We get hired a lot when the odds are long, the challenge is significant or the stakes are big.
The marketplace has discovered that our different skill set, our drive, experience, and mindset on behalf of clients distinguishes our company when a crisis hits, a concept needs to get off the ground, a better story needs to be told and speed matters.
Our candidate for President in 2016 was Florida Senator Marco Rubio. But that doesn’t mean we can’t recognize the achievement of Donald J. Trump. Vanquishing an incredibly talented GOP field. Then taking down a political machine. And doing it all with an unorthodoxed approach. It was a royal flush.
We like to think we trumped a few odds during the last part of 2016 too. Quite a number of them actually. That’s a testament to the exceptionalism of our team who again helped this year, our 20th in business, to be the most successful yet. Thank you to all, especially some of the notable achievers below, for giving us the chance to be of assistance. We hope you enjoy the read. All 1,680 words of it.
* The Best: Scottsdale Mayor Jim Lane called his 2016 re-election campaign the best organizational effort, public or private, he’s ever been involved in. We were asked to lead that charge which resulted in a landslide win over a person and family that had never lost a municipal election in Scottsdale. The campaign also raised a record sum – over $400,000 – for a Scottsdale city campaign. That’s a tribute to those we worked with professionally (IWS) as well as the community leaders that formed the best Kitchen Cabinet we’ve ever been associated with. And at the top presided a man and a mayor who set the tone with key decisions, integrity and tenacity that led the effort to a landmark victory.
* From America’s First Baseman To Arizona’s Most Charitable Bowler: Arizona Diamondbacks’ slugger Paul Goldschmidt has
become a perennial All-Star. And he’s that way off the field too. Goldschmidt asked Rose+Allyn Public & Online Relations Partner Jennifer Moser to help launch his “Goldy’s Bowling Bash” in November, 2016. It was a big success raising six figures for the Blood and Cancer Disorder Center at Phoenix Children’s Hospital. Only several days later Moser helped elevate another charitable event to new heights: The Knuckle Ball. Founded by the daughter of long-time Major League Baseball pitcher Joe Niekro who passed away from a brain aneurysm, Moser helped secure a who’s who list of honorees led by Barrow’s neurosurgeon Dr. Robert Spetzler and a person whose generosity is appreciated the charitable world over, Nancy Hanley.
* Making A Wish Come True: Speaking of Moser, just a few months ago she was named Chairwoman of Make-A-Wish Arizona Board of
* Don’t Mess With Texas. Actually, we meant the Arizona Automobile Dealer’s Association. The group has become a terrific, multi-year client of our firm. And when City of Peoria leaders thought a massive increase in their sales tax a good idea for a bunch of pet projects, the Association asked us to lead an effort to defeat it. And so it was at the ballot box in November thanks to great help and leadership from Arizona State Senator Debbie Lesko and Arizona State Representative Tony Rivero too. The client gave us the resources, Lesko and Rivero provided leadership and wise counsel, and we executed creatively and aggressively, rounding out an undefeated elections record in 2016.
* Return Of Old Friends: Winning creates momentum. In sports and in our line of work. But some times winning for clients ends our engagement with them. After all, it’s our job to accomplish missions not belabor retainers. So, it’s always nice when great former clients re-enter the fold. The past couple of months saw the return of top commercial developer Vestar and the Colorado River Indian Tribes for significant public affairs and public relations issues, inside and outside the state.
* Arrival Of Big New Friends: We like large stakes. We also like large clients. That’s why we’re grateful to welcome some big boys and girls like General Motors, Republic Services and Nationwide to our deep and diverse list of clients.
* Foe To Friend: One of the biggest compliments anyone can get in business is when a company you once opposed doesn’t hold a grudge but instead develops a regard for what you do. And so it happened again two months ago. Those initial conversations are always interesting and, strangely, especially satisfying when you win on their behalf.
* Size Does Matter: November 5th marked the 6th anniversary of The Bentley Scottsdale Polo Championships, an event we created and
* And If Size Matters So Does Being #1: We don’t know if Alabama is going to yet win another college football championship but we do know that we are privileged to represent a lot of top ranked businesses in their space. Cullum Homes – The Valley’s #1 custom home builder. Russ Lyon Sotheby’s International Realty – #1 seller of luxury homes over $800,000 (by a wide margin). Steak 44 – the Valley’s #1 selling steakhouse. Mountainside Fitness: #1 locally-owned fitness and gym company. Barrett-Jackson: the #1 collection car auction company the world over. Pollack Investments: the #1 redeveloper of shopping centers in Arizona. My Sister’s Closet: the top selling consignment store in the state. And Harvest of Scottsdale, the first million dollar medical marijuana dispensary in Arizona.
* Irony: Over the past year we successfully helped the noble Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center head off misguided efforts to curtail or
* Cool Under Fire: Too many union organizations are too strident and ultimately counterproductive to those they seek to help. Not the Scottsdale Firefighters Association. Persuasive with a quiet dignity and a thoughtful commitment to “win-wins,” the organization has also set itself apart with compelling charitable activity, including yet another sold-out Behind The Flames Dinner at Dominick’s Steakhouse in September. Being not just at their dinner table but to work with their exemplary leadership team is an opportunity to not only help, but learn a few things too.
* The Phoenix: Its downtown is certainly rising and so are a few other issues we’ve had a ringside seat for too. In November, Sky Harbor introduced valet parking services for the first time. The debut followed nearly a year’s worth of work on behalf of Phx Valet Powered by
If an unexpected victor with a political team that always seemed to be coming and going was the story of 2016, it is the antithesis of our success. Together now for four plus years our core team of Jennifer Moser, Sara Jane Jones Widdes, Mike Scerbo, Jennifer Parks-Sturgeon and Jason Rose is the best starting five in the business. And when people like Cepand Alizadeh come off the bench to play so well, well, it makes not only for the best year in the company’s history, but one that has allowed us to trump nearly all goals and challenges for our valued clients too. Thank you and onward to success for all in 2017, making a few more wishes come true.
Sincerely,
Rose+Allyn Public & Online Relations
www.RoseAllynPR.com