08/17/1981 - Laserfiche WebLink

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. . . . The Executive Director made a brief presentation regarding the selection of Hill & Knowlton, Inc for public relations/marketing assistance for the Agency. He stated that staff was trying to put together a program for marketing Santa Ana to investors and business corporations. He added that of the three-step program, two steps had already been accomplished (improving the image of Santa Ana and informing Orange County about the City -- this being accomplished through a recent article in Orange County Illustrated Magazine). In Staff's opinion, the third step, to establish an on- going program for marketing and reach 500 corporations and top developers throughout the United States, would be accomplished by a contract with Hill & Knowlton. He added that, in the selection process, staff had established the following criteria: Must be a premier marketing firm. Must have a relationship with national and international firms and should have successful programs with other redevelopment programs. After asking Hill & Knowlton to make a survey in which they interviewed a number of civic leaders for opinions and suggestions, they were invited to appear before the Agency. The Executive Director then introduced Mr. Ronald Hartwig, a Vice President of Hill & Knowlton. Mr. Hartwig thanked the Agency for the opportunity to speak. He then gave a brief background of the operation of Hill & Knowlton in which he pointed out that each office was an independent entity with full authority to act on behalf of a client. In addition to the Hill & Knowlton offices in 14 cities throughout the United States, the Corporation has affiliates in 27 other cities and 40 offices in 28 foreign countries. He pointed out that the Los Angeles office, which would be handling the Santa Ana account, had over 20 professional staff members with appropriate back-up staff. He said that, in his opinion, Hill & Knowlton was successful because of its ability to work closely with business and industry and help them reach the audience they wish to reach (they represent about 1/3 of the "Fortune 500" companies as well as local firms) and its ability to pioneer new methods such as helping public agencies to communicate with their constituencies. He added that helping City, State and Federal Agencies to communicate was a very complex field and that their company had been thus engaged for the past ten years. Mr. Hartwig then told of the following programs with which Hill & Knowlton had assisted: North Texas Regional (Dallas-Ft. Worth), Greater Atlanta, The Economic Council for puget Sound, the Greater Cleveland Projects and most recently the City of Long Beach. After giving a brief outline of the program Hill & Knowlton had planned for Santa Ana, he asked for questions. In response to a question from Mr. Markel, Mr. Hartwig stated that Hill & Knowlton's purpose was, very clearly, to help the Agency staff to communicate both to the people in Santa Ana and to others outside of Santa Ana about the City's accomplishments and goals. Mr. Merle Rabine, a concerned citizen, addressed the Agency briefly expressing his concerns regarding the newly proposed project areas and the possibility of minorities losing their homes. Ms. Lori Bassett, a concerned citizen, then addressed the Agency and expressed her support for any new effort, in the public relation field, that the Agency might undertake and offered her assistance. Mrs. McGuigan then asked for a continuance of this matter until the Agency's next regularly scheduled meeting so that she might have an opportunity to study in depth the material presented. In response to a question from Chairman Bricken, the City Manager stated that staff had hoped to have an agreement signed by early Fall and that, in his opinion, a 30-day delay in considering this item would not do irreparable harm to the Agency's program. 8.