Roll Call: The Halo Group, Bender/Helper Impact, FleishmanHillard, and More
Staffing news from around the industry.
The Halo Group has hired Mandy Cudahy as senior social media strategist. In her new role, Mandy will be responsible for developing both paid and unpaid social media programs and curating, creating and sharing engaging multimedia content across all social platforms. Mandy most recently led the social media content and strategy at Sharp Electronics. (New York Business Journal)
Bender/Helper Impact (B/HI) has appointed Michelle (Mimi) Sawatka-Fernandez as director of business development and marketing. In this role, Fernandez will oversee the growth of B/HI’s four primary practice areas – Entertainment Content, Interactive Entertainment and Gaming, Entertainment Licensed Products and Consumer Technology & Platforms – as well the ongoing integration of the company’s strategic consulting and activation partners, The Surround Group.
As reported in PR Week, FleishmanHillard East Region President and New York GM Robert Dowling has left the agency effective immediately. JJ Carter, who was regional president of the US Western region as well as Canada and Mexico, will assume his responsibilities. The agency said that Dowling officially left “to pursue other opportunities,” which means the departure was almost certainly not on his terms.
Turner PR opened a new office in Chicago and added new executives to its roster. The firm, which specializes in travel and lifestyle clients, says its newest location will be “located in the city’s stylish River North neighborhood and led by the firm’s longtime director, Melanie Dennig.” Turner’s New York office also hired Jeff Maldonado to serve as Vice President of Digital Communications, while its Denver office hired Deborah Park as senior director of travel and Jessica Stollberg as in-house graphic designer. (Release)
Veteran broadcast personality and journalist Penny Griego has left television to join Arlene Howard Public Relations (AHPR, Inc) as a consultant. Over her 30-year career, Griego worked in television news as an anchor/reporter in Los Angeles (KCBS-TV 2), Denver (KCNC – TV 4) and Albuquerque (KGGM-TV 13). Most recently, she was the anchor of a 4-hour morning-drive newscast at KFWB radio in Los Angeles.
