Miami, FL

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Award-Winning PR Agency, rbb Public Relations, Acquires Thorp & Company

Miami – September 10, 2010 – The award-winning national marketing public relations firm of rbb Public Relations announced the acquisition of Thorp & Company, a 21-year-old Coral Gables public relations firm with deep expertise in issues management, professional services and B2B marketing PR. The announcement was made by Christine Barney, CEO of rbb Public Relations.

"We are excited to bring the prestige of Thorp & Company's history, client base and talented staff into the rbb fold," said Barney. "I've admired Patricia and her firm for years and our shared philosophy of delivering strategic client results makes us an even more attractive option for companies seeking the benefits of working with a large boutique PR agency."

Patricia A. Thorp, president of Thorp & Company, cited rbb's national award-winning reputation and digital media expertise as key factors in the decision to join the noted public relations firm. "rbb and Thorp are mirror images when it comes to commitment to quality," said Thorp. "After many years of building a solid reputation, adding our equity to rbb catapults us into an even stronger position in terms of strength and size."

Barney noted the acquisition allows rbb to solidify two key practice areas – Issues Management and Financial. Patricia Thorp will be senior counselor of the Issues Management and Reputation Practice and Peter Whalen, vice president, will lead the firm's Financial and Professional Services Practice. Thorp & Company has managed major issues for clients such as Searle and DuPont, and within its financial practice represents PNC Financial – one of the nation's largest financial institutions and Gibraltar Private Bank & Trust. Thorp's years of healthcare expertise with companies such as Cordis, IVAX and Navitus will add meat to rbb's growing healthcare practice encompassing clients such as Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida, Cleveland Clinic of Florida, FIU College of Nursing & Health Sciences and United HomeCare Services.

The acquisition is rbb's second this year, following on the heels of the successful integration of Haber & Quinn of Fort Lauderdale. rbb expects to continue fueling its growth through organic expansion as well as additional mergers and acquisitions. "This economy presents great opportunity for those who are bold enough to think big and bring creative ideas to the table," added Barney. "Patricia and her team are smart and dynamic counselors who will help us reach our growth and expansion goals faster."

Thorp & Company staff will work out of rbb's Miami and Fort Lauderdale offices.

About rbb Public Relations

rbb Public Relations is a marketing public relations firm with a national reputation for delivering results on par with the largest national firms, but with the individual attention of a boutique agency. Named The Holmes Report's "2009 Boutique Agency of the Year" and PRWeek's "2008 Agency of the Year"," rbb's bilingual staff excels in media relations, corporate communications, digital/social media, product introductions and crisis counseling. The firm's capabilities encompass a variety of practice areas, including B2B, consumer products, crisis communications, travel & leisure, health and fitness, real estate, and food and beverage. rbb is a founding member of the Converge network of PR firms. For more information, call (305) 448-7450 or visit www.rbbpr.com.

About Thorp & Company

Thorp & Company, one of the top independent public relations firms in Florida, is a full-service public relations and marketing communications firm that is well-known in South Florida for delivering exceptional levels of service and results. It provides strategic communications counsel to businesses and organizations in such fields as legal and other professional services, financial services, technology, and insurance brokerage firms. The firm also works with publicly traded companies and companies in crisis. For more information, call (305) 446-2700 or visit www.thorpco.com.

Maite Velez-Couto

RBB Public Relations

Miami, FL

305-448-1923

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