Contact: Scott Warner
703-744-7824
swarner@qorvis.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
 

QORVIS RETAINED BY THREE LEADING BUSINESSES IN GREATER WASHINGTON; ADDS TWO TO P.R. STAFF

Washington , DC- March 18, 2004 – Qorvis Communications LLC, a privately held full service public relations firm, today announced that it was retained by three leading corporations doing business in the Greater Washington, DC market, and that it has added two directors to its professional staff.  The new clients are Coldwell Banker Commercial Capitol Realty Services, an important new entry in the region's commercial real estate community, Claris Capital, an investment banking firm serving the middle market, and First Horizon Bank, a new full-service regional bank being rolled out in Northern Virginia by First Tennessee National Corporation. 

"As the region's economy grows, we are seeing increasing interest in our services from every segment of the economy," said Doug Poretz, a founding partner of Qorvis.  "These new clients are integral parts of the region's business energy: investment banking, consumer and commercial banking and commercial real estate services for owners, users and investors.  We are truly pleased to be working with these companies and the people leading them."  

Claris Capital LLC, member NASD/SIPC, is a private investment bank based in the Washington, DC area that provides expert mergers and acquisitions, financial restructuring and capital formation advisory services to middle-market companies in the information services and technology sectors.  The principals include Charlie Thomas, Warren Martin and Brian Keane, each of whom are well-known players in the region's business community. 

Similarly, Coldwell Banker Commercial Capitol Realty Services was founded by Rick Davidson, who has been involved in the growth of two other leading commercial real estate firms in the region, along with Kirk Boyd, long identified for intimate relationships especially with the region's technology companies and Lee Alexander, who has a long track record in the area of investment sales for major projects.  

First Horizon is a new brand being launched first in the Northern Virginia area by First Tennessee National Corporation, a bank holding company in Memphis, Tennessee and a member of the S&P 500.  First Horizon turned to Terrie G. Spiro to be its first president; she has been involved with the growth of three other banks in the region, twice growing the bank from its earliest stages through to successful acquisitions.  First Horizon is growing by opening seven of it its financial centers in this first stage of expansion.    

Qorvis also announced the additions of two new directors to the firm: Greg Abel and Elissa Dodge. 

Abel joins Qorvis following four years as director of corporate communications for Aether Systems, Inc., a leading provider of wireless data software and solutions.  At Aether, Abel directed public and analyst relations, interacting frequently with top-tier business and technology media and analysts.  

Prior to Aether, Abel spent several years in the sports marketing industry as director of corporate and athlete communications for Octagon, one of the word's leading event management and athlete representation agencies.  

Before joining Qorvis, Dodge was the manager of advocacy at the American Public Transportation Association (APTA), where she was responsible for creating and maintaining the association's coalition building campaigns, internal and external grass roots mobilization efforts and conveying the association's position on a broad range of policy issues. 

Dodge also garnered significant project management experience as a consultant for the State University of New York and then for America's Promise, where she developed and executed strategic communications plans and directed national outreach programs. 

Prior to that, she worked at the National Association of Chain Drug Stores where she served as manager of communications and external affairs.  In this capacity, she developed and administered a national grass roots advocacy program, managed communications strategies and directed several external affairs programs.  

"As we continue to add professionals at all levels, we take very seriously our goal to create an organization where people with a commitment to provide great client service work collegially do just that," Poretz said.  "Our business model is based on working with the best and the brightest, and we are very pleased that Greg and Elissa bring experience and personal commitments consistent with our culture."   

About Qorvis
Qorvis Communications is a client service driven public relations firm.  Formed in August 2000, Qorvis has offices in Washington, DC and McLean, Virginia, and provides its clients with expertise in the areas of investor and financial relations, public affairs, grass roots campaigns, public and media relations, marketing communications, Internet-based campaigns and research and opinion surveys.  The Washington, DC based law firm of Patton Boggs is an investor in and strategic partner to Qorvis.