. Bovio holds a B.A. in English from the University of Florida, and a master’s in corporate communications from Ithaca College. Bovio is a board member of the Arizona Business Accelerator.



Founded in 1985, Brodeur (www.brodeur.com) is a leading strategic communications group with offices and partners around the world. Brodeur specializes in public relations, marketing, and corporate communications in sectors such as technology, finance, health care, and consumer. Brodeur is a recent PR Week Agency of the Year, part of Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE: OMC), and is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts.

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Joe Mondy, CIGNA HealthCare



Joe Mondy is assistant vice president of communications for CIGNA HealthCare. He joined CIGNA in 1997 serving as the communications lead for a number of its business groups as well as the eCommerce and IT divisions. Prior to joining CIGNA, Mondy was in charge of national media relations for MassMutual Financial Group, was the CEO’s speechwriter, and was instrumental in development of MassMutual’s first Web site. He began his career in communications as journalist and as a publications editor at LIMRA International. Mondy is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.



CIGNA HealthCare provides medical benefits plans, dental coverage, behavioral health coverage, pharmacy benefits, and products and services that help to improve the health, well-being, and productivity of employees. CIGNA engages members via health advocacy by providing cost, quality, and health information and offering sophisticated information tools and resources members can use to make health care decisions. Through a broad array of consumer-focused programs, CIGNA helps guide members to effective, quality care through industry-leading wellness initiatives, health coaching, disease management, and personalized case management. "CIGNA HealthCare" refers to various operating subsidiaries of CIGNA Corporation. Visit www.cigna.com for more information.

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Amira Rubin, CooperKatz & Company



Amira Rubin is manager, client services at CooperKatz & Company. In this role, she leads the public relations efforts for Insure U, the education program of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). Rubin also oversees the efforts of account teams serving Teliris, the telepresence solutions provider; DialAmerica, a large teleservices company; Polar, the leader in fitness assessment technology; and Petfinder.com, the largest online database of adoptable animals. She joined CooperKatz from Burson-Marsteller, where she oversaw international account teams for Hewlett-Packard and SAP. Prior to Burson-Marsteller, Rubin represented IBM Financial Services and Charles Schwab & Co at TSI Communications.



CooperKatz & Company, Inc. offers a full range of marketing, public relations, and creative services to a national client base in the technology, telecommunications, financial services, professional services, business-to-business, healthcare, and consumer products sectors. The mid-size,Manhattan-based firm was founded in 1996 by two senior public relations agency executives. Visit www.cooperkatz.com for more information.

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Brian Parrish, Dodge Communications



Brian Parrish is a veteran of the technology industry and has worked with Dodge since the company was founded in 2001. As an account director, he provides strategic counsel to national and international clients, including brand and messaging development and the implementation of marketing and public relations programs. In 2006, Dodge secured more than 200 premium editorial placements for his clients in various IT-focused publications.



Dodge Communications is a full-service public relations and marketing agency serving the healthcare industry. Dodge's award-winning programs help companies strengthen credibility and brand awareness with the goal of gaining market share. Visit www.dodgecommunications.com for more information.

Michelle Perkins, DPR Group



Michelle Perkins joined DPR Group as an account executive in January 2006. Prior to her current position, she served for more than nine years as an account executive with a North Carolina-based high-tech public relations agency, where she was responsible for developing and implementing public relations campaigns for a diverse client portfolio spanning the database software, engineering software, electronics, computer graphics technologies, and systems integration markets. Throughout her career, Perkins has counseled scores of both domestic and international technology executives on media relations, strategic messaging, product launches, and executing corporate visibility campaigns. Perkins began her career in marketing and public relations for a technology publishing company in Durham, N.C.



Originally founded as Demaree Public Relations in 1998, DPR Group is a full-service agency specializing in providing public relations and marketing support services to a broad range of technology companies. The firm has a proven track record representing both privately held and publicly traded companies in fields such as software development, systems integration, telecommunications, electronics and component manufacturing, consulting, and specialized services. With offices near Washington, D.C. and in Cary, N.C., DPR Group has the experience and industry contacts to successfully launch new companies and products and to significantly increase the name recognition of larger, more established companies. For more information, call 919-678-9200 or visit www.dprgroup.com.

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Kelly O’Brien, Intermarket

Kelly O'Brien, vice president, leads the technology practice at Intermarket, a 21-year-old Madison Avenue firm specializing in financial services. In 2000, she instituted the first company-wide corporate public relations program for SunGard (NYSE: SDS), working closely with senior management on media relations and presentations and with the company’s investor relations and legal team on earnings, mergers and acquisitions, and internal communications. O’Brien has managed public relations strategy on both the corporate and agency side in the U.S. and in the U.K. A former journalist, copywriter, and producer, O’Brien has developed proprietary media training and messaging workshops for firms such as JPMorgan Chase, Russell Indexes, Charles Schwab, SunGard, and SWIFT.



Intermarket provides high quality strategic communications consulting and tactical public relations services to blue-chip, internationally-oriented firms within the financial services industry. Visit www.intermarket.com for more information.

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Don Jennings, Lois Paul & Partners



Don Jennings joined LP&P in 1997 with a background in public relations, marketing, and journalism. He is a primary point of contact for his clients and is responsible for driving the strategic direction and day-to-day momentum activities of their programs. This includes announcements, product reviews, and analyst and media relations programs. Jennings has experience in a variety of technology markets including storage, e-business (business-to-business, business-to-consumer), networking, IT monitoring, voice over internet protocol, and Internet telephony. His clients have included BakBone Software, Cognos, CommVault, Dell Computer Corporation, Double-Take Software, Emulex, FTP Software, MCK Communications, MRO Software (formerly PSDI), NetGuard, Network Engines, OrderTrust, Pannaway Technologies, Pillar Data Systems, ProActivity, Inc., PSW Technologies, SilverBack Technologies, and StorageTek (now Sun Microsystems). Prior to LP&P, Jennings worked in marketing and public relations for a management consulting company developing targeted programs and coordinating executive visibility. Jennings also worked in the communications department of National Public Radio’s Boston affiliate, WBUR, and was the assistant producer for NPR’s "Car Talk."

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Ted Weismann, Lois Paul & Partners



Ted Weismann brings 15 years of public relations and marketing experience, and has been with Lois Paul & Partners since 1993. As senior vice president, his focus is on leading his teams in executing on innovative, results-driven public relations programs that directly meet the business needs of his clients. Weismann also devotes significant energy to coaching and mentoring LP&P's talented public relations professionals as an important underpinning not only to the agency's top-notch service, but also its exceptional employee retention. During this time, he has worked with a wide range of large and small companies in several markets, including enterprise software (integration software, application development, database, Web services, supply chain management, BPM, systems management), outsourcing (application service providers, globalization services, professional consulting, systems integrators) and wireless (wireless LAN networking, mobile application software, devices). Weismann’s clients have included several market leaders, such as Lotus/IBM, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Kodak, Freescale Semiconductor, UPS, Sun Microsystems, Pegasystems, and Lionbridge, as well as rapidly emerging companies such as Bluesocket, Brandimensions, Integrien, and Klocwork. He ran a complete media relations program for five years for Lotus Development Corporation’s Notes and Domino product lines, as well as leading the public relations program for Lotus’ Worldwide Business Partner Program. During this time, Lotus increased its Notes software installed base from 1 million to 33 million users, and successfully repositioned Domino as the leading Web collaboration platform for e-business. Weismann also currently leads LP&P’s Product Reviews Practice, and has run comprehensive reviews programs for Sun Microsystems and Lotus Development Corporation, among other companies. Weismann olds a B.A. in economics from the University of New Hampshire and is a member of the Public Relations Society of America.



Lois Paul & Partners (www.lpp.com) is a leading, national strategic communications agency that provides a wide range of public relations services to emerging and established high technology and life sciences companies. The agency is headquartered in Woburn, Massachusetts, with an office in Austin, Texas.

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Audra Tiner, Metia

Based in New York City, Audra Tiner is a senior account manager at Metia, a top UK technology PR agency that is rapidly expanding its operations in the US. As a key player on the US team, she works with and has developed many of the company's strategic accounts across a range of diverse and complex technologies. Tiner leverages her extensive marketing communications experience in media relations, corporate positioning, and internal communications to devise strategic campaigns that deliver maximum value to her clients both in the US and UK. During her nine year communications career, Tiner has worked on both the agency and corporate side, including roles at SeeBeyond, Progress Software, and Cambridge Technology Group. Tiner holds a B.A. from Brandeis University.



Metia delivers a range of marketing services and technology-based marketing solutions. It implements structured and measurable programs which help organizations achieve their business goals through effective marketing and the use of new technologies. The company’s offering covers three lines of business: Metia Influence provides press and analyst relations services to technology companies; Metia Marketing offers a number of specialist services including Customer Reference Programs, Partner & Community Engagement and Product Launch & Sales Readiness; and Metia Software is a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner and develops technology solutions for the delivery and measurement of both internal and external communications programs. Established in 1988 and employing over 200 marketing and software professionals, Metia has offices in London, Seattle, New York, and Singapore. More at www.metia.com.

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Cathy Spencer, Mulberry



Cathy Spencer, vice president of the West Region for Mulberry Marketing Communications, has over 30 years of experience in media companies and marketing and public relations agencies. She began her career in the newspaper industry, where she spent nearly 20 years in a variety of positions. Spencer moved to southern California where she worked for The Newspaper Network and subsequently opened the Seattle office for the company. In 1999, she co-founded the marketing services company PayneSpencer, which served a diverse clientele, including Intermec Technologies, Fluke Corporation, Aboca USA, and Hewlett-Packard. PayneSpencer merged its operations with London-based Mulberry in 2006.



Mulberry Marketing Communications provides public relations and marketing communications consultancy for a growing number of market leaders and challenger companies. From the outset, a frequently asked question has always been why the name Mulberry? The Mulberry name was chosen to confirm the company's English origins and traditional customer-service values but also to represent our ability to grow and flourish in key markets around the globe. Mulberry has offices in London, Chicago, Seattle, Melbourne, Munich, and Grenoble. For more information, visit www.mulberrymc.com.

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Steve O’Keeffe, O’Keeffe & Company



Drawing on extensive experience as a journalist and reacting against years of experience in "traditional" agencies, Stephen O’Keeffe set out to establish an unpretentious organization that would remain in touch with today's technology realities. He founded O’Keeffe & Company in 1997 as a full-service marketing agency. Today, O'Keeffe & Company constructs and maintains integrated communications infrastructure support for local, national, and international business-to-business technology clients. A frequent speaker at business and marketing conferences, O’Keeffe serves as founder and principal, continuing to lead the agency while maintaining an active client service role.



Founded on the belief that traditional agencies in the IT&T space lack real insight into the specifics of its clients’ marketing challenges, O’Keeffe & Company is a full-service marketing communications firm focused on delivering results for leading business-to-business and business-to-government IT&T clients. Headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia, O’Keeffe & Company maintains offices in Atlanta, Bethesda, Boston, Philadelphia, Portland, and Rochester. For additional information, please visit: www.okco.com.

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Caryn Marooney, OutCast Communications



Caryn Marooney spent over ten years in public relations before co-founding OutCast Communications. In her previous six years at Blanc & Otus Public Relations, Marooney was involved in the agency’s most strategic accounts, such as Sybase and IBM’s sponsorship of the Olympic Games. Marooney specialized in business press and media training. In addition, she managed high-stakes projects such as Sybase’s acquisition of Powersoft, staffing of the Olympic Media Center in Atlanta, and others. Before joining Blanc & Otus Public Relations, Marooney was involved in sports public relations projects in New York and London, Great Britain.



OutCast’s mission is to provide unparalleled public relations services to the best and brightest technology companies. OutCast strives to create an exciting environment where a group of talented people can deliver the highest level of customer service and outstanding results. Ongoing clients include Amazon.com, blinkx, Dell Enterprise Products Group, EMC Corporation, Metaweb, Mozilla Corporation, RSA, salesforce.com, VMware, Yahoo!, Zimbra and others. OutCast has offices in San Francisco, California, and New York City, and can be found online at www.outcastpr.com

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Glenn Goldberg, Parallel Communications Group



Glenn Goldberg brings over 25 years of experience to his role as chief executive officer for Parallel Communications Group. Highly-regarded by his clients and peers for his strong strategic sense and ability to execute, his background includes senior level positions in both corporate and agency settings. Goldberg has developed and implemented successful public relations programs for multi-national and regional enterprises in technology, telecommunications, energy, finance, entertainment, retail, and not-for-profit organizations. Goldberg’s other professional accomplishments include the production coordination of four Emmy Award-winning television programs, managing media relations for a United States visit from His Majesty The Emperor of Japan, and the launch of several professional sports teams.

At Parallel Communications Group, we understand that successful public relations programs go well beyond generating media placements. Our clients' fortunes are linked to their ability to increase sales, expand into new markets, reinforce relationships with customers, and build trust and goodwill with constituencies that may include end-users, suppliers, regulatory agencies, employees, partners, and the community-at-large. Parallel prides itself in developing and executing public relations programs that address our clients' immediate and long-term business challenges. We take the time to understand the specific issues, drivers, influencers and nuances of our clients' businesses, and build practical, accountable and sustainable public relations programs to help them meet their objectives. Visit www.parallelpr.com for more information.

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Patrick Brightman, SGW



Patrick Brightman brings nearly two decades of award-winning public relations experience to his position as vice president of public relations for Compass|SGW. During his career, he has conducted public relations activities for more than 100 clients in the automotive, consumer electronics, electronic design, IT, semiconductor, software, and telecommunications markets. These activities range from launching and branding start-up companies to maintaining brand recognition of existing companies. Brightman began his career as a journalist, serving two years as a newspaper editor before joining SGW to establishing a public relations group. As a public relations professional, he has earned awards from the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), Business Marketing Association (BMA), and New Jersey Advertising Club for his work. Brightman earned a B.A. in communications from King’s College in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.

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Kimberly Stoddard, Eastwick Communications



Kimberly Stoddard began her high-tech public relations career in 1995 and has worked on both coasts at agencies including SHIFT Communications, Townsend Inc., and Cramblitt & Co. In her seven years of experience, she has represented tech clients in the animation, computer-aided design/ computer-aided manufacturing/computer-aided engineering, customer relationship management, data mining, enterprise applications, security, storage, systems integration, website analytics, and wireless sectors. When not serving as a public relations account manager, Stoddard enjoys volunteering for her local library’s adult-literacy program, learning new languages, and exploring San Francisco.



Eastwick Communications is one of the top independent technology PR agencies in the country. For more than 15 years, Eastwick has helped put emerging technology companies on the map, build category leaders into multi-billion dollar enterprises, and develop global businesses into powerhouse brands. For more information, visit www.eastwick.com.

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Hilary Ives, Softscape

Hilary Ives brings more than 10 years of high technology public relations expertise to her marketing communications programs. As a senior public relations professional, she is responsible for creating effective communications strategies that achieve sales and marketing goals. Currently, she is the senior public manager at Softscape, the people management expert. She was the director of public relations at Ektron. Before joining Ektron, Hilary was a long-time agency practitioner. She managed comprehensive communications programs for small, early stage firms, multimillion dollar private powerhouses, and well established public companies. She developed and executed successful campaigns for clients offering a variety of technologies.



Softscape (www.softscape.com) is the industry expert in people management, providing advanced technology and global services to help organizations better manage their people and their business. Recognized by leading industry analysts as the most comprehensive integrated human capital management platform, Softscape’s award-winning Web-based software enables customers to enhance productivity, improve effectiveness, facilitate long-term planning, reduce operational costs, and drive organizational performance. Softscape’s customers represent Fortune 500/Global 500, mid-market, and government organizations, including Seagate, Northrop Grumman, LandAmerica, Medica, the City of Chicago, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Softscape is based in Massachusetts with offices in Chicago, San Francisco, Hartford, Washington D.C., New York City, London, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Sydney, and Johannesburg.

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Nazli Ekim, SS | PR



Nazli Ekim was born and raised in Istanbul, Turkey. At the age of 14, she and her mother moved to Chicago and joined her aunt. Ekim attended Niles West High School for her freshman and sophomore years, and returned to Istanbul to finish her studies at age 16. After she graduated from high school, she attended Istanbul Bilgi University, in Turkey. Midway through, Ekim transferred her education to Columbia College Chicago, where she earned a B.A. in marketing communications with a focus on advertising. She returned to school to pursue her master's degree in business in 2004 where she majored in business and management. Ekim finished her education in 2006 and started working for SS | PR, where she handles numerous accounts.



SS | PR is a full service public relations firm with offices in Chicago, California (Los Angeles and Palo Alto), New York, and Colorado. Founded in 1978, we have built a reputation for excelling at the toughest part of public relations: getting ink for our clients. SS | PR Public Relations provides every client with a focused-plan to reach the right media and the right target audience. PR is not a one-size-fits-all proposition. Each business has its own demands and SS | PR has a specifically skilled team of experienced professionals to match your company or organization's needs. Visit www.sspr.com for more information.

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Josh Inglis, Strategics



As senior vice president, Josh Inglis is responsible for the development, execution and supervision of media relations and marketing communications programs. In this position, he also is responsible for business development initiatives and strategic communications consulting for clients in all industries. Prior to Strategics, Inglis served as vice president for a Chicago-based public relations agency, with particular concentration in the securities and technology industries, including online brokerage, investor education, money management, exchange-traded funds, and data management. He also has a great deal of public relations and marketing communications experience in the fast-growing teleradiology industry. Previously, Inglis served as vice president of marketing for Saber Consulting, a software development firm, and as public relations manager for Commerx, a pioneer in business-to-business marketplaces. He also was a vice president and director in the marketing communications and public relations unit of BSMG/FRB (now Weber Shandwick). Inglis also worked at Strategics as vice president from 1994 to 1997. Before becoming a public relations professional, Inglis was an arbitrage clerk for a proprietary trading firm in the futures, futures options, and equity options markets. Inglis holds a bachelor's degree in economics from Ohio University in Athens, Ohio.



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Bob Dirkes, Tech Image



A former communications and PR director, Bob Dirkes has built communications departments at two companies, as well as a private consulting practice. He has been a member of the Tech Image team since 2001 and has 16 years of industry experience. Dirkes is currently an account manager/media coach at Tech Image.

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Dan Green, Tech Image



Dan Green serves as media relations manager at Tech Image. He has 10 years public relations experience and developed strong communications departments at two national trade associations, prior to joining Tech Image two years ago. Green’s specialty is securing media coverage in the trade press.

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Lawren Markle, Tech Image



Based in Southern California, Lawren Markle has 18 years marketing and public relations experience, with consistent success securing trade media placements, product reviews, and awards for companies with enterprise software, security, business intelligence and CRM applications. Currently serving as media relations manager, Markle has been a member of Tech Image since 2001.



Founded in 1993, Tech Image has a proven reputation for positioning growing technology companies as market leaders. Tech Image provides media and analyst relations, messaging services, media coaching, and sales acceleration programs for business-to-business organizations. Representative clients include Firefly Energy, GlobalSpec, Initiate Systems, NEC Display Solutions, ProtusIP Solutions, RedPrairie, and the Society for Information Management (SIM). Tech Image is owned by SmithBucklin, the world’s largest association management and professional services company with more than 750 employees. SmithBucklin is 100% employee owned. Learn more at www.techimage.com or call 1-888-4-TECH-PR (1-888-483-2477).

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Matthew Podboy, VOCE Communications



Matthew Podboy is a founder and director at Voce Communications. He specializes in driving and executing strategic company positioning, corporate and product market introductions, strong consumer and lifestyle media relations, and competitive analysis. Podboy has worked with clients large and small, local, and nationwide and in all areas of the high-tech industry. He is also an industry known expert in social media with a well-read blog of his own. Podboy has been involved in a number of high profile social media projects for both public and private corporations. Prior to founding Voce, he worked at Weber Shandwick where he managed public relations programs for Compaq Computer Corporation, Fluke, and various emerging companies. Previously, Podboy held several in-house public relations roles for companies in Santa Barbara, California. He is a frequent public speaker. Podboy has presented at various industry trade shows commenting on topics including branding, positioning, public relations, and the new world of media and how to bridge influencers with companies. Podboy currently serves on the board of directors of Society for New Communications Research as a VP and Development officer.



Voce Communications is a communications consultancy - we create influencer marketing programs for our clients. Essentially, we are a PR firm that has evolved, bridging traditional PR with creative, integrated marketing programs. Voce helps clients engage in the right conversations to influence markets, to increase brand awareness and to sell a product or service. Our team of specialists provides communications counsel to businesses in technology, consumer, and professional services markets. Our integrated approach incorporates proven experts across multiple facets of a program such as public relations, social media marketing, and executive programs, all under a single campaign to develop and execute high-impact global programs. Visit www.vocecommunications.com for more information.

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Joe Austin, Ventana PR



Joe Austin joined Ventana Public Relations in 2006 with more than 13 years experience in high-tech strategic communications. His media relations experience spans both broadcast and print and he maintains longstanding relationships with editors and reporters at business, IT, reseller, and vertical publications. Austin has secured numerous print/radio and television media placements in marquee outlets such as CNN, BusinessWeek, USA Today, Bloomberg, and the Associated Press for clients ranging from startups to billion-dollar enterprises. With more than a decade of strategic planning, media tours, press conferences, and media/analyst relations for companies in the data storage, security, and networking arenas, Austin's domain expertise assists in positioning clients for leadership.



Ventana Public Relations provides strategic marketing communications services to a customer base comprising technology companies that range from startups to market leaders. Ventana's results-driven methodology is built around insightful analysis of individual client needs and development of personalized communications programs that are always aligned with clients' business objectives. The Ventana team combines a unique blend of talents and more than 100 years of experience to ensure that the company's time-proven techniques are effectively executed to provide customers with the best return on their PR investment. Visit www.ventanapr.com for more information.

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