The campaign’s focus is broad, targeting consumers, the home remodeling industry and the commercial design community.  Kicking off at the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show in Chicago, April 24-26, the new campaign will involve influencer outreach, social and traditional media relations, trade and consumer events, website and digital marketing components, video and social engagement.  

“After our search process, we chose CRT/tanaka because of its creative and strategic approach to brand building and public relations,” said Alison Pulver DeMartino, director of marketing communications for Wilsonart. “Not only do they have a strong heritage in the home and housewares arena, but they have a specific expertise in brand building and marketing to women. We are excited to work with them.”

CRT/tanaka will collaborate with newly hired Bolin Marketing, the Minneapolis-based advertising agency of record for Wilsonart, to execute promotional components of the campaign tied to new advertising. 

“As the market leader in providing beautiful and affordable countertop solutions for the kitchen, Wilsonart’s products are in the sweet spot for anyone looking to remodel,” said Ellen LaNicca Albanese, CRT/tanaka’s executive vice president. “Many consumers are no longer willing to take out the equivalent of a second mortgage just to update their kitchen. The new Wilsonart HD product is not only beautiful; it is affordable, durable and sustainable. We look forward to introducing these new alternatives to high-priced stone to the marketplace.”  

About Wilsonart International, Inc.

Wilsonart is a leading manufacturer of decorative surfacing products including Wilsonart® HD® High Definition® Laminate, Wilsonart® Laminate, Wilsonart® Solid Surface and Wilsonart® Adhesives. The company has been recognized by the Smithsonian Institution’s Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum and Interior Design magazine for design excellence. Wilsonart International is based in Temple, Texas. For more information, call the Wilsonart Customer Service Hotline at 800-433-3222. Consumers can also visit www.WilsonartHD.com and professionals can visit www.WilsonartContract.com.

About CRT/tanaka

CRT/tanaka is an award-winning public relations and marketing firm known for its whatcanbe^SM workplace culture and approach to business. Headquartered in Richmond, Va. and New York, with offices in Los Angeles, Washington, D.C. and Norfolk, Va., CRT/tanaka features four integrated specialties – Consumer; Food, Beverage and Nutrition; Health and Healthy Lifestyles; and Corporate/B2B. The agency has been recognized with more than 325 national and regional awards for its strategic counsel, creativity, workplace culture and community service. Clients include Air New Zealand, BISSELL Homecare Inc., Cambria Suites, Charles Schwab & Co., Council of Better Business Bureaus, the Federation of Quebec Maple Syrup Producers, Girl Scouts of the USA, Network Solutions, Sprint Nextel and Wines from Rioja (Spain). More information about CRT/tanaka is available at www.crt-tanaka.com.

Richmond Va., (April 12, 2012) – Michael Whitlow, APR, executive vice president of CRT/tanaka’s Corporate Practice, has been inducted into the Virginia Communications Hall of Fame. He was one of 14 inducted during a ceremony held at the John Marshall in downtown Richmond.

The Virginia Communications Hall of Fame, established by Virginia Commonwealth University’s School of Mass Communications, recognizes individuals who have shown exceptional achievement in the fields of print, broadcast, public relations, advertising and interactive media, including cable and the Internet. Inductees are nominated and selected by their peers. This year marks the program’s 25^th anniversary.

Whitlow is the second CRT/tanaka executive to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. Mark Raper, CRT/tanaka chairman and CEO, was inducted in 2008.

“Receiving the Hall of Fame recognition is a great honor for a Virginia boy,” Whitlow said. “I’m reminded of the significance of mentors in our lives as I look at the men and women inducted over the years. From Virginius Dabney and Jeff MacNelly to Prescott Rowe and Mark Raper, I’ve received the benefits of learning from the experiences of so many Hall of Fame communicators.”

While at CRT/tanaka, Whitlow has provided strategic counsel to numerous clients including Schering-Plough Pharmaceuticals, BISSELL Homecare, Council of Better Business Bureaus, U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council, Shell Oil and many others. He has extensive experience in B2B and consumer marketing, as well as corporate social responsibility (CSR) and other categories of his practice’s service offerings.

Previously, Whitlow was the vice president of investor relations and held two other officer positions on the global leadership team of Albemarle Corporation (NTSE: ALB), a specialty chemical manufacturer, heading external affairs and Americas sales and global accounts. Whitlow has been responsible for merger and acquisitions, spin-offs, divestitures and initial public offerings and secondary offering communications of public companies, including work with the NASDAQ, NYSE and the FTSE exchanges.

He also has served as a public company’s primary contact with Wall Street. Prior to his 15-year stint in the corporate world, Whitlow was with Lawler Ballard Public Relations as an officer specializing in corporate accounts and leader of a regional office. He also served as director of communications for the Virginia Group offices of Coopers & Lybrand, now PwC.

Whitlow earned a bachelor’s degree in mass communications at Virginia Commonwealth University, and he has served as an adjunct faculty member at VCU and at the University of Richmond. He also has completed executive education programs in chemistry at Duke University and in finance at the Darden Graduate School of Business of the University of Virginia. He is an accredited member of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA).

Other 2012 inductees include:

• Robert Dementi, owner of Dementi Photography
• Margie Fisher, Roanoke Times reporter and columnist
• Trafton Robertson, Norfolk radio broadcaster
• Michael Salster, newspaper publisher/editor, public relations consultant, corporate and political communications director and Virginia human resources executive
• Mike Allen, chief White House correspondent for Politico.com
• Brad Armstrong, advertising executive at the Martin Agency
• Bob Griggs, retired broadcast journalist with WWBT-TV
• William C. Hall Jr., vice president of executive communications for Dominion Resources
•  James Raper, retired Virginian-Pilot journalist and communications manager
• Hampden H. Smith III, Washington and Lee University professor emeritus
• Sabrina Squire, WWBT-TV news anchor
• H. Graham Woodlief, retired Media General COO

 About CRT/tanaka

CRT/tanaka is an award-winning public relations and marketing firm known for its whatcanbe^SM workplace culture and approach to business. Headquartered in Richmond, Va. and New York, with offices in Los Angeles, Washington, D.C. and Norfolk, Va., CRT/tanaka features four integrated specialties – Food, Beverage and Nutrition; Health and Healthy Lifestyles; Consumer and Corporate/B2B. The agency has been recognized with more than 325 national and regional awards for its strategic counsel, creativity, workplace culture and community service. Clients include Air New Zealand, BISSELL Homecare Inc., Cambria Suites, Charles Schwab & Co., Council of Better Business Bureaus, the Federation of Quebec Maple Syrup Producers, Girl Scouts of the USA, Network Solutions, Sprint Nextel and Wines from Rioja (Spain). More information about CRT/tanaka is available at www.crt-tanaka.com.

RICHMOND, Va. (January 10, 2012) – CRT/tanaka, an award-winning public relations and marketing firm known for creative solutions and workplace culture, today announced the hiring of Lauren Peretti as an assistant account executive in the agency’s Richmond office. Peretti will provide support for the agency’s Corporate Practice, working on such accounts as Sprint, Barnes & Noble College and Satmetrix Systems, Inc., as well as assist with business development and agency promotion efforts.

Prior to joining CRT/tanaka, Peretti served as an account coordinator for Think Communications in Pittsburgh, Pa., where she coordinated and developed strategic marketing communications campaigns for food and beverage, retail, healthcare and trade accounts, including Eat’n Park Restaurants, World of Wheels, Philips Respironics, Highmark and Matthews International. Her past experience includes three years at West Virginia University Eberly College of Arts and Sciences, where she covered media relations, developed editorial content and managed social media.

“We are delighted that Lauren has joined our Richmond staff,” said Scott Davila, vice president of CRT/tanaka’s Corporate/B2B Practice. “She brings with her broad education and experience in public relations, branding and marketing communications that will be valuable to our clients.”

Peretti received a master’s degree in integrated marketing communications and a bachelor’s degree in journalism from West Virginia University, where she concentrated her efforts on branding and public relations.

About CRT/tanaka                                  

CRT/tanaka is an award-winning public relations and marketing firm known for its whatcanbe^SM workplace culture and approach to business. Headquartered in Richmond, Va. and New York, with offices in Los Angeles, Washington, D.C. and Norfolk, Va., CRT/tanaka features four integrated specialties – Consumer, Health, Corporate and Interactive/Social Media. The agency has been recognized with more than 325 national and regional awards for its strategic counsel, creativity, workplace culture and community service. Clients include Air New Zealand, BISSELL Homecare Inc., Cambria Suites, Charles Schwab & Co., Council of Better Business Bureaus, the Federation of Quebec Maple Syrup Producers, Girl Scouts of the USA, Network Solutions, Sprint Nextel and Wines from Rioja (Spain). More information about CRT/tanaka is available at www.crt-tanaka.com.

• Pia Mara Finkell has been promoted from associate vice president to vice president in the agency’s Richmond office. Pia supports the agency’s Consumer Practice, working on accounts including Vibrant Rioja, the Federation of Quebec Maple Syrup Producers and other food and beverage clients.
• Sara Dunaj has been promoted from account executive to senior account executive in the agency’s Los Angeles office. Sara also supports the agency’s Consumer Practice, working on accounts including Air New Zealand and Cambria Suites.

About CRT/tanaka

CRT/tanaka is an award-winning public relations and marketing firm known for its whatcanbe^SM workplace culture and approach to business. Headquartered in Richmond, Va., and New York, with offices in Los Angeles, Washington, D.C. and Norfolk, Va., CRT/tanaka features five integrated specialties – Consumer, Health, Corporate, Interactive/Social Media and its Lewis & Neale food-only division. The agency has been recognized with more than 325 national and regional awards for its strategic counsel, creativity, workplace culture and community service. Clients include Air New Zealand, BISSELL Homecare Inc., Barnes & Noble College, Cambria Suites, Charles Schwab & Co., the Council for Responsible Nutrition, Council of Better Business Bureaus, the Federation of Quebec Maple Syrup Producers, Girl Scouts of the USA, Network Solutions, Sprint Nextel, and Wines from Rioja (Spain). More information about CRT/tanaka is available at www.crt-tanaka.com.   

Finkell

Dunaj

LOS ANGLES (July 18, 2011)

Rexroad replaces Marcy Walsh, a 15-year veteran of CRT/tanaka who has taken a senior management position in the agency’s New York office. Before Blaze, Rexroad held key leadership positions with Rogers Public Relations, Manning, Salvage & Lee, Rogers & Cowan and Edelman.

“Craig’s diverse, award-winning experience and his dedication to world-class client service will be invaluable in the continued expansion of our West Coast operations,” said Mark Raper, CRT/tanaka chairman and CEO.

Rexroad earned his bachelor’s degree in communications with a concentration in public relations from the University of the Pacific in Stockton, Calif. He also has earned many industry awards, including numerous Silver and Bronze Anvils from the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA). Rexroad also is a highly sought after public speaker.

“There are few times in life when you get an opportunity to be a part of something that is as positive and dynamic as this agency. I am looking forward to being able to contribute in any way I can and continue the standard that has been set in Los Angeles and in each of our offices,” Rexroad said.

About CRT/tanaka

CRT/tanaka is an award-winning public relations and marketing firm known for its whatcanbe^SM workplace culture and approach to business. Headquartered in Richmond, Va., and New York, with offices in Los Angeles, Washington, D.C. and Norfolk, Va., CRT/tanaka features five integrated specialties – Consumer, Health, Corporate, Interactive/Social Media and its Lewis & Neale food-only division. The agency has been recognized with more than 325 national and regional awards for its strategic counsel, creativity, workplace culture and community service. Clients include Air New Zealand, BISSELL Homecare Inc., Barnes & Noble College, Cambria Suites, Charles Schwab & Co., the Council for Responsible Nutrition, Council of Better Business Bureaus, the Federation of Quebec Maple Syrup Producers, Girl Scouts of the USA, Network Solutions, Sprint Nextel, and Wines from Rioja (Spain). More information about CRT/tanaka is available at www.crt-tanaka.com.