SmithBucklin
Acquires Tech Image Ltd.
CHICAGO
– JAN. 8, 2007 – SmithBucklin Corporation, the
world’s largest association management company, announced
today that it acquired Tech Image Ltd., one of the country’s
top 25 technology public relations firms. The announcement
was made by Henry S. Givray, Chairman and CEO of SmithBucklin,
and Michael Nikolich, CEO of Tech Image®.
Based in Buffalo Grove, Ill., Tech Image has a 13-year reputation
for positioning growing technology clients as market leaders.
In 2006, Tech Image was named “Best Boutique Agency
to Work for” by The Holmes Report and one of the country’s
most influential tech PR firms, according to a survey of IT
journalists by PRSourceCode.
“We are very excited about this acquisition because
Tech Image is regarded as a trusted business partner by several
of our key technology association and user group clients,”
says Givray. “Tech Image has a 13-year track record
and has grown at an accelerated rate during the past five
years, making it one of the strongest technology PR boutiques
in the country. There are strong business and operational
synergies between the two companies. Tech Image will have
the opportunity to create award-winning campaigns for SmithBucklin’s
clients and provide additional capabilities to its clients
through our service offerings.”
According to Givray, Tech Image will retain its offices in
Buffalo Grove, and CEO and founder Nikolich and Chief Operating
Officer Dennis Collins will continue in their current executive
leadership positions at Tech Image. In addition, Nikolich
will become a member of SmithBucklin’s corporate management
team. Cindy Kuhn, SmithBucklin’s senior vice president,
marketing & communications services, will oversee Tech
Image, post-acquisition.
“We are thrilled to become part of the SmithBucklin
family,” says Nikolich. “Tech Image shares the
same values as SmithBucklin and our cultures are very similar.
My employees were very excited and supportive of the news
because of the tremendous synergies that exist between our
companies. We have very ambitious growth plans and this acquisition
will help us accelerate the process.”
As an operating unit of SmithBucklin, Tech Image will retain
its well-known and respected brand name. All Tech Image employees
were hired as SmithBucklin employees and provided the same
benefits and opportunities that SmithBucklin employees enjoy
today. According to Nikolich, Tech Image will continue its
partnership in the Worldcom Public Relations Group, the leading
global network of independent public relations firms.
# # #
About Tech Image
Based in the Chicago area, Tech Image Ltd. has a proven, 13-year
reputation for positioning growing technology companies as
market leaders. Tech Image provides media and analyst relations,
messaging services, media coaching and sales acceleration
programs for business-to-business organizations. Representative
clients include CompTIA, Firefly Energy, FrontRange Solutions,
GlobalSpec, NEC Display Solutions and the Society for Information
Management (SIM). Learn more at www.techimage.com
or call 1-888-4-TECH-PR.
About SmithBucklin
SmithBucklin is the world’s largest association management
and professional services company providing flexible, tailored
full-service management and function/project-specific services
to more than 235 trade associations, professional societies,
technology user groups and government institutes/agencies.
SmithBucklin’s mission is to drive growth and build
sustained competitiveness for client organizations. Founded
in 1949, the company employs 750 professionals specializing
in all phases of association activity including executive
management, member and chapter administration, convention
and trade show management, marketing and branding, Web services,
education and programs, government relations and financial
management. SmithBucklin manages more than $200 million in
annual client budgets from offices in Chicago, Washington,
DC, St. Louis and Durham, NC. SmithBucklin is 100% employee
owned. For more information, please visit www.smithbucklin.com
or call 1.800.539.9740.
Contacts: Randy Labuzinski/David Schulte
Healy&Schulte
312/440-3900
rlabuzinski@healyandschulte.com
|
