DDC Public Affairs is a public relations firm established in 1996 with international engagements that helps clients navigate legislative, regulatory, and marketing issues. 1 Based in Washington, D.C., DDC is a subsidiary of FleishmanHillard, which is a part of Omnicom Public Relations Group, or OPRG. The OPRG network also includes Ketchum, MMC, and Porter Novelli. 2
The firm focuses on crisis, corporate, and public affairs campaigns; PACs and political involvement; and public affairs technology campaign support. 3
Background
DDC Public Affairs is a public relations firm with international engagements to help corporate, government, nonprofit, and trade association clients navigate legislative, regulatory, and marketing issues. 1
DDC has about 110 employees and annual revenues of about $25.2 million, according to Datanyze. 1 The firm says it works with 12 of the Fortune 15 companies, 26 of the nation’s leading 50 political action committees, and 15 of the Power Top 20 trade associations. 4
Based in Washington, D.C., DDC is a subsidiary of FleishmanHillard, which is a part of Omnicom Public Relations Group, or OPRG. The OPRG network also includes Ketchum, MMC, and Porter Novelli. 2
B.R. McCannon founded the firm in 1996 and was the first CEO, a position he held until 2023. 5
Activities
The firm focuses on crisis, corporate, and public affairs campaigns; political action committees and political involvement; and public affairs technology campaign support. 3
For crisis, corporate, and public affairs campaigns, the company focuses on local and national media; rapid response; community organizing; local market operations; and event planning. For PACs and political involvement, the company focuses on federal and state compliance, fundraising, political-giving strategy, and communications. 3 DDC Public Affairs says it has been immersed in corporate and association PACs since its founding, and helps PACs move the solicitation process online and continue to evolve. The company’s PAC engagement is led by Peter Sherman, who has been an election-law attorney for more than three decades. 6
For public affairs technology, the company focuses on engagement and fundraising websites, as well as digital targeting and tracking. For campaign execution, the company focuses on audience research, persona development, effective messaging, copywriting, design, and podcasting. 3
Leadership
Michael Fleischer is the CEO of DDC Public Affairs. Omnicom PR Group appointed Fleischer as DDC’s CEO in September 2023 to replace B.R. McCannon, who founded DDC in 1996. 5 Fleischer has more than 25 years of experience in corporate, public affairs, crisis communications, and government. He led campaigns around issues including climate change, natural gas, oil, wind, and electricity generation. His clients have included the Global Energy Institute at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the US Climate Action Partnership, AES Corporation, Duke Energy, and Spire Energy. Fleischer led a reputation restoration campaign for the NiSource Corporation and their subsidiary Columbia Gas of Massachusetts after a natural gas explosion cost more than $1 billion and put more than 8,000 people out of their homes across three communities. His other clients have included the National Football League, Crown Castle, UPS, Tenet Healthcare Corporation, Dow, and Airlines for America. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in political science and history from James Madison University and a law degree from the Columbus School of Law at the Catholic University of America. 7
Gina Cherwin is the chief operating and people officer for DDC. 8 Cherwin previously worked for MikeWorldWide as the chief operating officer. Before that, she was the campaign services director for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. She formerly was director of major gifts for the Climate Reality Project. In the 2016 election cycle, she was a regional political director for Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign. 5
Elizabeth Gerke is the senior vice president and chief of staff for DDC. Gerke previously was the senior vice president of corporate affairs for the Washington, D.C. market for BCW. She also previously worked for Burson-Marsteller for more than seven years before the firm merged with Cohn and Wolfe in 2018. 2
Jen Miller is the chief strategy officer for DDC. Miller specializes in developing and managing communications programs. 9
Kevin Lawlor is the chief political officer leading DDC’s political operations working with corporations, trade associations, non-profits, and government clients. He was previously the chief communications advisor to four members of U.S. Congress and numerous U.S. Congressional campaigns, a former chief spokesperson and communications director for a Washington, D.C.-based think tank and an industrial trade association, and an adjunct professor at American University’s School of Public Affairs. 10
Michael Shue is the chief growth officer. He heads DDC’s Healthcare Practice Group. He was previously a campaign operative for the George W. Bush 2000 presidential campaign. He also formerly worked for the National Republican Senatorial Committee to support Sen. Lisa Murkowski‘s (R-AK) 2004 election campaign. 11
Peter Sherman is the executive vice president of DDC. He has led the DDC’s PAC Services division for the company for more than two decades. Previously, he worked for Campaign Finance Consultants. He is an attorney whose practice provided legal services to members of U.S. Congress, U.S. Congressional candidates, party organizations, and political action committees in connection with federal and state campaign finance laws. 12
Bill Toye is the senior vice president of digital and paid media operations at DDC. Prior to working for DDC, he worked on Capitol Hill and on multiple political campaigns. 13
Joey Smith is the senior vice president of product at DDC. He is responsible for managing the technology service operations at DDC. 14
Marizabel Cabrera is the vice president of customer experience and project management at DDC. She previously managed a custom software development project for one of the largest U.S. automakers. 15
Finances
In the 2024 election cycle, DDC Public Affairs reported payments from outside groups of $438,662. DDC Public Affairs was a vendor for Deloitte LLP, receiving $134,905. It was paid $63,000 from the American Resort Development Association, $52,000 from FairShake PAC, and $52,000 from Protect Progress. 16
During the 2022 election cycle, DDC Public Affairs had reported payments of $343,903, with the largest payment being $120,807 coming from Deloitte LLP. In the 2020 election cycle, the company reported a total of $540,133 in payments. The largest single payment of $97,319 was from Deloitte LLP. In the 2018 election cycle, the company reported a total of $1,508,224. The largest payment was $245,396 from Future 45. In 2016, the firm reported payments of $3,452,270. The largest single payment came from Future 45 for $3,245,658. 16
References
- “DDC Public Affairs.” Datanyze. Accessed January 11, 2025. https://www.datanyze.com/companies/ddc-public-affairs/346746201
- Ruderman, Jess. “Gerke will serve as SVP and chief of staff, reporting to chief operating and people officer Gina Cherwin.” PR Week. April 30, 2024. January 11, 2025. https://www.prweek.com/article/1870904/ddc-public-affairs-hires-former-bcw-dc-market-head-elizabeth-gerke
- “Our Work.” DDC Public Affairs. Accessed January 11, 2025. https://ddcpublicaffairs.com/our-work/
- “DDC Public Affairs.” LinkedIn. Accessed January 11, 2025. https://www.linkedin.com/company/ddc-public-affairs/
- Larkin, Ewan. “DDC Public Affairs hires Gina Cherwin as chief operating, people officer.” PR Week. April 26, 2023. https://www.prweek.com/article/1820795/ddc-public-affairs-hires-gina-cherwin-chief-operating-people-officer
- “PAC Services.” DDC Public Affairs. Accessed January 11, 2025. https://ddcpublicaffairs.com/pac-services/
- “Michael Fleischer.” DDC Public Affairs. Accessed January 11, 2025. https://ddcpublicaffairs.com/our-team/michael-fleischer/
- “Gina Cherwin.” DDC Public Affairs. Accessed January 11, 2025. https://ddcpublicaffairs.com/our-team/gina-cherwin/
- “Jen Miller.” DDC Public Affairs. Accessed January 11, 2025. https://ddcpublicaffairs.com/our-team/jen-miller/
- “Kevin Lawlor.” DDC Public Affairs. Accessed January 11, 2025. https://ddcpublicaffairs.com/our-team/kevin-lawlor/
- “Michael Shue.” DDC Public Affairs. Accessed January 11, 2025. https://ddcpublicaffairs.com/our-team/michael-shue/
- “Peter Sherman.” DDC Public Affairs. Accessed January 11, 2025. https://ddcpublicaffairs.com/our-team/peter-sherman/
- “Bill Toye.” DDC Public Affairs. Accessed January 11, 2025. https://ddcpublicaffairs.com/our-team/bill-toye/
- “Joey Smith.” DDC Public Affairs. Accessed January 11, 2025. https://ddcpublicaffairs.com/our-team/joey-smith/
- “Marizabel Cabrera.” DDC Public Affairs. Accessed January 11, 2025. https://ddcpublicaffairs.com/our-team/marizabel-cabrera/
- DDC Public Affairs. Open Secrets. Accessed January 11, 2025. https://www.opensecrets.org/campaign-expenditures/vendor?cycle=2024&vendor=DDC+Public+Affairs