David Paine, president of Costa Mesa-based Paine & Associates, is expanding his public relations business into New York, with a new Manhattan office set to open in January.
The move comes with a name change to PainePR and on the heels of three account wins this month. The agency is handling the Pert Plus shampoo line for Procter & Gamble Co., outreach and consumer promotions for Hughes Electronics Corp.’s DirecTV Inc. and ongoing communications for Blockbuster Inc.’s new media unit.
PainePR plans to open a full-service, 7,000-square-foot New York office on the 9th floor of a building at Broadway at 37th Street in Midtown. While Paine plans to remain in Orange County, the firm’s move into New York is a homecoming of sorts for Paine, a Mets fan who grew up in the city and worked at Burson-Marsteller and Middleberg & Associates in the early 1980s.
Paul Wood, the firm’s senior vice president, will relocate to New York and begin recruiting in November for a staff of between 10 and 15 employees. Several mid-management Paine employees plan to transfer to New York.
The office initially will handle about $1 million to $2 million in annual billings from Iomega Corp., portions of Polariod Corp.’s business and part of the Pert Plus shampoo account, the bulk of which will be handled in OC. Linda Landers has rejoined Paine as senior vice president heading up the P & G; business.
Paine, which expects annual revenue to be up 60% this year to a projected $7.5 million, has 40 OC employees. The firm ranks No. 3 on the Business Journal’s list of largest public relations agencies.
Other clients include American Suzuki Motor Corp., Toshiba America Medical Systems Inc., Hyundai Motor America, Miller Brewing Co. and California Pizza Kitchen Inc.
Also in January, Paine plans to consolidate its offices in Encino and Beverly Hills into a single 15,000-square-foot downtown site on Figueroa Street under a seven-year-lease. The Los Angeles offices have a staff of 15 with a goal to reach roughly 30 to 40 employees in the next few years.
“Our LA operation now handles close to $3 million in annual business, up more than 40% from last year,” said Daryl McCullough, senior vice president and general manager of the Los Angeles offices.
McCullough expects the company’s expansion and the economy will help fuel continued growth.
The agency also picked up a pro bono account with the Los Angeles Advertising Agency Association. n
