Chicago based Walker Sands Joins PROI Worldwide Partnership

NEW YORK – July 2, 2013 – Walker Sands, a public relations and digital marketing agency for B2B and technology companies, has been selected to become a partner in one of the world’s largest partnerships of independent public relations firms, PROI Worldwide. The inclusion of Walker Sands is part of PROI Worldwide’s current expansion into a number of new markets around the world. As the only PROI Worldwide partner firm based in Chicago, Walker Sands will play an integral role in the organization supporting communications efforts in this market and for B2B and technology industries. “As a full-service agency with a dedicated digital division, Walker Sands was a natural choice for us when we explored which Chicago based communications firm would best fit with our partners,” said Bob Frause, Worldwide Chair, PROI Worldwide. “As we continue to grow, PROI Worldwide combines the international reach and local expertise necessary to support our clients in new markets across the globe,” said Mike Santoro, president of Walker Sands. “We’re ecstatic to join the ranks of such a prestigious partnership and lend our expertise in B2B, technology and analytics-driven PR.” Walker Sands is one of the fastest growing independent PR firm for B2B and technology companies across the globe, ranging from Fortune 500 corporations to startups. Jeff Altheide, who chairs PROI’s Americas Region Development Group, added that the offering of fully integrated services were important to PROI Worldwide when it researched which Chicago agency would best fit within the worldwide partnership. “Walker Sands’ is a full-service agency which leverages traditional and digital media relations, website design and development, search engine optimization (SEO) and social media to drive business growth for its clients”. Walker Sands is well-known for its data-driven approach to public relations, which positions clients as experts through independent research reports. The agency remains ahead of the curve in integrating social and search into PR campaigns, and developing new tools to measure and demonstrate the return on PR investments, including two online measurement platforms that directly tie public relations efforts to value-add within organizations. About PROI Worldwide PROI Worldwide is the world’s largest public relations partnership of independents founded in Europe in 1970. It is represented in more than 100 cities in 50+ countries, with 61 leading independent PR partner companies and more than 3,200 experienced practitioners servicing 4,400+ clients worldwide. Founded forty-three years ago, PROI Worldwide’s combined fee turnover of its partners exceeds US$425m., positioning PROI Worldwide as one of the world’s largest communications companies. About Walker Sands Walker Sands is one of the fastest growing independent PR firm for B2B and technology companies across the globe, ranging from Fortune 500 corporations to startups. Walker Sands Communications is a full- service marketing and public relations firm offering service to B2B and technology companies ranging from startup to enterprise-level. With offices in Chicago and San Francisco, Walker Sands was founded in 2001 to provide marketing and public relations support for a wide array of companies with the business mission of providing best-in-class communications counsel. In 2012, Walker Sands was named a PR News and Bulldog Reporter finalist for Small Agency of the Year. To learn more, visit walkersands.com.