Harbour Group

The Harbour Group (THG), a wholly owned subsidiary of the Washington DC-based law firm Swidler Berlin Shereff Friedman (SBSF), "develops public relations campaigns, crisis communications tactics, and legislative strategies for business clients nationwide."[1]

History

Several THG staff have Democratic Party connections:

• Managing Director Joel P. Johnson was President Clinton's Senior Advisor for Policy and Communications and directed the Senate Democratic Leadership Committees;
• Director Kimberly James previously worked for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and U.S. Senator Bob Graham of Florida; and
• Director Joanna Slaney was previously a Legislative Affairs Assistant in the Clinton White House and worked for U.S. Senator Carol Moseley-Braun.[2]

In October 2002, THG, SBSF and the Republican-leaning Alexander Strategy Group announced that they were forming a "tri-partisan" strategic alliance to provide "the best legal, political and legislative resources available in the Nation's capital."[3]

THG's specialties include corporate crisis management, print and electronic media relations, strategic marketing, interest group alliances, grassroots outreach, litigation support, Congressional committee investigations, legislative strategy and policy development, and rapid response tactics.[4]

Clients

• Asbestos Study Group
• Conoco
• Consumer Electronics Association
• Korea-U.S. Exchange Council
• Kraft Foods
• Libya
• MCI
• Pfizer
• PhRMA
• Renewable Fuels Association
• the Republic of Georgia
• United Arab Emirates (UAE)
• U.S.-Malaysia Exchange Council.[5][6]

According to O'Dwyer's, "The Harbour Group has inked a $15K a-month contract with Libya to conduct a public diplomacy program for the Libyan National Transitional Council and the country’s U.S. Embassy. The Washington-base firm began working for the Libyans last April on a volunteer basis. The new pact went into effect March 1 and runs through the end of 2012. . . . It will develop website content and social media platforms to promote the growth of Libya in the aftermath of the murder of its former leader Muammar Gaddafi. Harbour managing director Richard Marcus reports to Libya’s ambassador Ali Suleiman Aujali on the account."

According to the same article, "Harbour has represented the UAE [United Arab Emirates] under the U.S.-Emirates Alliance umbrella. That contract is pegged in the $2M a-year range." The U.S. Emirates Alliance paid Harbour more than $900,000 for six months of work in 2008, to promote of Kalima, the UAE's cultural initiative, on behalf of its U.S. Embassy and the UAE Government. "Reps from Kalima participated in the Library of Congress' National Book Festival that was hosted by First Lady Laura Bush in September [2008] on the National Mall," reported O'Dwyer's. Harbour also promoted the UAE's "openness and interfaith matters" to the American Jewish Committee, "pitched media about an urban planning event at the embassy, discussed the impact of investments made by sovereign wealth funds on U.S. jobs and talked about UAE aid to Iraq."

Leadership

• Sam Fox, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

From their website:

• Joel P. Johnson, Managing Director
• Richard Marcus, Managing Director
• Mary Ann Chaffee, Vice President
• Audrey Chang, Vice President
• Christine Collins, Senior Associate
• Erin Graefe, Director
• Kimberly James, Director
• Gayle Kansagor, Director
• Lauren Mandelker, Account Coordinator
• Brett O'Brien, Vice President
• Jennifer Thomas, Director
• Marni Tomljanovic, Associate
• David Vance, Director
• Andrew Wilson, Account Coordinator

Contact info

Website: http://www.harbourgrp.com/

3000 K Street, NW, Suite 105
Washington, DC 20007
Phone: 202-295-8787
Fax: 202-295-8799

405 Lexington Ave, 11th Floor
New York, NY 10174
Phone: 212-381-4000
Fax: 212-381-4004

Articles and resources

Related SourceWatch articles

• United Arab Emirates

External articles

• Jeffrey H. Birnbaum, "Lobbyists Take Leave to Advise Kerry Campaign," Washington Post, September 8, 2004.