Carmichael Lynch Spong, based in Minneapolis, announced its purchase of Stanwood & Partners, a Wyoming-based public relations firm that represents several outdoor companies.
Carson Stanwood, president of Stanwood & Partners, will be principal and chair of Carmichael Lynch Spong's environmental and sustainability practice, and he will oversee the firm's many outdoor enthusiast brands.
The acquisition will expand the Carmichael Lynch Spong's national presence with new offices in Jackson, Wyoming, and Boston; add 11 new staff members to its roster; and further build its position in the growing outdoor enthusiast and environmental and sustainability segments. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.
Stanwood becomes a key leader in the nation's top 20 largest public relations firm, providing clients access to brand marketing, media relations, corporate communications, creative services and social media. Stanwood employees also will benefit from Carmichael Lynch Spong's award-winning professional development program and will have the opportunity to expand into other practice and specialty groups.
“Carson has a lot of fuel left in the tank in terms of his career, having successfully grown his firm over the last 16 years,” says Douglas K. Spong, APR, president of Carmichael Lynch Spong. “In many ways, his career track parallels ours in building a solid reputation with some of the best-known brands in the outdoor and leisure industry, and attracting a 'best of the best' talent base. We're excited to have the Stanwood & Partners staff join our team.”
Carmichael Lynch Spong has a strong heritage in outdoor enthusiast brands. The firm's oldest client, Rapala, kicked off the firm's outdoor and leisure practice 17 years ago. Currently, the outdoor and leisure group includes clients ASV, BRP Evinrude, Buell, FLW Outdoors and Harley-Davidson. Stanwood & Partners currently represents 21 clients in downhill skiing, snowboarding, biking, camping, outdoor apparel, kayaking and canoeing.
Headquartered in Jackson, Wyoming, Stanwood & Partners also has an office in Boston, giving Carmichael Lynch Spong another presence in a top-tier market where some of its clients are based, including Dunkin' Brands and Hasbro's Games Division. Minneapolis-based Carmichael Lynch Spong currently has offices in New York, Denver and San Francisco.
In addition to growing its outdoor enthusiast segment, the acquisition also provides Carmichael Lynch Spong with a catalyst to grow its thriving environmental and sustainability practice by drawing on expertise from both firms and offering clients more ways to effectively communicate their environmental efforts and programs. Clients currently served by this specialty group include TransFair USA, the only third-party certifier of Fair Trade products in the United States; Sherwin Williams, one of the world's leading coatings manufacturers and distributors; American Standard, the world's leading producer of bathroom and kitchen faucets and fixtures; Maytag and Amana brands, America's favorite and most dependable producers of kitchen, laundry and whole-home appliance collections; and Lutron, the leading manufacturer of lighting controls worldwide.
