Case Studies

Energy/Utilities
Associations, Charities and Non-Profit Agencies
Education
Legal
Land Development/Real Estate
Activism & Labor Disputes
Government & Public Sector
Agriculture
Financial Services
Construction & Contracting
Forestry
Industrial & Manufacturing
Transportation & Marine

Energy/Utilities

Shell Oil
Provided technology support, training and strategic counsel for Shell Oil and numerous Shell refineries and other operation units relating to crisis communication preparation and technology implementation. Responded to crisis events at various levels, including oil spills in the Pacific Northwest. Public Information Officer for local and national spill drills in compliance with OPA 90.

National Energy Systems Company
Provided media and grass roots support development to aid in the permitting of a 660 megawatt natural gas energy plant. Significant local and cross-border environmental opposition was met with a highly directed effort to inform the community and elicit individual support aimed at EFSEC, local officials and the Governor. Created a public endorsement list of hundreds of individuals and groups, generated over 2000 individual letters of support and secured volunteers for participation in public hearings. The state permitting agency overturned their initial rejection and passed its recommendation to the Governor.

Shell Puget Sound Refinery
Worked directly with the refinery manager and the Media and External Affairs Manager for Shell Oil. Retained in 1999 to assist with ongoing media relations following a six-fatality industrial accident. Also, developed and implemented a long-term community relations plan aimed at strengthening the relationship between the plant and the community. Community research made clear a strong improvement in the value the community places on the refinery in the community.

Olympic Pipe Line Company
On June 10, 1999, a fuel product pipeline exploded in a Bellingham (Wash.) park, killing two boys and a young man.

Provided an exceptionally wide range of services including: media relations in the Emergency Center and Joint Information Center; served as primary spokesperson for two weeks; community relations planning; prepared and conducted community meetings; wrote and distributed regular mailings to key community leaders; assisted with local elected contacts; conducted ongoing community perception research; developed and maintained an interactive website; developed extensive presentation materials including videos; and tracked media reports.

As the public affairs function expanded to include the entire service area of the pipeline, we worked closely with another firm to coordinate efforts and continue to manage the public affairs activities in the Northwest Washington area.

Truck-Stop Electrification Alliance
Created this nationally recognized industry alliance on behalf of client Trace Engineering. Resulted in stimulating momentum to eliminate diesel engine idling. Solicited financial support and involvement from Edison Electric Institute, Volvo Trucks North America, USXpress, Southern California Edison, South Coast Air Quality Management District and others.

Northwest Power System Manufacturer
Helped a Northwest power system manufacturer halt a competitor’s legal/public relations assault aimed at damaging the company’s reputation. Was successful in getting the competitor to withdraw the legal action and issue a public retraction.

Oil Spill Drills
Participated in numerous oil spill drills since 2000, typically in role of PIO. Public Information Officer for the PSRC drill in June, 2000; Shell Puget Sound Refinery drills annually through 2006. Provided technical support for the Coast Guard Columbia 2000 drill in August, 2000 in Portland, OR. Served as Information Officer for the Equilon/Equiva Western Region Drill, October 2001 and served as Asst. Information Officer for STASCO (Shell) Houston Ship Channel drill in July, 2002. Served as technical resource for the BP Shipping Rosario Hawk drill in September, 2002. The Information Officer is the lead communications manager reporting directly to the Incident Commander and serving as part of the Incident Command staff.

Associations, Charities and Non-Profit Agencies

Large International Relief and Development Non-Profit
Assisted in restructuring and evaluating international crisis management program including implementation of business continuity and public information technology.

Regional Homeless Shelter
Assisted this non-profit agency with board conflicts and potential public issues arising from these conflicts. Concerns included helping manage potential political involvement and preparations for media response.

Large National Professional Association
Assisted this professional association respond to online reputation attacks. Supported national crisis communication expert Jonathan Bernstein in his reputation protection strategies.

Lynden (Wash.) Chamber of Commerce
Assisted this community with negative press following an ethnic Christmas celebration. The community faced accusations of racial overtones relating to one legendary character reenacted as part of traditional old world Christmas celebrations. Provided counsel on changes to the celebration and media and community response. Quick response helped change a potentially damaging editorial into a public commendation for appropriate action and communication.

Lake Whatcom Stewardship Association
Retained to direct response to referendum and initiative threat from Boats Off!, an extremist environmental group aimed at eliminating all boats from Lake Whatcom, a major recreational area for Northwest Washington. Led the creation of a grassroots organization that opposed anti-boating legislation. The initiative effort failed due to lack of signatures.

Education

Private University
Served as crisis communications consultant to the Board of Governors of a private university facing multiple crises, including serious accusations against the president of the university.

Private Schools
Following an accident involving a student, assisted school leaders with crisis communication planning, media training and the establishment of fast response communication technology. Assisted another private school involving disgruntled parents.

Trinity Western University
Planned and directed a crisis drill for the Crisis Response Team of Trinity Western University: a 3200-student private university in Langley, British Columbia.

Helped establish crisis communication plan and technology implementation. Developed initial response information for a variety of crisis events. Also served on Task Force for the development of a new School of Communication, Media and the Arts.

Assisted board and senior management during significant legal issue involving senior administrative officer.

Bellingham School District
Provided planning, technology and crisis communication services to enable fast, effective media, parent and community information in the event of a major crisis involving the district’s schools or students.

Student Suicide
Assisted in preparing media response and interview preparation for head of school in which student committed suicide.

Legal

Call Center Company
International firm with 7,000 employees and providing call center and customer support services to some leading international brands. A number of employees engaged in defrauding a key client. Worked with company to prepare media response and key stakeholder communication aimed at protecting the company’s reputation as it prepared for an IPO.

Bank NorthWest
Worked with the Board of Directors of Bank NorthWest following the discovery that their president was involved in large-scale bank fraud with a previous bank. Also advised on transition of CEOs in 1999.

Northwest Power System Manufacturer
Helped a Northwest power system manufacturer to halt a competitor’s legal/public relations assault aimed at damaging the company’s reputation. Successful in getting the competitor to withdraw the legal action and issue a public retraction.

Embezzlement by High Profile Official
Assisted Dutch Mother’s Restaurant in Lynden (Wash.) when faced with reputation issues following the discovery of a key employee involved in illegal activities.

Law Firm
Assisted local law firm address potential public issue that could have negative impact on their reputation. Counseled on private resolution that avoided litigation and publicity.

Professional Misdeed
Assisted a legal firm with reputation management following the discovery of an attorney from the firm engaging in an inappropriate personal relationship with a manager in a public agency client.

Healthcare & Medical

Lexington Eye Institute
Assisted with responding to media inquiries, interviews and stories, including a segment on ABC’s Good Morning America, relating to a legal action and the allegations of three sisters regarding laser eye surgery. Took proactive steps with the media and patients to protect the reputation of the exceptionally experienced and well-established clinic.

Blue Cross/Blue Shield
Presented to public affairs officers from Blue Cross/Blue Shield plans in national meeting on crisis and issue management. Focus of presentation on the “instant news” world and changes resulting from widespread use of the Internet.

Christian Health Care Center
Assisted this senior facility prepare to respond to media and community inquiries following the unauthorized exiting, and subsequent death, of a patient.

St. Joseph Hospital
Developed and produced annual report for St. Joseph Hospital to improve their communication of vision and accomplishments to the local community.

Madrona Medical
Assisted largest independent clinic in Northwest Washington, Madrona Medical Group, with developing a comprehensive community relations program including in-depth research.

Land Development/Real Estate

Andgar Corporation
Assisted this mechanical contractor manage communications in the face of strong community resistance to involvement in a highly controversial Native American tribal project.

Countrywalk Homes
This Scottsdale-based developer experienced a fatality of a nine-year-old neighbor on a construction site. Provided assistance in developing media response, communicating with stakeholders and preparing for a four television station press conference. Positive, proactive communication helped dim community activism and media interest in the story.

Trillium Corporation
Assisted with international media crisis relating to environmental accusations about forestry project on Tierra del Fuego in Argentina and Chile. Supervised hiring of Argentina public relations firm and directed media response to national press accounts relating to the project, the largest private forestry project in South America.

Managed media relations for a range of forestry, development and business activities as interim communications manager.

Olympic Resource Management
This company, the property group of Pope Resources, is the owner of the Port Ludlow Resort, a large residential resort community near Seattle. We assisted in developing a cooperative working relationship with community leadership and with internal and external communications during the transition to a new ownership group.

Semiahmoo Resort
Provided strategic, marketing and community relations services. There were significant property owner issues resulting from previous management style and policies. We assisted in improving these relationships, securing property owners’ assistance in resort marketing efforts and revised marketing strategies so that costs were reduced about 40 percent, while property sales increased. Services included customer services training to the resort staff.

Activism & Labor Disputes

WestFarm Foods
Wrote a comprehensive Crisis Communication Plan, including policies and technology implementation. Lead role in implementation of the PIER System for crisis communications. Provided communication technology assistance in responding to public issues arising out of company-wide labor dispute. Assisted with stakeholder communications involving several issues.

Andgar Corporation
Assisted this mechanical contractor manage communications in the face of strong community resistance to involvement in a highly controversial Native American tribal project.

Government & Public Sector

Northern Exposure Bio-Terrorism Drill
Served as Public Information Officer and conducted training session for this international incident drill involving approximately 40 different agencies from the U.S. and Canada. Agencies involved in the training exercise included the FBI, Dept of Health, RCMP, numerous local and regional police and fire agencies and Departments of Emergency Management.

Elected Official and PDA Concerns
Provided public issue management guidance to a city mayor and his attorney following media account of serious violations of Public Disclosure regulations.

Public Funding
Assisted Whatcom County Law and Justice Committee on public issues relating to new medium-security facility.

Marina Facility Negotiation
Assisted a regional marine services facility to gain political leverage in its business dealings in re-negotiating a lease with a public port district. Avoided large scale public effort in achieving the objectives.

Agriculture

Whatcom County Agricultural Preservation Committee
Specific farmers and the farm community felt under attack by regulators and the press on a variety of environmental issues. We proposed, and helped to implement, a coalition-building strategy involving the creation of broad-based community support organization, which became known as Farm Friends. We assisted with media relations and developing corporate and community support for this new organization.

Farm Friends emerged as a separate support organization for farmers and we assisted in designing a major exhibition, community leader event and significantly expanding membership and support base.

Also assisted with planning for public support for an innovative watershed management plan called the Bertrand Watershed Improvement District.

Mushroom Farm
Worked closely with attorney representing this farm to manage growing neighbor opposition to expansion plans and threatened county action.

Farm production opposition
Assisted Skagit County (Wash.) farm operation in response to regulatory pressure based on neighbor opposition to expanded farm production operations.

Financial Services

National Tax Service Firm
Assisted one of nation’s largest tax service firm with establishing a corporate blogging program as part of effort to respond appropriately to client issues and concerns.

Financial Services Company Drill
Provided drill consulting for a leading national financial services firm, including advising on drill scenarios and evaluating results.

Construction & Contracting

IMCO General Construction
Helped plan and direct a communication response to attacks on company reputation by union front group as part of effort to force company to accept union. Reputation attacks were exceptionally deceptive and vicious, capitalizing on concerns raised by an ongoing legal issue. Response proved highly effective in minimizing impact of the attacks.

Andgar Corporation
Assisted this mechanical contractor manage communications in the face of strong community resistance to involvement in a highly controversial Native American tribal project.

Forestry

Crown Pacific
Assisted this regional forest products company respond to aggressive environmental attacks and build widespread community support. Conducting media training for staff and prepared crisis management program and policies.

While on a video shoot with a helicopter, we encountered a burning plane, which turned out to be a just-crashed Border Patrol aircraft. We radioed in its location, landed, climbed to the site and waited for authorities after determining there were no survivors. The video we shot and our eyewitness interviews were all used by regional broadcast stations and CNN.

In May 1999, gained widespread regional and national exposure for an innovative agreement between the company and an environmental group.

Trillium Corporation
Assisted with international media crisis relating to environmental accusations about a forestry project on Tierra del Fuego in Argentina and Chile. Supervised hiring of Argentinean public relations firm and directed media response to national press accounts relating to the project, the largest private forestry project in South America.

Managed media relations for a range of forestry, development and business activities as interim communications manager.

Industrial & Manufacturing

Media Security Drill for Industrial Facility
In 2003, numerous national media reports highlighted the ease with which reporters had penetrated the security systems of major industrial facilities. This demonstrated their access to terrorists as well as highlighted danger to the public from exposure to toxic materials within these facilities. We planned and implemented a media security drill, posing as reporters and attempting various ruses to talk our way past the security guards of a large industrial facility. Since the actual incursions resulted in simply persuading the guards to allow them in, this drill did not attempt to breech security through physical entry of unguarded areas.

WestFarm Foods
Wrote a comprehensive Crisis Communication Plan including policies and technology implementation. Lead role in implementation of the PIER System for crisis communications. Provided communication technology assistance in responding to public issues arising out of company-wide labor dispute. Assisted with stakeholder communications involving several issues.

Transportation & Marine

Transportation Company Drill
Developed and managed a crisis drill involving a bus company with airport shuttle services.