Open Channels Group

Who We Are
- Rebecca Bartholomew is a skilled graphic design artist who understands communication strategies. In addition to her graphic design duties, Bartholomew handles event coordination, plans social media programs and assists in the implementation of PR campaigns. With a creative edge in design and writing, Bartholomew delivers quality work to clients.
  
  Tamesha Walker has experience in organizational and project development, event coordinating and fundraising campaigns. With a flair for creativity and the ability to critically evaluate situations, Walker has a passion for special events. She is particularly skilled in handling event details, from budget analysis and timeline development to overseeing vendor responsibilities and precise catering to the client's needs.
  
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  Brittany Taylor is a public relations professional who began her career as an intern with Open Channels Group. In a short time period, Taylor has gained knowledge and experience in strategic planning, implementing communication strategies, government affairs, and public participation. Her past experiences have given her the opportunity to grow in media relations, writing and execution.
  
  Stephen Fashoro specializes in maximizing clients' communication strategies, generating media interest and building relationships throughout the community. His experience ranges from the public sector, which consists of strong community involvement, crisis management and web marketing development to increasing public and private sector clients' presence in the media by cultivating relationships with the press and thorough attention to detail.
  
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  Corey Lark is a talented communicator whose creativity, writing ability, graphic design knowledge, and passion for social media allow her to provide a wide range of services and deliver quality work. Lark's background also includes event planning, community outreach and media relations. She is vice president of Social Media Club Fort Worth, and is a member of the Public Relations Society of America and Vision Fort Worth.
  
  D'Andre Brock has hands-on experience developing, managing and executing media relations, public relations and marketing campaigns. Her background also includes internal/external communications, community relations, event planning, and brand awareness for organizations in both the corporate and nonprofit sectors. Brock is a talented communicator, possessing extensive knowledge of news releases, feature writing, editing, and pitching.
  
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  Kimberly Sims leads the firm's growing public participation practice and is responsible for engaging the public on transportation, water quality and economic development projects. Sims' background includes more than 10 years in marketing, communications, stakeholder relations, and event planning. Her experience in the public sector gives her tremendous insight in crafting and executing successful public participation and outreach campaigns.
  
  Chris Turner leads the communications team, helping clients advance strategic business objectives by effectively and clearly communicating their messages to targeted audiences. Turner has a strong background in communications and the shaping of public opinion, having spent years in the Texas political arena. Most recently, Turner served as a state representative, representing parts of Fort Worth and Arlington. Prior to holding elective office, Turner managed a number of successful political campaigns and served as the district director for a senior member of Congress.
  
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  Tonya Veasey founded Open Channels Group in 2005 after more than 10 years in the public affairs industry. She is known for her impeccable relationships, political know-how and community outreach efforts conducted on behalf of her clients. As president, Veasey provides consulting for top corporations and nonprofits and has assembled a top-notch staff to serve her company's clients. Veasey has past experience as a registered lobbyist and as a director of public affairs for a Fortune 500 Company.
  
  Malizy Scruggs is responsible for the firm's marketing and day-to-day operations and advises clients on integrated communications strategies. She has nearly a decade of experience as a public relations practitioner in the areas of internal/external communications, media relations, government affairs, and crisis communications. Scruggs serves on the Public Relations Society of America Dallas Chapter Board and is a member of the National Association of Black Journalists.
- Who We Are
  
  What We Do
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  How it Started
  
  Open Channels Group is a Fort Worth, Texas-based company that was founded by Tonya Veasey in 2005. What started as a small consulting business with one client has quickly grown into a prominent public relations agency in the Dallas/Fort Worth region. In an industry where reputation is everything, Open Channels Group has experienced success and dramatic growth by living up to its motto: "exceeding our clients' expectations."
  
  Over the last five years, Open Channels Group has assembled a top-flight team of communications and public affairs professionals who pride themselves on getting results for the company's clients. Open Channels Group team members' backgrounds range from Fortune 500 experience to major governmental entities; from media relations to graphic design; from event planning to social media expertise.
  
  As Open Channels Group continues to grow, the company remains committed to providing each client with a unique approach tailored to meet its specific needs and business objectives.
News

12% growth in market visibility since 2008.

Encouraging Economic Development Throughout Fort Worth by Empowering the Modern Streetcar

Encouraging Economic Development Throughout Fort Worth by Empowering the Modern Streetcar

Encouraging Economic Development Throughout Fort Worth by Empowering the Modern Streetcar

Encouraging Economic Development Throughout Fort Worth by Empowering the Modern Streetcar

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President & Founder of Open Channels Group Honored by Dallas Business Journal

Fort Worth, Texas – The Dallas Business Journal honored the president and founder of Open Channels Group (OCG), Tonya Veasey, by recognizing her as one of the region's Minority Business Leaders. Veasey, who opened OCG's doors in 2005, was is of 21 business leaders selected for this year's award.

"I am very grateful for the recognition from the Dallas Business Journal," Veasey said. "Being selected to stand with so many impressive minority business leaders is an honor and I look forward to celebrating all of our achievements at the awards luncheon in May."

Every year the Dallas Business Journal calls for Minority Business Leader nominations. Those chosen represent business leaders who have experienced great success in the past year and make giving back to the DFW region a priority.

Veasey has provided public affairs consulting to top companies and non-profit organizations including Baylor Healthcare System, Texas Motor Speedway, HNTB, Cook Children's and Samaritan House. She has quickly grown her solo practice to a full-service public relations firm employing 13 people.

Veasey's community involvement is extensive and the list of accolades is equally long. She serves on the Board of Directors for several prominent local organizations, including Tarrant County Minority Leaders and Citizens Council, Cancer Care Services of Tarrant County, Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce and the Fort Worth Metropolitan Black Chamber of Commerce. In addition, Veasey was selected as the 1999 City of Fort Worth Woman of the Year in Public Service and featured as one of Fort Worth Business Press' 40 Under 40 in 2002. She is also the 2007 recipient of the coveted Madame C.J. Walker Award from the Fort Worth Metropolitan Black Chamber of Commerce and the 2009 recipient of the Dallas Black Chamber of Commerce Quest for Success Award.

About Open Channels Group

Open Channels Group is a Fort Worth, Texas-based public relations and strategic communications company founded by Tonya Veasey in 2005. What started as a small consulting business with one client has quickly grown into a prominent public relations agency in the Dallas/Fort Worth region. In an industry where reputation is everything, Open Channels Group has experienced success and dramatic growth by living up to its motto: "exceeding our clients' expectations."

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2010 Dallas Black Chamber Quest for Success Honoree

The Dallas Black Chamber of Commerce honored Open Channels Group Founder and President, Tonya Veasey with the 2010 Quest for Success Award. The prestigious recognition is given to eight North Texas entrepreneurs who have succeeded in business and are making a difference in the community.

Veasey was nominated for the award by Devoyd Jennings, president of the Fort Worth Metropolitan Black Chamber of Commerce. "Tonya is deserving of this recognition because she has built an incredibly successful company in a very short period of time while continuously giving back to her community and maintaining her strong local roots," Jennings said.

"To receive the Quest for Success Award is an incredible honor, and it is one that I share with my team at Open Channels Group and my family," said Veasey. "I am humbled to be in the company of so many other accomplished business leaders who have received this award over the years. This recognition is one more indication that at Open Channels Group, we work hard to exceed our clients' expectations."

Veasey is the only 2010 Quest for Success recipient from Fort Worth. According to the Dallas Black Chamber, the Quest for Success Awards were begun 26 years ago to recognize "the success and community service of outstanding entrepreneurs in the Dallas and Fort Worth area."

Veasey founded Open Channels Group in 2005, and now oversees a full-time staff of eight. The company is a full-service communications and public affairs firm with offices in Fort Worth and Atlanta.

In addition to running and growing her company, Veasey stays active in the community. She is serving on two North Texas Super Bowl Committees and is active in the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce and Fort Worth Metropolitan Black Chamber of Commerce. She also sits on the board of the Tarrant County Hospital District.

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Open Channels Group Selects Local Non-Profit for Pro-Bono Contract

Recovery Resource Council named 2011 beneficiary

To print this story,download a copy in PDF format.

FORT WORTH - Open Channels Group (OCG), a Fort Worth-based public relations and strategic communications firm, selected Recovery Resource Council as its 2011 pro bono client. The Recovery Resource Council will receive up to $25,000 in professional public relations consulting services throughout 2011. During that time, OCG will offer its expertise in communications planning to increase awareness of Recovery Resource Council in the community and better help the organization tell their story. Recovery Resource Council was chosen because of its mission, vision and need for services.

"The idea of giving back is a part of who I am and as a result it has become a part of our company culture," said Tonya Veasey, president and founder of OCG. "By lending our expertise to Recovery Resource Council, we will be able to help them maximize their impact on the community."

OCG started its pro bono initiative in 2009 as a way to give back to the community. Day Resource Center was the 2010 recipient benefitting from OCG's pro bono public relations consulting services. OCG performed research and developed a communications strategy to support Day Resource Center's short term public relations goals and objectives of increasing its base of community support, which included a compelling message about its fight to end homelessness and expanding its online presence. OCG will provide similar work for Recovery Resource Council.

"Recovery Resource Council is grateful for the opportunity to work with Open Channels Group," said Recovery Resource Council CEO Eric Niedermayer. "With their help, we will be able to reach more people and reduce the amount of drug and alcohol abuse in our community."

This year, OCG received a record number of applicants demonstrating non-profits' needs for public relations services. OCG is proud of its track record of community giving and hopes to encourage other businesses to follow in its footsteps with similar pro bono programs.

Download the full press release or email info@openchannelsgroup.com for more information.

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Two Senior-Level Staff Additions Expand Capabilities in Public Participation and Communications

Open Channels Group, (OCG) a Fort Worth-based public relations agency, has recently added two senior-level employees to help manage the company's growing portfolios in public affairs and communications.

Kimberly Sims is OCG's new director of public participation and will oversee the firm's growing public participation practice. Sims will work with OCG's clients to engage the public on vital transportation, water quality and economic development projects to ensure that the viewpoints of the public are taken into account and acted upon.

Sims is a veteran of public affairs in North Texas. Previously, Sims served as the director of investor relations and the Director of Women's Business Issues for the Dallas Regional Chamber. In these roles she led the DFW Marketing Team, a regional marketing alliance of economic development agencies in the Dallas/Fort Worth region and directed the implementation of the Women's Business Conference, a professional development conference. Sims has also served as a public information representative for the City of Dallas Economic Development and Human Resources department.

Chris Turner joins OCG as vice-president of communications. In this capacity, Turner will lead the communications team, helping clients advance their strategic business objectives by effectively and clearly communicating their messages to intended audiences.

Turner has a strong background in communications and the shaping of public opinion, having spent years in the Texas political arena. Most recently, Turner served as State Representative in District 96. Prior to holding elective office, Turner managed a number of successful political campaigns and served as the district director for a senior Member of Congress.

"I am thrilled to have Kimberly Sims and Chris Turner on our Open Channels Group team," said Tonya Veasey, OCG president. "They both bring a wealth of experience and knowledge to the table in their respective fields and will help OCG continue to live up to our motto of 'exceeding our clients' expectations.'"

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Home
- The core of our public affairs approach is building relationships. The strong roots and trust we have established within the community allows us to fully engage strategically-identified audiences for our clients on public participation projects.
  
  We take the approach to the next level and see our clients through the implementation of our ideas.
  
  Our approach to government affairs is centered on establishing and maintaining mutually-beneficial relationships and positioning our clients as authentic community partners.
  
  Learn more about our Public Affairs practice.
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Communication
- A good communications strategy isn't just a press release; PR involves much more than a story in the newspaper. Both require a comprehensive and integrated plan that utilizes multiple communications tools to advance an organization's strategic business objectives. To be successful, a communications strategy has to be executed effectively. To be executed effectively, it has to be planned thoroughly.
  
  At Open Channels Group, we know that every good communications plan will be unique to the client. Our planning process focuses on our client's goals and gives way to key insights that bring light to innovative ideas. What worked last year may not work this year; what worked for Company A won't necessarily work for Company B. That's why we develop specific communication plans to meet each client's specific needs, that deliver tangible, measurable results.
  
  So what goes into good communication planning and execution? Here's an example of what we integrate into all our plans:
  
  •  Message development
  •  Identification of target audiences
  •  News media relations
  •  Social media
  •  Crisis communications contingencies
  
  •  Rapid response
  •  Online communication
  •  Printed materials (collateral, direct mail, etc.)
  •  Clear communications procedures and protocols
  •  Measurement criteria
  
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  Marketing
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  Keeping Our Promise
  
  Cook Children's Health Care System
  
  Situation: Cook Children's Health Care System, one of the nation's top pediatric health care providers, retained Open Channels Group (OCG) in 2009 to tell the story of its extensive community benefit work, which is made possible because of its not-for-profit status.
  
  Task: OCG was charged with creating a plan to help Cook Children's communicate the extent of its community benefit program to key audiences. The goal was to increase awareness about the beneficial nature of Cook Children's community benefit initiatives to the community at large.
  
  Action: OCG developed an extensive communications plan. A major element of the plan was to write and design a brochure that detailed community benefit initiatives in a thorough, yet readable manner. OCG met with Cook Children's staff who managed the various community benefit programs and collected a large amount of information on each initiative.
  
  OCG then distilled this information down into a relatively brief yet informative summary, entitled Keeping Our Promise (the title is a reference to the Cook Children's Promise: "Knowing that every child's life is sacred, it is the promise of Cook Children's to improve the health of every child in our region through the prevention and treatment of illness, disease and injury.") OCG wrote and conceptualized the document, then worked with Cook Children's internal marketing team to produce the finished product.
  
  Result: With Keeping Our Promise, Cook Children's has a new, effective tool with which to communicate its commitment to the area it serves and underscore the immense value of its community benefit. This is the first time there has been a dedicated piece of collateral on this topic, and it has been mailed and distributed to numerous opinion leaders and decision makers, keeping them better informed of the important work Cook Children's is doing.
  
  For a complete capabilities brochure, please email info@openchannelsgroup.com.
Public Affairs
- From community relations and public participation to crisis management and advocacy, Open Channels Group has earned its successes by providing public affairs strategies that build public trust and forge relationships with the right stakeholders. What's more, we combine our experience, political insight, stakeholder relationship management, and audience segmentation to develop a public affairs approach that meet your objectives and deliver tangible results.
  
  Our 360-approach to public affairs planning is efficient, flexible, strategic, and logical which empowers us to uncover underlying public assumptions, identify target audiences we hope to influence and generate a sound plan that will motivate them to action.
  
  Because every project is different, our team conducts research to ensure we understand your business, target audience demographics, cultural nuances, and public expectations for each project we take on. By taking a holistic view, we uncover the appropriate modes and channels for engagement to better help you navigate the challenges of politically-charged environments.
  
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- What We Do
  
  Case Study
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  Public Participation in Tarrant County
  
  HNTB Corporation
  
  Situation: HNTB Corporation hired Open Channels Group (OCG) in early 2008 to handle public participation for three of North Texas Tollway Authority's (NTTA) proposed toll road projects in Tarrant County: Southwest Parkway/Chisholm Trail Parkway, State Highway (SH) 360 and SH 170.
  
  Task: Working in accordance with state and federal regulations, OCG is responsible for overseeing public participation efforts in Tarrant and Johnson County for the NTTA.
  
  Action: OCG's approach to public participation for the three proposed toll projects is multi-faceted. From community education and meeting planning to issues management, OCG develops relationships with stakeholders at all levels on behalf of the NTTA. In addition, for each project OCG strategically identifies and maintains stakeholder contact lists; compiles monthly reports; creates website content; handles phone and e-mail citizen inquiries; monitors news and gathers information for media inquiries; plans and facilitates meetings with stakeholder and community groups; and attends transportation and tolling industry meetings.
  
  Result: OCG remains an instrumental resource for keeping NTTA and HNTB Corporation connected to the pulse of the community and business and political environments in Tarrant and Johnson counties.
  
  For a complete capabilities brochure, please email info@openchannelsgroup.com.