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Pierpont Communications 10th Anniversary Party at Icenhaur’s
Pierpont Communications — not Pierpoint, thank you — started in Houston. It spread to Dallas, San Antonio and, 10 years ago, Austin. The integrated marketing and public relations firm survived the economic crises of 2001 beyond, long enough to toast its 10th anniversary at Icenhaur’s in the rapidly changing Rainey Street district.
Sylvester Palacios and Danielle Urban
Its Austin employees, plus some honchos from Houston, appeared more allied to the corporate world than many PR folks in Austin do — starting with tailored suits after 5 p.m. and cautious, if cheerful manners. The contrast between this carefully polished culture and the bar in hipster Rainey — albeit an entertainment district now developed by a Houstonian — was immediately clear.
Stacy Armijo and Angela Brutsche
Luckily, I spoke at length with several Pierpont leaders, including CEO Phil Morabito, mostly about our Houston roots, but also the changing PR business. Executive counsel Terry Hemeyer, who teaches in the University of Texas School of Communications, and I compared notes on bringing practical wisdom into the classroom when dealing with media relations. Vice president and general manager Stacy Armijo and I share many interests, including area philanthropies.
Phil Morabito, Terry Hemeyer and Danielle Urban
Pierpont — my fingers type in an extra “i” every time, even when I am consciously attempting to avert that misspelling — fascinates me. I love hearing about their (studiously unnamed) clients who lie to their PR firms, or who fly into the teeth of crisis control without following common-sense advice.
It doesn’t matter which parties I go to, I learn something.
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