American Council of Engineering Companies

The American Council of Engineering Companies of Connecticut (ACEC) is the leading organization representing the business and professional interests of consulting engineering firms in the state. GBPR worked with ACEC when a proposed change to the process in which state consultant engineering contracts were awarded stood to adversely impact ACEC’s members. This change would have prevented the nearly 100 consultant engineering firms in Connecticut from providing their services to State of Connecticut government agencies, severely reducing the economic activity generated by these firms. After developing the campaign’s messages, GBPR helped ACEC’s leaders and membership communicate to state policymakers and the media the key role that consultant engineering firms play in supporting Connecticut’s infrastructure and economy.

Association of Retired Teachers of Connecticut

The Association of Retired Teachers of Connecticut (ARTC) was founded in 1946 to protect and improve the welfare of Connecticut’s retired teachers. ARTC’s membership of nearly 10,000 members is spread across 14 affiliated local groups, all of which work toward the goals of financial security, quality health benefits and fellowship. GBPR’s work with ARTC included media outreach, assisting with membership drives and helping the organization successfully advocate for ground-breaking legislation that brought much-needed stability to the state’s retired teacher pension fund.

Connecticut Food Association

The Connecticut Food Association is a non-profit trade association dedicated to fostering the growth of the state’s food industry by proactively initiating new laws and regulations, as well as defending the industry against detrimental laws and regulations. GBPR was asked to assist the association in defeating legislation to expand the Connecticut “Bottle Bill” to cover bottled water. GBPR created a strategic, integrated media relations and grassroots advocacy campaign highlighting the potential negative financial impact that an expansion of the “Bottle Bill” could have on consumers. With GBPR’s counsel, the Connecticut Food Association defeated efforts to expand the bill.

Connecticut Petroleum Council

The Connecticut Petroleum Council is a trade association representing major oil companies, refiners, terminal operators, pipelines and others in the petroleum industry. During the 2007 and 2009 legislative sessions, bills were proposed to ban zone pricing of gasoline, thus prohibiting wholesalers from varying their prices to retailers based on supply and demand. The Connecticut Petroleum Council retained GBPR during both sessions to defeat this legislation by raising awareness of the importance of zone pricing in order to keep local, individually-owned gas stations in business. To accomplish this, GBPR carried out a full-service media relations plan including the submission of opinion editorials (op-eds) from Connecticut gas station owners to their respective local papers, outreach to public affairs-focused television and radio shows and editorial board meetings with major daily newspapers across the state.

Connecticut Production Coalition

The Connecticut Production Coalition (CPC) is a group of private sector companies and individuals dedicated to the establishment of a strong and robust film, television and digital media sector in Connecticut. The efficacy of Connecticut’s film tax credit program, which was implemented in 2006 to attract out-of-state productions to Connecticut in order to generate revenue and create jobs, has frequently been called into question by both the media and legislators. GBPR assisted CPC in its mission to raise awareness of the importance of a sustained film tax credit program in Connecticut, by promoting the efforts of both large and independent filmmakers and productions across the state to local media, legislators and key opinion leaders. GBPR delivered key messaging to diverse audiences, including facilitating the submission of opinion editorials (op-eds) from film industry executives to their local papers, submitting articles to legislators and creating a CPC member newsletter, providing updates and encouraging members to show their support for the film tax credit program by participating in hearings at the state capitol and writing letters to their local legislators.

Connecticut Water Works Association

The Connecticut Water Works Association, Inc. (CWWA) is an association of public water supply utilities serving about 2.5 million people throughout Connecticut. Membership in the association is open to all Connecticut water utilities: investor-owned, municipal and regional. When the Connecticut State Legislature directed the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to develop new streamflow regulations, the proposed regulations raised concerns with CWWA’s members. GBPR was retained to prepare key messages, develop collateral materials and organize a press conference to express their concerns over the detrimental impacts of the proposed regulations, which CWWA believed did not strike a balance between ecological and human needs. As a result of GBPR’s efforts, significant media coverage was achieved, increasing overall awareness of the issue and CWWA’s concerns among journalists, legislators, business leaders and the general public. Ultimately, the proposed regulations were rejected by the state legislature’s Regulations Review Committee.

International Hearing Society

The International Hearing Society (IHS) is an association of hearing healthcare professionals who provide hearing tests, fitting and dispensing of hearing instruments and patient counseling. IHS retained GBPR to help launch “Fit To Serve,” a grassroots campaign dedicated to improve access to hearing healthcare for America’s Veterans. Working with IHS leadership, GBPR developed a strategic communications plan to increase public awareness of the many concerns related to Veteran’s hearing healthcare. GBPR’s campaign entails the launch of a campaign web site, recruiting a nationwide network of grassroots supporters and creating media opportunities for IHS and Veterans’ advocates.

National Volunteer Fire Council

GBPR was hired by the National Volunteer Fire Council, the leading non-profit membership association representing the interests of volunteer fire fighters, EMS workers and rescue service workers in the United States, to assist in corporate fundraising efforts. Through proactive national media relations and direct outreach to major corporations, GBPR helped increase fundraising efforts from private and public sources to support the council’s programming and training initiatives.

Outdoor Advertisers Association of America

The Outdoor Advertisers Association of America (OAAA) is the leading trade association dedicated to promoting, protecting and advancing outdoor advertising interests in the United States. To promote the OAAA brand, the association called upon GBPR to help educate target audiences about its history and presence in Connecticut and its contributions to the state’s economy and local communities. GBPR employed formal public relations strategies to educate key constituencies, including local and state officials, state legislators and the media, about the OAAA and its mission.