SYColeman, Inc.
"You should not take unfair advantage of anyone through manipulation, concealment, abuse of privileged information, misrepresentation of material facts or any other unfair practice." - SYColeman Business Ethics Statement of Policy, SYColeman Website
On June 7, 2005, SYColeman was one of three companies the Pentagon contracted to improve the perception of the United States internationally through a new "psy-ops" campaign. The contract for each company, the other two being Lincoln Group and SAIC, is worth up to $100 million and are set for five-year agreements that involves not only technical media support to the U.S. Special Operations Command, but production of media campaigns and product development. [1][2]
Media campaigns will consist of video news releases to be broadcast outside the United States as well as an Internet-based initiative.
In July 2006 the U.S. military "removed two firms from a psychological operations contract aimed at influencing international public opinion," reports the Washington Post. "The firms, plus a third company (SYColeman) that will retain the contract, spent the past year developing prototypes for radio and television spots intended for use in Iraq and in other nations... The TV and radio contract, originally worth up to $300 million over five years, had been held by three firms since last year: the Lincoln Group; San Diego-based Science Applications International Corp.; and Arlington-based SYColeman, a subsidiary of New York-based L-3 Communications Corp. ... 'We learned that working with three companies increases expenditures in both time and money and does not provide best value to the government," said Lt. Col. David Farlow, spokesman for the military's psychological operations unit. Lincoln Group spokesman Bill Dixon said in a statement yesterday that the firm 'continues to win contracts' for Pentagon propaganda, but 'because confidentiality is vital to this work, the firm will not comment on the details of any contracts.' " [3]
History
Part of L-3 Communications, SYColeman is a conglomeration of former Coleman Research Corporation and SY Technology, Inc., which were both independently instrumental in missle defense products and services.
As was reported June 10, 2005 in connection with the current psy-ops campaign, "SYColeman, a subsidiary of L-3 Communications based in Arlington, Va., advertises it created the Army’s website honoring the only Medal of Honor winner so far from the Iraq war." [4]
Executives
- Jared Bates, President
- Dave Blodgett, Executive VP Business Operations
- John Floris, VP Strategic Business Development
- Rich Casciano, VP Contracts & Finance
- Rich Lakis, VP Human Resources
- Toni Sepulveda, VP Advanced Concepts
- Jack Lenz, VP Federal Systems
- Bob Pollard, VP Integrated Acquisition & Engineering
Contact Info
SYColeman Headquarters
241 18th St. S., Suite #900
Arlington, VA 22202
Phone: (703) 769-1418
Website: www.sycoleman.com
Internal Links
- Diane Farsetta, "My Country Was Invaded and All I Got Was This Lousy T-Shirt", PR Watch (blog), June 14, 2005.
External links
- Griff Witte, "Lincoln Group Out of Military PR Contract: TV, Radio Deal Unrelated to Controversy Over Reports in Iraqi Papers, Pentagon Says", Washington Post , July 19, 2006; Page D03.