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CRT/tanaka Announces Senior-Level Changes in Health Practice Announcement Reflects Expansion and Growth Within the Practice

Richmond, Va. (May 21, 2007) – CRT/tanaka, an award-winning public relations and marketing firm known for creative solutions and workplace culture, today announced several senior-level changes within the agency’s Health Practice, reflecting growth and expansion of its prescription and over-the-counter drug capabilities within the practice.

Deborah A. Myers, CRT/tanaka senior vice president, has assumed the role of Health Practice leader. She also will continue to serve as general manager of the agency’s Norfolk office. Myers takes over for Brian Ellis, who continues as a CRT/tanaka executive vice president and management team member but will focus on the agency’s crisis/issues management and media training consultancy.

Myers, who has more than 20 years of healthcare public relations and marketing experience, has worked at CRT/tanaka for more than eight years providing strategic counsel, planning, branding, positioning and reputation management to numerous clients including VHA Inc., a national healthcare alliance of more than 1,400 hospitals and a health systems; AMERIGROUP Corporation, a publicly held company that improves healthcare access for low-income Americans and Bon Secours Health System, a not-for-profit, faith-based health system. Prior to joining CRT/tanaka, Myers was director of corporate communications for Sentara Healthcare, a six-hospital integrated healthcare system in Virginia, where she managed public relations, corporate communications and government relations. Before entering the field of public relations, she worked in radio and television as a newscaster, assignment editor, news director and talk show host.

Bruce Lifka has joined the agency as senior vice president in the Health Practice and will lead the growth of the agency’s pharmaceutical business. Lifka brings more than 25 years of brand marketing and public relations experience to CRT/tanaka, having worked for some of the leading pharmaceutical companies in the world, including Pfizer Consumer Healthcare, Pharmacia Consumer Healthcare and Whitehall Robins Healthcare, now a part of Wyeth Consumer Health. Most recently, he served as global director for the tobacco dependence category for Pfizer Consumer Healthcare, serving as the chief marketer for Nicorette. Other brands Lifka has worked for throughout his career include Robitussin, Advil, Rogaine, Celebrex and Detrol.

Donna Ramer has joined the agency as vice president and senior counselor in the Health Practice. Ramer, who also is president of StrategCations, Inc., was named one of “the top 50 Healthcare Agency Executives” by PRWeek magazine. She brings her specialties in internal and external strategic communications, issues/crisis management and media/presentation training for the healthcare industry to CRT/tanaka.

After honing her communications skills at Ruder Finn and GCI, she moved up the ranks to become managing director of Health Sciences at Makovsky Worldwide after several years as principal consultant to Rowland Consulting, where she also supervised activities for the agency’s health and nutraceutical clients. Ramer’s other agency positions included Stratis•KPR and founder, president and CEO of CDHM/Ramer, Inc., an integrated, full-service public relations, promotions and advertising agency in Stamford, Conn.

"There has been exciting activity within the healthcare sector recently. CRT/tanaka’s Health Practice has been a leader within the industry for many years. These changes in our Health Practice strengthen our experience in areas critical to our clients’ success," said Mark Raper, CRT/tanaka chairman and CEO. "We’re looking forward to continued growth within our Health Practice."

About CRT/tanaka
CRT/tanaka is an award-winning public relations and marketing firm, known for creative solutions and workplace culture. The agency was founded in 2005, when Carter Ryley Thomas acquired New York consumer specialist Patrice Tanaka & Company, Inc. to form one of the top independent agencies in the country. Headquartered in Richmond, Va. and New York, with offices in Los Angeles and Norfolk, Va., CRT/tanaka specializes in three practice areas – Health, Consumer and Corporate. CRT/tanaka Health ranks among the top 20 independent firms in healthcare marketing. The agency provides strategic counsel to clients in every sector of the industry including pharmaceuticals, hospitals and health systems, health associations, health insurance providers, medical device and medical supply companies. CRT/tanaka has been recognized with more than 260 national and regional awards. Clients include Owens & Minor, VHA, Inc., AMERIGROUP Corporation, Atkins Nutritionals, Target Stores, Sprint, Capital One, Charles Schwab & Co., Girl Scouts of the USA, Performance Food Group, the national Better Business Bureau and ITT Corporation.