Top Green Strategist Jon Coifman Joins PRCG

NEW YORK, Sept. 21 /PRNewswire/ -- Jon Coifman, one of the environmental/clean technology industry's most experienced communication strategists, has joined The PR Consulting Group (PRCG) as Managing Director. Coifman, who developed successful communications programs for a broad range of corporate, non-profit and government partners, becomes Managing Director for Environment & Clean Technology at PRCG.

Coifman joins PRCG from Waggener Edstrom Worldwide, one of the largest independent public relations firms in the world, where he headed the agency's energy and environment group and helped launch the company's pioneering Social Innovation practice. Prior to that, he was global media director at Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), one of the country's most respected energy and environmental organizations.

"The frontiers of clean technology are moving farther and faster than anyone imagined, but so is the competition. That puts a huge premium on effective communication," Coifman says. "Along with customer and investor relations, policy and public perception are critical for clean tech companies. That means constant, 360-degree engagement, and genuine two-way dialogue. It's our job to help clients navigate this uniquely complex landscape."

"Jon is a visionary strategist and innovative communicator who knows how to execute effective campaigns," said PRCG CEO James F. Haggerty. "He brings a mix of skills and experience to the agency that clients won't find anywhere else."

At PRCG, Coifman will work with a variety of business and non-commercial organizations to create solutions-oriented initiatives on energy efficiency and renewables, organization branding, carbon policy, and sustainable business. He will also act in the firm's crisis and litigation communications practices.

His clients at Waggener Edstrom included Microsoft Corporation; plant-based plastics innovator NatureWorks; award-winning electric vehicle battery developer Ener1; and FuelCell Energy, developer of highly efficient commercial power systems.

At NRDC, his portfolio spanned everything from Supreme Court litigation and a busy legislative calendar to the organization's China program and corporate partnerships including Google, Wal-Mart, McKinsey & Company, Major League Baseball and Toyota. He also handled high-level celebrity engagements, and worked closely with the group's clean tech industry affiliate, Environmental Entrepreneurs (E2).

"Direct engagement is the name of the game today," Coifman said. "People on all sides have figured out that collaboration can deliver better, faster results than confrontation. Nowhere is the intersection of private enterprise and public interest stronger than in energy and clean technology."

Jon is also an experienced legal communicator, having developed media strategies in the Cheney Energy Task Force litigation, numerous Clean Air Act and endangered species cases, and a high-profile lawsuit over the Navy's use of sonar in training exercises.

Before joining NRDC, Jon worked with the bipartisan Global Environment & Technology Foundation and Environmental Media Services, collaborating with companies including Johnson & Johnson and IBM. He holds a master's degree in public policy from the University of Texas and a BA in political science from the University of Wisconsin. Originally from Minneapolis, he lives in New York City with his wife and son.

ABOUT THE PR CONSULTING GROUP

PRCG is a highly regarded communications consultancy offering a range of public relations, marketing and public affairs services. With diverse backgrounds in government, business, media, politics and legal affairs, PRCG and its affiliated firms in Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles offer clients a range of expertise to address diverse and changing audiences. The agency has worked with corporate and nonprofit clients on environmental, sustainability and green business issues for more than 15 years, advising a diverse array of companies including leaders in electronics recycling, real estate and industrial water treatment.

PRCG has served for nearly a decade as principal outside consultant to the Hugo Neu Corporation -- an internationally known green investment and operating company with interests in recycling, real estate, water and clean tech companies. In that capacity, PRCG represented the largest metal recycling company in the world, leading public relations efforts surrounding the reintroduction of curbside recycling in the City of New York.

PRCG has also worked with leading developers on issues related to green building and LEED certification, advised one of the nation's largest trucking companies on sustainability issues, and worked with a major company in the cellulose insulation industry as well as their trade group, the Cellulose Insulation Manufacturers Association (CIMA).

In the advocacy arena, PRCG has worked for more than a decade with NRDC on a variety of public relations initiatives, including crisis and media response, and the introduction of the NRDC's Center for Market Initiatives (CMI). Other PRCG clients in the environmental arena include the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) and NY/NJ Baykeeper.

SOURCE The PR Consulting Group