CONTACT: Scott Warner
Qorvis Communications
703-744-7824
swarner@qorvis.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

QORVIS COMMUNICATIONS PROMOTES CORBETT, MCCORMICK TO PARTNERS
Growing agency announces 10 promotions across the board

Washington, DC - Feb. 27, 2006 - Qorvis Communications today announced 10 promotions, including the promotions of Maura Corbett and Kelley McCormick from managing directors to partners.   

Corbett, who is widely recognized as an expert on technology public affairs, joined Qorvis soon after its inception in 2000.  She has more than 15 years experience in competitive telecommunications and broadband technologies wireless applications including unlicensed spectrum technologies, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and coalition building within the high technology industry.  Corbett provides strategic counsel, integrated communications, government affairs and grassroots advocacy to clients from all sectors of the high-tech industry, including Amazon, Yahoo! and Google. 

McCormick joined Qorvis in 2002 with more than 13 years experience in consumer marketing, corporate affairs and reputation management.  She oversees corporate communications for a global spirits and wine company, Beam Global Spirits & Wine, and local marketing efforts for First Horizon Bank and Feld Entertainment, one of the world’s largest entertainment companies.  Her pro-bono efforts include providing counsel to the Earth Conservation Corps and YouthAIDS. She previously worked for Weber Shandwick and Ketchum.

“Qorvis partners are recognized as influencers and mentors, inventive, enthusiastic and experts in their field,” said managing partner Michael Petruzzello.  “In addition to generating and managing large accounts, Maura and Kelley both exemplify the values of Qorvis, and they have been instrumental in building our unique culture and in being great leaders for the rest of our team.”

Additionally, Petruzzello announced the promotion of eight other employees, including:

  • Carrie Blewitt to managing director: An employee since fall 2003, Blewitt manages corporate communications for SafeNet, Inc., one of the fastest growing information security companies in the world.
  • Jason Siegel to managing director: Siegel launched Qorvis’ Creative Services practice in fall 2004 and now heads-up more than $1.2 million in business.
  • Jack Deschauer to director: One of the agency’s first employees, Deschauer now focuses on government relations and crisis communications.
  • Jim Clouse to IT director: Jim oversees Qorvis’ continually evolving technical support department.
  • Kevin Sung to Senior Associate, Creative Services: Sung specializes in program coding and design for Qorvis’ creative clients.
  • Jesse Thomas to Senior Associate, Creative Services: Thomas helps with Internet and graphic design.
  • Nicole Chardavoyne to Senior Associate:  Chardavoyne has been a major contributor to accounts including Allied Domecq (now Beam Global Spirits & Wine) and YouthAIDS.
  • Kevin Frisby to Assistant Comptroller, Financial Accounting department.

Five-year-old Qorvis is one of the largest independently owned and among the fastest growing public relations firms in the nation.  With offices in downtown Washington, DC and Tysons Corner, VA, the company serves a wide-range of clients with a unique “no silos” integration of a full range of integrated communications services.

“We clearly have an outstanding team and a unique culture,” Petruzzello said.  “Thus far, 2006 is shaping up to be a year of major growth and significant achievements for our clients.” 

About Qorvis Communications, LLC.
Qorvis Communications is a client service driven public relations firm.  Formed in August 2000, Qorvis has offices in Washington, DC, and McLean, Va., and provides its clients with expertise in the areas of investor and financial relations, public affairs, grassroots campaigns, public and media relations, marketing communications, media training, Internet-based campaigns and research and opinion surveys.  Because the company avoids timesheets, collegiality and comprehensive sharing of expertise among professionals is encouraged and silos between practice areas do not exist.    For more information, visit http://www.qorvis.com.   For Qorvis news, visit http://www.qorvisnews.com.