Edelman Acquires The Headline Group

Edelman Acquires The Headline Group

One of Atlanta's prized PR firms has become part of a much bigger entity. Edelman acquired The Headline Group in September, broadening its regional presence and becoming the fifth largest in the market according to the 2001 Council of Public Relations Firms rankings. "In The Headline Group, Edelman has found a firm that shares an entrepreneurial spirit and focus on meeting client communications needs," said Pam Talbot, President and Chief Operating Officer of Edelman U.S. "We're confident that our combined capabilities will be formidable in a market that Edelman recognizes as crucial to success not only in the Southeast and the eastern United States, but globally."

Claudia Gaines Patton, who founded The Headline Group in 1982, assumes the leadership of Edelman's Atlanta office. The corporate practice of the combined Atlanta office will include among its clients Atlantic Station, Balentine & Company/Wilmington Trust, the Southern Company's Southern LINC, and The Attorneys Title Insurance Fund. The firm will focus on markets including financial services, tele communications, professional services and real estate industries. Addi tionally, the group will provide business marketing, corporate social responsibility, crisis and issues management, and reputation management counsel. The firm's consumer practice will focus on sports, home and lifestyle, hospitality and travel, retail, and package goods for clients such as Georgia-Pacific, HEAD/Penn Racquet Sports, The Home Depot, CharBroil, and Tiffany & Co.

Atlanta will serve as the global base for Edelman's Corporate Repu tation Management offering. Bob Kornecki, nowPresident of Edelman‘s Southern Region and General Manager of the Atlanta office, assemes a new firm-wide role as Managing Director of its corporate practice. Edelman's Atlanta staff of 15 moved into The Headline Group's current midtown offices.