PPHC expands its international operations: bringing WPI Strategy into Pagefield.
Instantly adding WPI’s economic & political consulting to Pagefield’s public affairs, corporate communications, digital & creative expertise.
Learn more at PPHC Investor Center.
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WASHINGTON, Mar. 18, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Public Policy Holding Company, Inc. (“PPHC” or “the Company”) (Nasdaq: PPHC), a leading global provider of strategic communications services, today announced that TrailRunner International (“TrailRunner”), one of the Company’s member firms, has named Alden Mitchell as President of TrailRunner Sports, its global sports advisory business.
The appointment reflects PPHC’s continued investment in high-value growth areas across its platform. As the global sports industry grows in scale and institutional complexity, leagues, teams, ownership groups, universities, and brands increasingly require the same strategic communications and advisory capabilities that PPHC’s member firms deliver across corporate reputation, financial communications, crisis, and strategic advisory services.
TrailRunner Sports was established in 2023 to meet this demand. Since launch, the business has built a client roster spanning major professional teams in the United States and abroad, sports teams, universities, collegiate conferences, and brands. A joint venture with Legends, the global premium experiences company, TrailRunner Sports advises on crisis and reputation management, league expansions, media rights negotiations, litigation communications, and other significant transactions. The appointment of a dedicated President signals the next phase of investment in the platform as client demand continues to grow.
Mitchell joins from Stanford Athletics, where she served as Chief Operating Officer and Interim Athletics Director, overseeing capital projects, external relations, facilities and operations, finance, human resources, and revenue-generating initiatives. As Interim Athletics Director, she led the organization through a period of competitive and commercial success while driving fundraising growth, strengthening partnerships, and enhancing financial discipline.
Previously, Mitchell led Uber’s Consumer Business Development team from 2021 to 2024, spearheading strategic partnerships with the NFL, Live Nation, Marriott, Instacart, and others. Earlier in her career, she served as Senior Vice President of Distribution at the Pac-12 Networks and as Head of Global Partnerships and Content Strategy at Crunchyroll, the global anime streaming platform. She brings more than two decades of senior leadership experience across sports, media, and technology.
Mitchell joins a strong and growing team of sports leaders at TrailRunner, including Jamie Zaninovich, who will serve as Vice Chair of TrailRunner Sports, partnering closely with Mitchell. Mitchell will report directly to Jim Wilkinson, Founder and Executive Chairman of TrailRunner International.
Zaninovich, who has helped launch TrailRunner’s sports business and brings three decades of experience across collegiate athletics and conference leadership, will focus on strategy and business development in his role as Vice Chair of TrailRunner Sports. He will continue to advise select clients and focus on strategic growth initiatives in partnership with Mitchell.
Stewart Hall, Chief Executive Officer of PPHC, commented:
“This is another strong example of PPHC investing behind differentiated leadership and high-value growth opportunities across our platform. TrailRunner has added important strategic and financial communications capabilities to the Group, and TrailRunner Sports extends that model into one of the most dynamic and increasingly institutionalized sectors of the global economy. Alden’s appointment strengthens an already promising business and positions it for continued growth.”
Jim Wilkinson, Founder and Executive Chairman of TrailRunner International, commented:
“The business of sports is more exciting, complex, and consequential than ever before. Alden is exactly the kind of leader we need to take this rapidly growing platform to the next level. Sports is now a major global asset class. Ownership is shifting, capital is pouring in, college athletics is being remade, women’s sports is accelerating, and media and technology are changing the way fans connect to the games they love. Alden has the experience, passion, and competitive drive to capitalize on these tremendous opportunities and help our clients win.”
Alden Mitchell commented:
“TrailRunner has built something special — a team that understands both the business and the heartbeat of sports and is determined to go above and beyond for clients and each other. The sports landscape is evolving rapidly, and the opportunity to scale a best-in-class advisory business that delivers measurable impact for clients around the world is incredibly energizing. I can’t wait to partner with Jamie and this outstanding team and get to work.”
SACRAMENTO, CA – PPHC firm KP Public Affairs is excited to celebrate its 30-year anniversary and announce its third generation leadership with a new management team.
As one of the longest standing and consistently effective advocacy and public affairs firms in California, KP’s work continues to expand in all practice areas including legislative and regulatory advocacy, policy consulting, public relations, and procurement.
The firm’s new management team will be led by Alison MacLeod, John Doherty, and Brian White, and will oversee day to day operations alongside partners Jon Ross, Ed Manning, Mike Burns, Jeff Sickenger, Jenny Dudikoff, Vanessa Cajina, Patrick George, and Pat Joyce.
KP began in the mid-1990’s by combining two firms to create the largest lobbying firm in the state with clients that represented every major industry and local government sector in California. KP has evolved over the last three decades to become a full-service, integrated public affairs firm with a comprehensive public relations and regulatory consulting practice. Throughout this growth, the company has maintained a boutique feel with the highest level of service and dedication to client success.
“We are focused on delivering client successes today, while positioning the firm for future growth with continuous expansion of our expertise and capabilities. KP has a strong foundation of clients across industry sectors and interest areas, and we have a highly talented team of professionals that are working every day to meet our clients’ goals,” said Alison MacLeod, John Doherty, and Brian White.
Firm’s growth provides clients coast-to-coast advantages and sector-specific strengths, bolsters strategic digital capacities
WASHINGTON, DC – (January 8, 2026) – Seven Letter, an expertise-powered bipartisan strategic communications firm, today announced a major geographic expansion involving the addition of three new offices – Los Angeles, New York, and Huntsville – to bolster its growing nationwide offerings and emerging specialized practices. This development includes the addition of senior-level counselors to open the new offices and support the expansion.
“Seven Letter isn’t just growing geographically, but strategically,” said Erik Smith, CEO and Founder. “This expansion allows us to be closer to the industries that are driving our growth. We have always emphasized providing senior-level counsel at every step – and now we can do so across more sectors and in more geographies. I’m excited about what’s to come for our clients and our team.”
Public Policy Holding Company, Inc. (AIM: PPHC), the leading government relations, public affairs and strategic communications group, has entered into a binding agreement on 11 July 2025 to acquire the business and assets of Pine Cove Capital, LLC, a premier Texas-based strategic consulting firm (the “Acquisition”), for an initial consideration of $3.0 million and a total potential consideration of $13.0 million. Upon completion, which is anticipated to occur in August 2025, the Acquisition is expected to be immediately accretive to the Group’s underlying earnings.
Based in Austin, Texas, Pine Cove Capital is led by the Honorable George P. Bush, who previously served as the 28th Land Commissioner for the State of Texas.
Following completion, under Commissioner Bush’s leadership and operating under a new name, Pine Cove Strategies (“Pine Cove”) intends to establish and build a Texas state government relations practice in addition to its existing strategic consulting offering.
Acquisition highlights
Overview of Pine Cove Capital
Stewart Hall, CEO of PPHC, commented:
“Texas is a priority market and of critical importance to the national and global economy. It is also a state that is currently experiencing a significant influx of business. PPHC, with unmatched local scale, is set to capitalise on this as the requirement for our capabilities increases. I’m therefore extremely pleased to welcome Pine Cove to the PPHC family. With George and Amanda’s deep relationships and proven track record in Texas politics, we’re looking forward to turbo charging Pine Cove’s growth by adding a government relations practice to its existing strategic communications services, and through the cross-referral of work within the broader PPHC network.”
Commissioner George P. Bush, Managing Partner of Pine Cove Strategies, commented:
“Joining PPHC marks a transformative step for Pine Cove Capital and our clients,” said Commissioner Bush. “By combining our deep Texas roots and local expertise with PPHC’s national scale and resources, we can deliver a broader suite of services and greater strategic value to organizations navigating today’s complex policy and business landscape. This partnership empowers us to offer clients seamless access to top-tier government relations and communications capabilities—both in Texas and across the country—while retaining the personalized service and trusted relationships that define our firm. Together, we are uniquely positioned to help clients achieve their goals in one of the world’s most dynamic markets, leveraging PPHC’s extensive network and proven track record of success.”
WASHINGTON — Lobbying Disclosure Act (LDA) revenues for Q1 2025 were released this week, and Public Policy Holding Company (PPHC) is pleased to report continued momentum across its federal lobbying practices.
All three of PPHC’s core federal lobbying firms—Forbes Tate Partners, Crossroads Strategies, and Alpine Group—have once again maintained their rankings among the top 20 lobbying firms in Washington, underscoring the Group’s consistency and client trust.
Additionally, O’Neill and Associates in Boston, MA, which primarily focuses on state-based lobbying but does federal work as well, contributed to strong performance this quarter. Combined, PPHC’s firms reported $18.7 million in LDA revenue for Q1 2025, representing a 5.73% increase over Q4 2024 disclosures.
This follows a strong finish to 2024, when PPHC’s firms collectively disclosed $68.9 million in annual federal lobbying revenue.
We’re excited to share that The Alpine Group, one of PPHC’s three core federal lobbying firms, has expanded into Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW)—becoming the first top Washington, D.C.–based government relations firm to establish a presence in the region.
This move reflects Alpine’s long-standing commitment to Texas and fits right into PPHC’s broader goal of growing in high-impact markets. With over 20 Fortune 500 companies and a thriving mix of industries like energy, healthcare, tech, and advanced manufacturing, DFW is one of the most important business and policy centers in the country.
As Alpine deepens its presence in the Dallas-Fort Worth region, Senior Vice President Barry Brown will play a key role in supporting the firm’s Texas-based clients. With decades of experience in government, politics, and advocacy, Barry offers strategic counsel rooted in a deep understanding of both federal policy and Texas priorities. A native of Greenville, Texas, he previously served as Chief of Staff to Representatives Kay Granger and Michael Burgess. He is President of the Texas Breakfast Club and President-elect of the Texas Tech College of Arts and Sciences Dean’s Advisory Board. A proud Texas Tech graduate and former President of its National Alumni Board, Barry brings a client-first approach, leveraging his statewide network and policy expertise to help businesses navigate today’s evolving policy landscape.
Alpine already works with several leading companies across the state, and this expansion allows them to deepen those relationships while building new ones on the ground in Texas. The addition of Alpine’s new DFW presence marks PPHC’s second office in the region, joining TrailRunner International, the most recent company to join the Group. TrailRunner and Alpine have already begun collaborating on client development efforts, demonstrating the value of our integrated platform in delivering results across policy, reputation, and communications.
As Alpine CEO Keenan Austin Reed said:
“Dallas-Fort Worth is a powerhouse for business and policy, and a natural next step for us. Alpine is excited to grow roots here and deliver for our clients in a way that reflects the energy and innovation of the region.”
PPHC, the leading government relations, public affairs, and strategic communications group, is pleased to announce that three of its U.S.-based firms—Crossroads Strategies, Forbes Tate Partners, and Alpine Group—have been recognized in Bloomberg Government’s 2024 Top-Performing Lobbying Firms report.
Crossroads Strategies and Forbes Tate Partners were identified as two of the ten larger lobbying firms that have experienced the most growth since 2014, the year PPHC was founded, and Alpine Group was singled out as a standout performer. The report notes that federal lobbying reached a record high of $4.5 billion in 2024, up from $4.35 billion in the previous year. This growth—driven by demand in areas such as tax policy, healthcare, artificial intelligence, and cryptocurrency—not only reflects the advocacy industry’s resilience but also outpaced inflation, indicating a meaningful expansion in overall industry activity.
This recognition highlights the continued strength and scale of PPHC’s government relations offering and underscores the Group’s position as the largest global provider of federal lobbying services and a trusted advisor to clients navigating complex policy landscapes.
Read the full report from Bloomberg Government.
TrailRunner International has been spotlighted by PRovoke Media as one of the 80 Best Agencies in the US for 2025. TRI was recognized specifically for their performance and growth, thought leadership, and corporate communications capabilities.
TrailRunner’s collaborative approach integrates expertise from diverse fields such as media relations, law, government affairs, and finance. This multidisciplinary strategy enables the firm to tackle complex challenges that often transcend traditional boundaries, ensuring swift and effective communication strategies that deliver high value for clients. The firm’s diverse clientele, which includes high-profile names, underscores its capability to manage high-stakes communications across various sectors, reinforcing its reputation as a trusted partner in strategic advisory.
Accretive acquisition expands strategic communications capabilities, extends reach into new geographies and introduces a global sports advisory service
Public Policy Holding Company, Inc. (AIM: PPHC), the leading government relations and public affairs group, is pleased to announce it has entered into a binding agreement on 24 January 2025 to acquire TrailRunner International LLC (“TrailRunner”), a Texas-based global communications advisory firm, for an initial consideration of $33 million (the “Acquisition”). On completion, the Acquisition is anticipated to be immediately accretive to the Group’s underlying earnings.
Acquisition Overview
PPHC has entered into a binding agreement on 24 January 2025 to acquire TrailRunner for an initial consideration of $33 million. On completion, the Acquisition is anticipated to be immediately accretive to the Group’s underlying earnings.
The Acquisition significantly expands PPHC’s capabilities in the large and growing strategic communications market, including corporate affairs, financial communications, crisis communications, litigation communications and reputation management. TrailRunner and PPHC are highly complementary with the combined Group presenting clear and immediate potential for cross-selling and integrated servicing for c.1,300 existing clients.
Founded in 2016 by Executive Chairman Jim Wilkinson, TrailRunner operates with a global team across offices in Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas (where the firm is headquartered), as well as New York, Nashville, and Northern California. The firm also serves global and regional clients from its locations in London, Shanghai, Abu Dhabi and Dubai, with approximately 80 employees supporting its operations worldwide.
Completion of the Acquisition is subject to certain conditions which management expects will be satisfied by 1 April 2025.
Strategic Rationale
The Acquisition is in line with PPHC’s longstanding objective to build, bring together and grow a portfolio of complementary businesses with specialist communications capabilities in order to help clients navigate the world’s most challenging crises, policy risks and opportunities. It also supports the Group’s stated M&A strategy by significantly expanding its strategic communications capabilities and broadening its geographic reach.
PPHC’s global clients require a service provider able to support them across all communications disciplines and in the various geographies where they operate. This acquisition establishes Group operations and a presence in key growth markets, including:
Upon completion, the addition of TrailRunner’s capabilities in corporate affairs, financial communications, crisis communications, litigation communications and reputation management represents a natural evolution of PPHC’s core service offerings of government relations and public affairs. In an environment where political issues instantly evolve into reputational crises—and vice versa—these expanded capabilities enable PPHC to deliver an integrated service suite that bridges policy advocacy with corporate reputation and strategic positioning.
Furthermore, the Acquisition includes TrailRunner Sports, a leading sports advisory practice established as a joint venture with Legends, the world’s preeminent premium live events company. TrailRunner Sports provides strategic business advisory and communications support to global sports clients spanning leagues, teams, educational institutions, investors, ownership groups and others. This addition broadens PPHC’s ability to offer tailored expertise in the dynamic sports sector and demonstrates its commitment to diversifying its offerings in high-growth markets.
This holistic approach enhances PPHC’s ability to serve its clients’ C-suites, providing a comprehensive advisory framework to navigate complex challenges across regulatory, media, and stakeholder landscapes.
This is PPHC’s fifth significant acquisition since its IPO in 2021 and second that expands its international reach. Upon completion, the Group will have invested substantial capital into M&A through a combination of cash and shares, demonstrating its ongoing commitment to executing its growth strategy. All completed acquisitions to date have been successfully integrated to become value contributing members of the Group.
Stewart Hall, CEO of PPHC, commented:
“The acquisition of TrailRunner simultaneously entrenches our market leading US position and establishes our business as a truly global strategic communications group. It advances our longstanding strategy of building the world’s most comprehensive provider of government relations and corporate communications services.
“By combining TrailRunner’s deep expertise in corporate and financial communications, crisis management and sport with our existing capabilities, we create immediate value for existing, as well as prospective, clients across all markets. TrailRunner’s strong presence in America’s key business centres, combined with its international reach into Europe, Asia and the Middle East delivers on our vision of serving clients with the most important policy and communications needs wherever they operate.”
Jim Wilkinson, Founder and Executive Chairman of TrailRunner, added:
“TrailRunner is a unique and exciting growth company with a track record of proven financial success, an aggressive growth strategy and a deep bench of talent to execute this growth plan. Given the growing global megatrend of the collision of critical factors including corporate reputation, government relations, finance, crisis, litigation and sports, I can think of no better partner than PPHC to help TrailRunner expand into significant future international growth.”
