Potomac Flacks: New Coalition: America Ain't So Bad

September 14, 2006

New Coalition: America Ain't So Bad

Wash Post's Judy Sarasohn reports on a new coalition hitting the scene, this one designed to promote American tourism to foreigners. Discover America Partnership is described as a "multimillion dollar advocacy campaign designed to boost the number of visitors -- by 10 million a year -- to the United States:

Their aim is to help improve America's image abroad and bolster national security by introducing more people from other countries to us. "In the effort to win hearts and minds, we have a unique card to play," Jay Rasulo , chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, said in a statement. "That card is an invitation . . . to visit America, meet our people and experience our values."

The group has a large board, including reps from National Restaurant Association, Anheuser-Busch, Travel Industry Association of America, American Hotel & Lodging Association, and other tourism companies.

So who's running things? PR is being handled by Fleishman-Hillard; lobbying by BKSH's Charles Merin and Monument Policy Group's Stewart Verdery.

Posted by Matt Mackowiak on September 14, 2006 in Coalitions | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

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Matt Mackowiak is a Washington, D.C. and Austin,TX-based Republican strategist and communications consultant and President of Potomac Strategy Group, LLC. In his career he has managed a winning Congressional campaign and worked in the U.S. Senate, at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, at a leading international PR firm, on a presidential campaign in Iowa and in White House presidential advance. Follow him on Twitter - @MattMackowiak

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Laura Gross is currently president of Scott Circle Communications. She has served as deputy director of communications at the DNC, was Gov. Howard Dean's Communications Director and she worked in the press office at USAID during the Clinton administration. Her experience also includes time in the PR department of National Public Radio and she was part of Vice President Gore's advance team when he was in The White House.
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Blain K. Rethmeier - Contributor
Blain K. Rethmeier is currently the Senior Vice President for Public Affairs for the American Insurance Association (AIA). Rethmeier joined AIA from the White House where he served as Special Assistant to the President for Communications and directed communications for the National Economic Council and Homeland Security Council. Prior to joining the White House, Rethmeier served as Press Secretary for the Senate Judiciary Committee.
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