NATIONAL Public Relations celebrates its 40th anniversary

Consulting firm pays tribute to three of its builders

MONTREAL, Sept. 23, 2016 /CNW Telbec/ - NATIONAL Public Relations, Canada's largest public relations firm, celebrated its 40th anniversary at an evening event bringing together employees, clients and friends of the Firm. This celebration was an opportunity to look back on our history and the important connections we have built with our clients. As the world of communications has experienced significant changes since the Firm's founding in 1976, NATIONAL Public Relations has continued to lead the communications industry in Quebec and across Canada while continuing to expand its international reach.

Today, the NATIONAL network includes 575 employees in 17 offices, in five countries across North America and Europe. "We are proud of our accomplishments and enthusiastic about the future," said Jean-Pierre Vasseur, President and Chief Executive Officer.  "Since 1976, NATIONAL has established lasting partnerships and remains at the heart of key issues and industries. Through the years, the talent and expertise of our employees have helped us forge the reputation of our Firm. As such, our recent acquisitions will enable us to continue to expand our services and expertise to better serve our clients, wherever they are."

 "The vision and legacy of our founder, Luc Beauregard, is felt every day in the quality of our services and the dedication of our employees to our clients," said Andrew Molson, Chairman. "Our 40th-anniversary celebrations are a chance to reflect on how our success is so closely linked to that of our partners and clients. We thank all of our clients for their trust and loyalty, and we hope to continue to support their success for years to come."

When NATIONAL celebrated its 35th anniversary in 2011, Jean-Pierre Vasseur announced the creation of the Order of NATIONAL, whose recipients have contributed extensively to the Firm's growth, shown exceptional leadership skills and helped champion the practice of public relations. The 2016 honourees are:

Ghislain Dufour – Officer of the Order of Canada, and Officer of the Ordre national du Québec, Ghislain Dufour is highly respected in the Quebec business world. He was the voice of the Quebec Employers Council for nearly 30 years and was also a senior consultant in public affairs and business development at NATIONAL Public Relations from 1997 to 2013. Mr. Dufour is still actively involved with NATIONAL through the Firm's Ghislain Dufour Business Forum^TM .

Janet MacMillan – Partner at NATIONAL Atlantic Canada since 2002, Janet MacMillan was instrumental in opening offices in St. John's and Saint John, in addition to Halifax. She is closely involved in many community organizations in Nova Scotia and has been honoured by the Canadian Public Relations Society as well as Mount Saint Vincent University.

David Weiner – A brilliant communications strategist, David Weiner played a key role in growing the Firm in Toronto and beyond. He retired in 2011 after 25 years of loyal service but remains one of NATIONAL's trusted business partners. Mr. Weiner is now an independent communications consultant specializing in international business.

The first recipients of the Order of NATIONAL in 2011 were Luc Beauregard, Francine La Haye, Robert McCoy and Daniel Lamarre.

About NATIONAL Public Relations

At NATIONAL Public Relations, we make meaningful connections with the right people, at the right time, in the right way. Grounded in research, insight and deep sector understanding, we provide innovative communications solutions. For 40 years, NATIONAL has been at the centre of issues and industries that matter, moving people in thought and actions.

NATIONAL is Canada's leading public relations firm, serving clients across a wide range of sectors, with offices in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Quebec City, Saint John, Halifax and St. John's. The NATIONAL network also includes NATIONAL Equicom, the industry's foremost investor relations and financial services communications practice; healthcare specialists AXON Communications, with offices in New York, Toronto, London and Copenhagen; Madano, a strategic communications consultancy based in London; and SHIFT Communications, a data-driven integrated communications agency with offices in Boston, San Francisco, New York and Austin. Our network of offices provides our clients with international representation and deep local knowledge.

NATIONAL Public Relations is part of RES PUBLICA Consulting Group and is affiliated internationally with public relations firm Burson-Marsteller, a WPP company. For more information about NATIONAL, please visit our website, or you can follow us on Twitter.

SOURCE NATIONAL Public Relations

Image with caption: "An evening of celebration in Montreal for NATIONAL’s 40th anniversary (CNW Group/NATIONAL Public Relations)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20160923_C1396_PHOTO_EN_780576.jpg

For further information: Marc Poisson, Office: 514-843-2366, Mobile: [phone], [e-mail]