Eleven Firms Form Partnership Covering Nine Southeastern States
BIRMINGHAM, AL – Stephen Bradley & Associates LLC, a public relations and governmental affairs firm with offices in Birmingham and Montgomery, has entered into an agreement with ten other firms across the southeastern and southwestern United States region to create the Issues Management Network. Together, the firms will combine their strengths and resources to provide seamless assistance for clients whose interests span multi-state regions.
“The network enables clients to address issues that may impact audiences and markets across a broad area but still respond in ways that can vary according to each local market,” said Steve Bradley, president of Stephen Bradley & Associates. “For example, a company that serves multiple states may have a project which requires an issues management presence in several different states. In this situation, network members can provide intimate knowledge of their respective state markets along with critical local knowledge of government, regulatory agencies and news media. The network will yield far more favorable outcomes than relying on the resources of a single national firm not affiliated with the network and who has no local offices in those states.”
“The Issues Management Network is designed to allow clients to manage issues across a larger geographic region, but it enables them to utilize the local knowledge and resources of member firms,” said Danny Mitchell, Chairman of Jackson, Mississippi-based GodwinGroup, the founding member of the Issues Management Network. “From Texas and Oklahoma to South Carolina and Florida, this network represents a cadre of firms with strong track records in issues management.” States represented in the Network are: Alabama, Mississippi, Texas, Louisiana, Florida, Arkansas, Okalahoma, South Carolina and Georgia.
Issues management is the process of assessing and managing present and emerging issues that can impact an organization. Such issues may include reputation, brand, public policy, litigation or other key areas. Bradley said companies, especially national brands, need and demand targeted access and connectivity in order to reach key decision makers and opinion leaders.
Firms listed as members of the Issues Management Network include Chernoff Newman of Columbia and Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina; Cranford Johnson Robinson Woods of Little Rock and Springdale, Arkansas, and Dallas, Texas; GodwinGroup of Jackson and Biloxi, Mississippi; Harris DeVille & Associates of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and Mobile, Alabama; HORNE LLP of Jackson, Mississippi, Mobile, Alabama, and New Orleans, Louisiana; Jackson Spalding of Atlanta and Athens, Georgia; Littlefield Inc. of Tulsa and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Lõpez Negrete of Houston, Texas; Stephen Bradley & Associates of Birmingham and Montgomery, Alabama; Stevens|fkm of Dallas, Austin and Houston, Texas; and Tucker Hall of Tampa, Tallahassee and Orlando, Florida.
All member firms will remain independent but will enter mutually beneficial working relationships to serve clients. Bradley said the collective strengths and geographic locations of network members represent a huge advantage to both clients and member firms.
“Each firm was thoroughly evaluated and carefully selected based on their strong track record, resources and skill sets,” Bradley said. “The combined resources will allow every firm in this network to take their client service to an entirely new level.”
Stephen Bradley & Associates is a full service public affairs firm founded in 1995 specializing in public relations, media relations, crisis communications, issues management, governmental and legislative relations and strategic planning. The firm has offices in Birmingham and Montgomery serving corporate, business and trade association clients and may be accessed on the web at www.PRAlabama.com.