Montreal/Toronto-based holding and management company Avenir Global- (parent company of NATIONAL) has acquired Padilla.
We are delighted & honored to share that we introduced & facilitated the merging of two great firms.
Rick Gould, Managing Partner said, “We worked closely with Avenir Global (then NATIONAL) in their acquisition of SHIFT in May of 2016. We learned quickly about the culture of NATIONAL, their extraordinary leadership team and strategy for growth. Padilla was a natural acquisition prospect.
Gould added, “I have also known Lynn Casey and the Padilla firm for 20+ years. I have watched their growth, their acquisitions of Patrice Tanaka’s firm and Carter Riley Thomas (CRT) and their ease of integrating the firms.”
Padilla CEO Lynn Casey is transitioning to the role of chair, while Matt Kucharski moves up to lead the agency as president. Both will report to Avenir president and CEO Jean-Pierre Vasseur.
According to Jean-Pierre Vasseur, “Lynn will oversee Padilla and support Matt in any way she can and help with special projects. One of them is the collaboration of our U.S. operations. She will spend time with those firms and share our expertise and knowledge and make sure we make the most of it for our clients.”
Avenir’s other U.S. agencies include Shift Communications and Axon Communications.
Lynn Casey, who has led Padilla since 2001, said she is “thrilled” for Kucharski as her successor. Kucharski has worked at Padilla since 1989. Last February, he was promoted to president. “Padilla is in his DNA,” said Casey. “It was important for me that he as my successor would have the kind of rewarding experience I have been able to have for the past 17 years. We are excited for the future.”
Avenir Global decided to acquire Padilla because of its talent, Minneapolis headquarters, and the firm’s industry experience. With this deal, Avenir Global will have 330 staffers in Boston; Richmond, Virginia; Washington, DC; New York; Chicago; Minneapolis; Austin, Texas; and San Francisco.
“Padilla’s industry expertise complements our expertise very well,” said CEO Vasseur.
Padilla offers PR, advertising, digital and social marketing, IR, crisis management, and brand strategy services with specialties in food and beverage, agribusiness, health, manufacturing, technology, and consumer products and services. Padilla includes brand consultancy Joe Smith, FoodMinds, and SMS Research Advisors.
Padilla and Avenir began discussions a year ago. Because Padilla is employee-owned, the financial bar was set by an independent trustee.
Founded in 1961, Padilla had 2017 net revenue of $40 million and 210 employees in six offices across the U.S. Clients include 3M, Cargill Animal Nutrition, Mayo Clinic, and Sanofi Pasteur.
Last November, National PR established Avenir Global, which manages the firm along with subsidiaries National, Madano, Axon Communications, and Shift Communications. Avenir is owned by Res Publica Consulting Group. It has 760 staffers in 21 offices across Canada, the U.S., and Europe.