Peritus Opens New Office in Columbus, Ohio

New Columbus, Ohio location part of strategic plan to better serve client demands

LOUISVILLE, KY (FEBRUARY 8, 2010) - Peritus, primarily a public relations and public affairs firm and one of the largest agencies in the region, is pleased to announce the opening of a new office in Columbus, Ohio as part of a strategic plan to expand services across the Midwest. Opening its doors today, the office is located at 35 North 4th Street, 3rd Floor, Columbus, Ohio 43215. Peritus is headquartered in Louisville, Ky. and has offices in Lexington, Ky.; Nashville, Tenn. and Indianapolis, Ind.

The expansion into Ohio signifies Peritus’ ongoing commitment to offer unparalleled service to current clients and further the firm’s presence in a state that Peritus’ CEO Tim Mulloy feels is teeming with opportunity. “Columbus has been a part of our strategic plan for the past two years,” said Mulloy. “As the center of higher education, commerce and government for the state of Ohio, Columbus provides Peritus the opportunity to further our presence in the center of the nation for our current and future clients.”

Matthew Henderson, a seasoned public affairs professional who joined Peritus in 2009, has been named Director of the Columbus, Ohio office. Henderson will be responsible for operations, business development and supporting area clients.”The new Ohio office is an exciting addition to our fast-growing Peritus family,” Henderson said. “As Director, I am happy to be a fresh voice for our clients in a state traditionally known for being at the front of important public policy and political decisions”. Prior to joining Peritus, Matthew served as the Central Kentucky Regional Director for Senator Mitch McConnell’s successful re-election campaign.

“The politics and the economy of Ohio are bell-weathers for the country as a whole. I cannot think of a more important city or state for a public relations/public affairs firm like ours to locate,” said Mulloy. “I am both proud and humbled by the growth of Peritus and eager to bring the skills of our talented staff to Ohio”.

Peritus is a communications firm widely recognized for its ability to create and implement strategic winning solutions for clients through disciplined and ethical advocacy. Established in the 1990’s, the firm quickly distinguished itself as a leader in alliance development, crisis communication, litigation support, product launches and strategic counseling. With offices across the Midwest, clients across the nation and more than a century of combined experience, Peritus has developed an impressive staff with a fighting spirit and vast, influential network.

Media Contact:
Mary Cecil
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By Danielle Rudy
Peritus
Senior Account Representative

This morning I got up at 5 am, aka the crack of dawn (well, at least for me it is), and headed over to the WAVE 3 studios at 6 am to answer phones for The Salvation Army’s Hope for Haiti telethon. While the earthquake that devastated the island nation took place three weeks ago, there is still a desperate need for additional funds.
The Salvation Army had over 600 people on the ground in Haiti prior to the earthquake and has sent even more volunteers and supplies; recently the United Nations names The Salvation Army as the lead relief organization in Haiti. The need there changes day-by-day - from food and water to medical supplies and blankets. By donating to The Salvation Army you can be sure your money is being used fulfill their motto of “Doing the Most Good.”
Please consider donating whatever you can by visiting www.salvationarmy.com or you can donate $10 by texting ‘HAITI’ to 52000.

By Scott Jennings
Peritus
Senior Strategist

On Tuesday, January 19, the policy landscape in Washington D.C. changed dramatically with the election of Republican Scott Brown of Massachusetts to the U.S. Senate. Much of the focus following his election has been on health care, but climate change and other energy legislation will be greatly affected as well.

Last year, the U.S. House passed a cap-and-trade bill that was already running into a strong headwind in the U.S. Senate. Following Brown’s election, Senate Republicans pounced on cap-and-trade and essentially rendered it dead. Senator Mitch McConnell, the Republican leader from Kentucky, said there was “little enthusiasm” for it. Democrat Byron Dorgan of North Dakota admitted that it was highly unlikely the Senate would take up a complex issue like cap-and-trade following a bruising battle over health care reform that cost Senate Democrats their supermajority, a situation unthinkable to Democrat leaders just a couple of weeks prior to Brown’s victory.

The key reason Democrats won’t be able to move cap-and-trade is that they cannot afford to pursue more confusing legislation that their constituents believe is harmful to the economy and job creation, the issue voters rank today as the most important. But that’s not to say some sort of energy legislation won’t move. In fact, there seems to be momentum in Washington to deal with less polarizing proposals that may be palatable to a bipartisan group of lawmakers, such as creating tax incentives to encourage development of renewable sources of energy.

Another offshoot of the climate change issue began late last year when President Obama’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) made an “endangerment finding” that greenhouse gasses threaten human health. That finding enables the EPA to make rules limiting carbon emissions without congressional approval.

Now, some members of Congress are strategizing to block the EPA from proceeding down this path. Many businesses and industry groups that have engaged lobbyists and public affairs firms to influence Congress against cap-and-trade should now turn their focus to supporting congressional efforts to block the EPA from regulating carbon emissions.

One key message is that rulemaking of this sort can be devastating to the economy. Regulatory problems caused by such rulemaking will endanger job creation in states that cannot handle more economic obstacles. This message will be particularly potent in 2010, as congressional candidates will be looking for ways to show they are fighting for jobs and against government meddling that threatens them.

Today, polling indicates that Republicans are likely to win back more territory in November’s congressional elections. That would put advocates for more stringent environmental laws at a severe disadvantage through at least 2012, and improve the outlook of manufacturers and business owners who have been warily watching Congress to figure out if their cost of doing business was about to go up.

No matter which way the political winds blow, U.S. policymakers will be wrestling with complex climate and energy issues for years to come. These matters will require skilled government and public affairs practitioners to help formulate the arguments and muster support for the viewpoint of American business. Now more than ever, it is critical for businesses with substantial interests at stake in Washington D.C. to engage in public affairs activities that help achieve their objectives.

I call it the “new public affairs,” where lobbying activities are joined by grassroots organizing and coalition building to achieve a desired outcome. Some deride these campaigns as “Astroturf,” but you certainly can’t look at what happened in Massachusetts as manufactured outrage. Real people voted for Scott Brown and the change he represented, and there are millions of Americans just like those from Massachusetts who are chomping at the bit to vote and have a say in policy matters in Washington D.C.

To effectively deliver a message and successfully navigate a world that continues to be extremely volatile, a good public affairs campaign should contain a multi-faceted approach that combines lobbying with grassroots organizing, alliance development, earned media efforts, and social networking. Now more than ever, finding people and key allies to support the efforts of lobbyists on a particular issue can be the difference between success and failure.

Running a coordinated, multi-layered approach using social media, internet video content, and other “new media” platforms can often help break through the clutter coming at congressional offices from all directions. Now is not the time for businesses to relent in their pursuit of a more favorable business climate, and running smart public affairs campaigns that deliver messages across multiple platforms is a good way to help achieve their goals.

Scott Jennings is Senior Strategist at Peritus, a full service public relations and public affairs firm. He served as Special Assistant to President George W. Bush from 2005-2007.

As we all dive head-first into the Christmas season and look towards the New Year it is always a time of reflection. What was accomplished this year, what could have been done differently? For Peritus and its employees one thing that we can all look back on with joy and a sense of accomplishment is the pro bono and charity work the firm provided throughout the year.

This past year Peritus has offered its service and expertise to several charitable organizations. As a matter of fact, this week staff from the Louisville office will be participating in a toy drive to support St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital in conjunction with WDJX 99.7, a local Louisville radio station.

In addition to the work with St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital Peritus staff will be participating in Bowl for Kids Sake which is a fundraiser to support Big Brothers Big Sisters of Kentuckiana. Last year Peritus raised $1,200 among its staff for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Kentuckiana.

Not only does Peritus offer time to charities but also the services of the firm. Our graphics department has offered services for the Kentucky Refugee Ministries and Advertising Federation of Louisville. And staff has helped coordinate the Home of the Innocents annual Bourbon Brunch and secured earned media for the event.

During this holiday season and time of remembrance, actions always speak louder than words. All the wonderful work that has been done for the community is a great testament to Peritus and its staff.

By Scott Jennings
Peritus Senior Strategist

Jimmy Higdon’s victory in Tuesday’s Kentucky State Senate special election is a warning signal to Democrats running for office around the country.

Higdon was vastly outspent by Democrat Jodie Haydon and his allies in the horse and gambling industries, who attacked Higdon with a class warfare message about legislative perks. The Democratic ads were run-of-the-mill in a political environment not suited for run-of-the-mill negative ads.

Voters weren’t buying it. Instead, the race turned on issues discussed in television ads run on the Republican side tying Haydon (who tried to portray himself as a moderate) to national Democrats and their tax-and-spend policies.

The Republican Party of Kentucky painted Haydon as a politician who was looking to bring “Nancy Pelosi style” government to Frankfort. In other words, rule by one party that wants to raise taxes and encourages more government spending.

A national group, the Republican State Leadership Committee, aired one ad specifically focused on jobs and the economy. The ad talked about the number of unemployed Kentuckians and said they are “out of hope,” a direct shot at President Barack Obama. It then used Haydon’s own words against him about the need to find more “revenue” for state government.

This is a key point: political candidates arguing to voters that the government needs more money aren’t going to find many takers in 2010. Voters don’t want government to have more money. They want government to cut spending, just like families across the country are doing.

The GOP apparatus correctly read the electorate in this race. Voters are angry, and, in this rural, heavily Democratic district, they are particularly unhappy with President Obama and Speaker Pelosi for the direction of a country that they view has having gotten seriously off on the wrong track.

Democrat candidates across the country should take note of what happened in Kentucky Tuesday night. Democrats actually won a state senate special election a few months ago in a rural Eastern Kentucky district with similar dynamics. What changed since then? Voters in these kinds of districts (rural, but registered Democratic) have lost confidence in Obama and are uneasy with the direction of health care reform in Washington D.C. I can imagine that some Democratic consultant will write a memo entitled “Blue Dogs Beware,” briefing their clients on Tuesday’s election result.

The key electoral issues are: jobs and the economy, government spending, and taxes. To the extent voters believe that health care reform will cause higher deficits and higher taxes, that’s part of the equation as well. Tuesday night’s election was a message to the national Democratic Party to back off the spending, back off the taxes, and back off the rapid expansion of government.

Tuesday’s election virtually ensured a continued two-party system in Frankfort with which Governor Steve Beshear will have to contend for the remainder of his term (there is little chance Democrats will take control of the Senate in the 2010 general election). That means a continued uphill battle for Beshear to pass the only thing he promised in his 2007 campaign: expanded gambling. It also means Democrats won’t have free reign when redistricting comes up in 2011.

I also suspect Tuesday’s election was particularly satisfying for Kentucky Senate President David L. Williams. Whether you agree that Kentucky should have expanded gambling or not, Williams got the last laugh by winning a race in which his candidate was vastly outspent by gambling interests – a race that all but ensures he will remain Senate President for the foreseeable future.

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Kentuckian Scott Jennings is Senior Strategist at Peritus Public Relations, and served as Special Assistant to President George W. Bush from 2005-2007.

Has politics ruined real and meaningful health care reform? Click link below for today’s ‘must read’ article.

By Steve Bryant - Director, Health Care Practice

Karen Tumulty’s December 3 article in TIME Magazine provides an excellent overview of how politics may ruin any chance of real and meaningful health care reform. The original intentions were good—make health care more affordable; cover the uninsured; and put America’s health care system on a sustainable track—but along the way Congress lost focus on these objectives as politics jumped in the way of real progress. Instead we’re left with two bills laden with special provisions, exemptions and other tricks that will squash the true intent of reform. What a shame.

Peritus staff from Indianapolis, Louisville, Lexington and Nashville recently came together to enjoy a couple days of rest and look ahead to 2010 at the Wooded Glenn Retreat & Conference Center in Henryville, Indiana.

I haven’t written in a while. I have been traveling and losing myself in Barcelona. As I come to the realization that my time here is shortening by the day, I find one theme for every day that I am here. This process has only led me to one theme that I have carried with me the entire time I have been here: We are all one. During the week, I tend to go on adventures, just me and my camera. I like to find small streets and places that are off the beaten path. Those are the places I want to remember. I will always be reminded of the great Gaudi architecture and amazing night life of Barcelona. But I do not want to ever lose the images of the small, insignificant parts of the city that make it what it is. As I walked past store and gallery, I found a garage door with eyes painted all over it. In the middle were the words-We are all one. These words were not in Spanish, but in English. It was as if they were meant to be seen by my eyes. I continued to walk past but something pulled me back in front of the garage door. It must have been the blue and yellow eyes staring at me as if they had something to say; as if they wanted me to look back. I stood in front of this door and was overwhelmed with a sense of connection. I pulled out my camera and captured the image, for it is one I will always keep with me.

My encounter with this graffiti art was nothing profound on the outside, but it truly hit home for me. The universality of people is undeniable. Here I am in another country and not only do I feel connected to people in the United States, but I feel that same connection to the strangers I ride the bus with, the people that brush past me on the busy streets of Barcelona. I can’t help but feel a closeness to people that I don’t know or have ever met. It must be my heart or my head or both, but if anything, I realize that I am supposed to be here. All the times when I sat in my room feeling homesick for something I didn’t know-this is it. I was homesick for the interconnectedness that comes with being a member of this global society. Although I am not at home per se, I have found a home and no matter where I go I will always find a home because WE ARE ALL ONE.

-Caroline Mulloy, Former Intern-Peritus

(Photo: Bob Gunnell, Tim Mulloy, the “Modern Mixologist” Tony Abu Ganim, and Mark Mulloy)

On Friday evening, November 6, Peritus hosted a company wide cocktail party to benefit the Home of the Innocents in Louisville, Ky.

Our cocktails were created by the foremost expert in the country, the “Modern Mixologist” Tony Abou Ganim. Tony generously donated his time and Brown Foreman Corporation donated the spirits for this fabulous event to support such a great cause.

Tony is the 2007 Iron Chef winner and the designer of the cocktail programs for multitudes of the finest restaurants and resorts in the world including the Bellagio in Las Vegas.

Terrific, live music was provided by the Rick Debow band. Some 60 guests had a wonderful evening learning how to make four different, fabulous drinks.

It was the perfect way to say thanks to all of the Peritus family and to get the holiday season started off right while supporting the Home of the Innocents.

-Tim Mulloy

Today, Potentica Pharmaceuticals, a company affiliated with Nucleus, Kentucky’s Life Sciences and Innovation Center, announced it has entered into licensing and purchase option agreements with the world’s leading eye-care company.

Potentia is an early stage biotechnology company focused on developing innovative therapeutics, primarily in the area of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and other inflammatory ocular diseases.

“We congratulate Potentia on its success, and we hope people take note of what Nucleus and the University of Louisville can do for similar endeavors,” said University of Louisville President Dr. James Ramsey in a release today. “This is an example of how Nucleus and U of L can fulfill our mission of stimulating economic development and improving the climate for doing business in Louisville and Kentucky.”

In 2008, the University of Louisville established Nucleus to work seamlessly with University organizations like MetaCyte and the Office of Technology Transfer to bring world class life sciences research to the marketplace. Nucleus leverages community partnerships to provide business management and consulting services to support entrepreneurs in life sciences. Nucleus also provides the infrastructure and expertise to commercialize University of Louisville research.

“This development for Potentia is another success in the path toward Dr. Ramsey’s vision to create the incentives, community resources and specialized infrastructure for companies to succeed,” Nucleus CEO Vickie Yates Brown also said in the release, adding that Nucleus provides laboratory and office space for Potentia.

In addition to providing commercialization, entrepreneurship and business services, Nucleus will oversee the development of a world-class research and office park in Louisville’s downtown Haymarket district.

Peritus congratulates everyone involved on this exciting development for our community!

Read more in here Louisville’s Business First.