Ketchum Public Affairs and The Washington Group Selected by Louisiana Recovery Authority Support Foundation

       
 

Natalie Wyeth

202-835-9473

natalie.wyeth@ketchum.com

    
 

Washington, D.C., March 13, 2006 - Ketchum, a leading marketing and communications firm, today announced that it has been awarded a contract by the Louisiana Recovery Authority (LRA) Support Foundation to help communicate the progress of recovery efforts in New Orleans, demonstrate accountability for funds already allocated and make clear the need for additional federal resources.

     

“We are pleased and honored to be a partner in the recovery effort,” said Susan Molinari, President of Ketchum Public Affairs and Chairman/CEO of The Washington Group, Ketchum’s government relations company. “This is a rare and noble undertaking, to tell the positive story of hope and progress that is going on each and every day in Louisiana. Let me emphasize, this assignment has nothing to do about the past – it is entirely about the future, specifically helping to restore one of America’s greatest cities and the entire state of Louisiana.” 

     

“We could not have been more impressed by Ketchum’s passion – their fervor, really – for our state and what is at stake, as well as their understanding of the challenges we face,” said LRA Board Member David Voelker. “There is no question in our minds that these are the right folks, with the right strategies and the right resources to tell our story.”

   

"This is such meaningful work,” said Senior Partner and CEO Raymond L. Kotcher. “Not only is it one of the most critical challenges a state and its people have ever faced, it is the type of assignment that attracts and keeps people in our business. The effort will be a true convergence of Ketchum's public affairs, government and public relations expertise – an effort that Ketchum has been built to handle."

   

Established by Louisiana Governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco, and authorized by the Louisiana State Legislature, the LRA is responsible for overseeing all recovery activities in the state of Louisiana following hurricanes Katrina and Rita and the collapse of the New Orleans levee system – the greatest natural disaster in U.S. history.

      

Ketchum will advise the LRA on all communications activities to execute a national public relations and public affairs campaign on behalf of the state of Louisiana. The Washington Group will develop and implement a government relations strategy in Washington.

     

All funding for this initiative will come from private sources. No federal, state or local government funds will be spent on this program.

An innovator in communication since 1923, Ketchum delivers seamless service around the globe through its 23 offices and 44 affiliates and associates in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Latin America. With its five global practice areas – Brand Marketing, Corporate Communications, Healthcare, Food & Nutrition, and Technology – Ketchum offers clients a unique breadth and depth of marketing and corporate communications expertise. A leading global public relations firm and the PRWeek 2002 Agency of the Year, Ketchum is a unit of Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE: OMC; www.omnicomgroup.com). Additional information on Ketchum, its award-winning work, and past news releases can be found at www.ketchum.com.

      
 

Founded in 1995, The Washington Group, a Ketchum company, is a bipartisan government relations and strategic consulting firm serving a mix of clients including healthcare, technology, telecommunications, environmental, defense, real estate and transportation companies and associations, in virtually all areas of legislative and regulatory activity. Led by former New York Congresswoman Susan Molinari, the nearly two dozen professionals at The Washington Group have experience at the most senior levels of government. Please visit www.thewashingtongroup.com for more information.