Whittington & Associates, LLC About

Ron Whittington

Ron Whittington, APR, founded Whittington & Associates, LLC in 2005 and handles account management, media relations, writing and day-to-day operations. The consulting practice is anchored by his expertise in the field - as a writer, reporter, public relations manager, and spokesperson.

He has conducted thousands of interviews in various roles as an agency spokesperson and uses that experience to prepare clients for local appearances and national news interviews for media outlets including CNN, Time Magazine and Barron's.

Whittington has consulted under the name Whittington Corporate Communications in Dallas (1991-1994) and as WhittCom, Inc. in Atlanta (1996 – 2002).

He received his Associate in Public Relations (APR) accreditation through the Public Relations Society of America in 2005.

He periodically works with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as a field public information officer. Whittington has served as the spokesman for JEA (Jacksonville's public utility), as Olympic Information Officer for the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transportation Authority during the 1996 Olympic Games, as Public Relations Manager for Dallas Area Rapid Transit, and as Media Relations Manager for the Dallas Chamber of Commerce.

Before entering the public relations field, he was a researcher/reporter with the Dallas-Fort Worth Business Journal and a reporter/anchor with CNN Radio in Atlanta. He is a graduate of Georgia State University.

In the summer of 2010, Ron published his first fiction novel, Second Strike.

Lori Ann Whittington

Lori Ann Whittington has more than 20 years experience in the field of fundraising and development and provides advice and counsel on client projects in the non-profit industry.

She has held a variety of positions in non-profit management, including the role of executive director. Lori Ann has also been a director of marketing and development, a special events coordinator, and an associate director of development. In other words, she knows the business of fundraising through first-hand experience in the field and inside the board room.

Additionally, she managed her own consulting firm, Especially Events, in Dallas, Texas and was co-owner of WhittCom, Inc. in Atlanta -- a consulting firm that specialized in marketing and fundraising services for non-profit agencies. She has been employed at agencies such as The Arts Festival of Atlanta, Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) and The Dallas Opera. She is a key resource for our clients.

She is a graduate of Baylor University.

Other public relations and marketing professionals who work with Whittington & Associates include:

Stephanie Barker McLain, APR (public relations)

Bob Conrad (graphic design)

Scott Griswold (web design)

Wendy Loughton (administration)

Chantal Koerner (support services)

Testimonials

Michelle Cummings, Prudential Network Realty

"Knowing that advertising is such an advocate for real estate, I took my marketing plans a step further and hired Ron to help me promote my properties and myself. I have been very satisfied with the results. I have received many calls on the stories that he has gotten published that have become new sales, which is the bottom line!"

David H. Smith, Solar Energy Systems, Inc.

"We chose Whittington & Associates to help us generate media coverage for our local solar installation company, Sunworks, and our solar research and development company, Solar Energy Systems. Our projects were on television several times and there were many articles in the local newspapers - both of which brought us new customers and wider awareness of our projects and services. They also helped us develop our first web-based newsletter. I would recommend the Whittington to any company that wants to get their name in front of the public."

John Long, J.A. Long Custom Builders

"Since hiring Whittington &Associates, we're getting more coverage in local newspapers and magazines and making a name for ourselves with a new generation of home buyers and realtors in northeast Florida. Recently, the firm helped us successfully redesign our website and have advised us on marketing and advertising projects that ensure we get the most impact for every dollar we spend."

Phil Pierce, Prudential Network Realty

"Whether the residential real estate market is hot or not, it's important to keep your name in front of people selling their homes and potential home buyers. Whittington and Associates is diligent in keeping my name in publications where it needs to be seen and integrate his media efforts with my other marketing and advertising programs."

Doug Ganson, Sundries at the Jacksonville Landing

"Whittington & Associates helped us develop a new brand, a new slogan, and develop collaborations that are driving new customers and increasing awareness about our products and services. I would recommend them to anyone looking for thoughtful public relations professionals who really look out for their clients"

Tri Vu, TTV Architects

"TTV Architects had the pleasure of working with Whittington & Associates with our media relations. With Ron's help, TTV achieved all the PR goals that were set out to achieve. Ron accomplishes a lot through his existing relationships with the media, and his accomplishments go beyond the city with state publications. Ron is presently trying the "impossible" for TTV -- attempting to publicize TTV's work in national magazines. Ron is certainly fearless!"

Tom Larson, Sierra Club of Northeast Florida

"Though his experience and knowledge of the media, Whittington helped us develop special events that attracted the coverage we needed and helped us develop a better understanding of how to obtain coverage for our organization."

Tony Venturato, Dallas Area Rapid Transit

"Whittington's relationship with the media and his quick, proactive response to our media crisis helped us minimize the negative public impact of a district attorney's investigation within a few days. If I ever get the opportunity, I will hire him again without hesitation."

Janet Kotler, The Partnership forCommunity Action

"His firm is sensitive to our needs, offers flexible solutions to our communications requests, keeps internal information confidential, and provides honest feedback in working with us. We would recommend his consulting firm to work with other agencies in the areas of media relations, marketing and development."

Clients Past and Present

Private Sector

Accelerated Construction (media relations)

Associates in Dermatology and Aesthetic Surgery (media relations, advertising)

Brasfield & Gorrie General Contractors (media relations)

Carter's Pharmacy (media relations)

Cinemark USA, Inc. (media relations/special events)

Clary & Associates Mapping and Surveying (advertising /community relations/copywriting/media relations/special events)

Coastal Cosmetic Center (advertising/media relations/copywriting)

Creditor Resources, Inc. (media relations/copywriting)

Dan Ciez, Financial Planner, Waddill & Reed (media relations)

Expresstax (media relations, web development)

Future Energy Corporation (media relations/special events)

First Office Solutions (web development)

Gas Knob Restaurant (media relations)

Green Acres Sporting Goods (copywriting/graphic design/media relations/web development)

Hallwood Development (media relations/special events)

Harland Financial (copywriting)

J.A. Long Custom Builders (advertising/media relations/ web design & maintenance)

Jacksonville Transportation Authority (strategic marketing)

The Jones Law Firm (media relations)

Keller Williams Realty/Realtor Mark Dilworth (media relations)

Keller Williams Realty/Realtor Phil Pierce (media relations)

Mayo Clinic of Jacksonville (speechwriting/copywriting)

Plaza III/The Steakhouse (advertising/marketing/media relations/special events/web content/writing)

Ponte Vedra Dermatology and Aesthetic Surgery (media relations/special events/copywriting/web support)

Prudential Network Realty/Realtor Cici Anderson (advertising/media relations)

Prudential Network Realty/Realtor Michelle Cummings (media relations/web design & maintenance)

Prudential Network Realty/Realtor Michelle Mousin (advertising/media relations)

Pusser's Caribbean Grille/Ponte Vedra Beach (media relations)

Senate Candidate Charles Perniciaro (media relations/website development)

Sundrez (advertising/marketing/media relations/web development)

Southern Energy, Inc. (copywriting/media relations)

TTV Architects (media relations)

United Parcel Service (research/copywriting)

Non-Profit Sector

Academy of Coastal and Environmental Studies (organizational assessment)

Arts Festival of Atlanta (fundraising/consulting)

Bands Against Breast Cancer (media relations)

The Barnabas Center (board retreat, board governance and training)

Beaches Watch (strategic planning/media relations/board development)

The Carpenters Shop Center (Strategic planning/fundraising and marketing implementation)

Christ Church Episcopal School (media relations/publications/special events)

City of Wylie, Texas (media relations)

Creating Healthy Families (organizational assessment/fundraising plan/strategic plan)

DIErections (organizational assessment/strategic plan/fundraising plan)

Elder Source (organizational assessment/fund development/marketing plan/annual report)

Faith Temple Church of Christ (media relations/video production)

Gwinnett County Health & Human Services (copywriting/publications)

Gwinnett Foundation (media relations/fundraising)

Gwinnett Housing Resource Partnership (fund development plan/marketing planning and collateral development/signature special event development and production/grants plan/grant writing)

Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies (organizational assessment/strategic plan/board retreat/board development/board training)

HEROES (grant writing)

JAX Teen Alliance (organizational assessment)

Metropolitan Area Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) (annual report/graphic design/copywriting)

Seacoast Christian Academy (organizational assessment/scholarship and sponsorship package/development)

The Way Clinic (grant writing)

Travelers Aid of Metropolitan Atlanta (fund development plan/marketing planning and collateral development/media relations/web design & maintenance/signature special event development and production/grants plan/grant writing)

United Way (Champion Zones consulting)

Tree Hill Nature Center (organizational assessment)

Rising Stars of Tomorrow, Inc. (organizational assessment)

Woodland Acres Church (organizational assessment)

Youth Art Connection (media relations)

Freelance Writing

The Florida Times Union

HealthSource

Jacksonville Magazine

North Florida Doctor

Mature Matters

Water's Edge

904 Magazine