Zeno Group Opens Silicon Valley Office and Expands Technology Practice

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Nov 17, 2011, 03:21 ET

SILICON VALLEY, Calif., Nov. 17, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Building on its significant growth over the last two years, Zeno Group announced plans today to open a full-service office in Silicon Valley that will headquarter its expanded technology practice, effective December 1. This will be Zeno's sixth office, adding to current operations in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Dallas and Toronto.

The new office and overall Zeno Technology practice will be led by Todd Irwin as Managing Director/Technology, reporting to Barby K. Siegel, Zeno Group, CEO. Forming the core of Irwin's leadership team will be four vice presidents who previously worked for Irwin -- Victoria Brown, Monica Walsh, Katie Wood Znameroski and Mary Ellen Ynes. These five executives most recently worked at Edelman/San Mateo. Edelman and Zeno Group are sister agencies, part of the Daniel J Edelman family of companies.

Zeno/Silicon Valley will work across the full range of established and emerging sectors including clean technology, enterprise technology, life sciences, consumer technology and corporate communications while providing the full suite of traditional, social media and digital engagement capabilities.

The initial portfolio of clients will include VeriFone Systems, Life Technologies, Q-Cells, and The Churchill Club, among others.

"I am excited to be working with the team at Zeno and honored to be one of the first clients for the new Zeno Silicon Valley office," said Jaime Rupert, assistant vice president of corporate communications for Life Technologies. "With the consistency of a team that I've worked with time and again, I'm confident that Zeno will deliver sound strategy and impressive results. Furthermore, Zeno's challenger perspective resonates with our view of the world at Life Technologies as we seek to break DNA technology out of the lab. I can't wait to see what the Zeno team can do."

Making the most of the firm's one P&L model, the Zeno/Silicon Valley team will work seamlessly across the network, bringing together additional resources from various parts of the firm to serve client needs. Of note, Zeno/LA currently handles a variety of consumer tech and digital marketing brands across advertising, animation, gaming and mobile including Dreamworks Animation, Expedia Media Solutions, Mobio, Tingle, Webtrends and Zinio.

"With consecutive years of double-digit growth, the Zeno brand has never been stronger. The time is right for Zeno to assert its unique brand in partnership with technology clients. We see a real appetite in the marketplace for a mid-size agency that brings together big, strategic thinking with flawless execution. Zeno's challenger mindset and fearless spirit has served the firm well over the last few years, and we look forward to leveraging our brand with current and future client partners," said Siegel.

In 2011, Zeno Group was named PR Week Agency of the Year and Creative Agency of the Year by The Holmes Report.

Irwin brings more than 20 years of public relations experience across a full spectrum of capabilities including corporate and executive communications, financial, enterprise technology and consumer technology companies, from start ups to multi-billion dollar corporations. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Churchill Club, the non-profit thought-leadership forum in Silicon Valley.

"The transformation and evolution of Zeno Group is an amazing story of innovation and collaboration fueled by great talent, deep client partnerships and sheer determination. I am excited to be part of bringing Zeno back to its technology roots, which is how the firm began some 13 years ago. Zeno's commitment to research, insights and strategy coupled with its commitment to day-to-day senior staff involvement, one P&L and a fast, nimble, approach makes for a very compelling proposition for clients seeking a highly engaged and business-building focused communications partner," said Irwin.

Todd's client experience includes Adobe, 3Com, InVision Technologies, Citrix, Golden Gate Capital, Mozilla, Cricket Communications and the Salt Lake Organizing Committee for the 2002 Winter Olympic Games, just to name a few. Since 2008, Todd served as executive vice president and general manager of Edelman's San Mateo office, and under his leadership, Edelman extended its position as the largest firm in Silicon Valley. Prior to joining Edelman in 2006, Todd was a partner at A&R Partners and before that was senior vice president at Coltrin & Associates, responsible for establishing its San Francisco presence following many years in Coltrin's New York office.

About Zeno Group
Zeno Group is a different type of PR agency that operates as one firm across offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Dallas, Toronto and Silicon Valley. Zeno Group was named 2011 Agency of the Year by PRWeek and 2011 Creative Agency of the Year by the Holmes Report. The firm specializes in marketing consumer, health and technology brands. Clients include: Allstate Foundation, AstraZeneca, Bausch + Lomb, Kia Motors America, Lipton, Mobio, Nature's Path, Pizza Hut, Redbox, Seattle's Best Coffee (Starbucks), Sears, Scott's Miracle Gro, WebTrends and Wise Window. Zeno Group is a member of the Daniel J Edelman Company. Please visit us at www.zenogroup.com and follow us @zenogroup.