AKCG – Public Relations Counselors, a leading national firm headquartered in Glassboro, on Tuesday announced the acquisition of Hennes Communications, a nationally recognized crisis communications agency based in Cleveland, Ohio.
The acquisition unites two long-established agencies, significantly strengthening AKCG’s reputation management footprint and expanding its reach across the Midwest.
Founded in 1989 by Bruce Hennes, Hennes Communications has built a formidable reputation for advising organizations through high-stakes, sensitive issues. The firm is widely known for its guiding philosophy that “the court of public opinion is always in session.”
With the addition of the Hennes team, AKCG further expands its service offerings to include a comprehensive suite of:
- Crisis communications and management
- Strategic crisis planning
- Specialized spokesperson and media training
- Advanced media relations services
“Reputation management is an essential management function, and we are excited to grow our AKCG team with the talented folks from Hennes Communications,” Chris Lukach, APR, CEO at AKCG said. “This acquisition reflects the depth of expertise in our craft, as well as our commitment to delivering impactful results to our partners operating in sensitive, nuanced, and pivotal moments.”
The partnership ensures a seamless transition for Hennes’ existing clients while providing them access to AKCG’s broader resource pool. Bruce Hennes and Thom Fladung will lead the new Hennes division as president and vice president, respectively.
“As we considered a succession plan, we knew partnering with a larger agency would be of great benefit to our existing clients,” Bruce Hennes, founder of Hennes Communications said. “After getting to know the AKCG team, seeing their sustained growth, and hearing directly from its counselors, it became clear they were the right fit to carry forward the Hennes legacy.”
This acquisition marks a major milestone in AKCG’s aggressive growth strategy. Since 2021, AKCG has tripled in size, focusing predominantly on education and health care sectors. The firm now employs more than 20 professionals across its offices in Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., and Cleveland.
