Qorvis#History

Qorvis was founded in August 2000 through the merger of The Poretz Group (investor relations firm serving technology companies), The Weber/Merritt Company (a public affairs and grassroots specialist) and JAS Communications (a public relations and marketing communications agency).{{cite press release|title=New Communications Firm -- Qorvis -- is Launched; Patton Boggs Signs on As Strategic Partner and Investor|url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/New+Communications+Firm+--+Qorvis+--+is+Launched%3B+Patton+Boggs+Signs...-a063966343|publisher=Business Wire|date=August 9, 2000|access-date=March 17, 2013| via= thefreelibrary.com}}

Michael Petruzzello, former CEO of Weber Shandwick, founded the new PR firm and the managing director.{{cite news|title=Special Interests: Shandwick's 'Dynamic Force' Resign|author=Judy Sarasohn|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=March 30, 2000}}

Offering traditional public and investor relations services, Qorvis launched with 22 employees and revenues of approximately $14 million in revenues. In addition, the law firm Patton Boggs established a strategic alliance with the Qorvis and became its lead investor. The CEO described the firm to PR Week as "in the gray area where technology, finance, public affairs and marketing converge".{{cite news|title=Petruzzello rebounds in DC with $14 million PR dream team, Qorvis|author=Carolyn Myles|date=August 14, 2000|publisher=PR Week}}

During the first six years, the firm added market and consumer research, media training and grassroots lobbying to its services, working for clients such as United Technologies, the Jim Beam liquor family and the Consumer Electronics Association. By 2006, the firm had 90 employees in two offices, billing approximately $23 million.{{cite news|title=A PR Firm That Actually Knows How to Relate|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/26/AR2006102601407.html|author=Steven Pearlstein|date=October 27, 2006|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=March 17, 2013}}

In 2007, Qorvis extended its services of web design and advertising through the acquisition of boutique advertising agency Sparky’s garage.{{cite report|title=Qorvis Communications|url=http://www.holmesreport.com/agencyreport-info/1095/Qorvis-Communications.aspx|date=October 30, 2007|publisher=The Holmes Report|access-date=March 17, 2013}}

In 2015 Government of Libya dropped its $1M one-year pact with Qorvis after an evaluation of performance of MSLGroup entity. {{cite web |url=https://www.odwyerpr.com/story/public/4530/2015-05-04/libya-axes-qorvis-1m-pr-pact.html|title=PR News | Libya Axes Qorvis' $1M PR Pact - Mon., May 4, 2015 }}

In addition to foreign governments, Qorvis' clients have included numerous corporations, non-governmental organizations and high-net-worth individuals.{{cite web|title=Qorvis at a Glance|url=http://www.qorvis.com/an-influential-firm/qorvis-glance|publisher=Qorvis Communications|access-date=December 8, 2011}}{{cite web|title=Case Studies|url=http://www.qorvis.com/clients/case-studies#case-274|publisher=Qorvis Communications|access-date=December 8, 2011}}

• Ahmed Ezz{{cite news| url=http://www.odwyerpr.com/blog/index.php?/archives/3265-Qorvis-Client-Sentenced.html | work=O'Dwyer's Blog | first=Kevin | last=McCauley | title=Qorvis Client Sentenced | date=September 19, 2011}}
• Food and Drug Administration{{cite web|last=Park|first=Kristi|title=The FDA hires a PR firm, creates a public relations nightmare for itself|url=http://www.bizmology.com/2008/10/03/the-fda-hires-a-pr-firm-creates-a-public-relations-nightmare-for-itself/|publisher=Bizmology|access-date=December 8, 2011|date=October 3, 2008}}
• Palestinian American Chamber of Commerce{{cite news | first = Kevin | last = Bogardus | title = Palestine rep finds closed doors | date = December 6, 2011 | url = https://thehill.com/business-a-lobbying/180555-palestine-rep-finds-closed-doors/ | work = The Hill | access-date = February 12, 2013 | url-status = live | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120110064706/http://thehill.com/business-a-lobbying/197367-palestine-rep-finds-closed-doors | archive-date = January 10, 2012}}
• The Sugar Association{{cite news|last=Bandow|first=Doug|title=A sweet deal for the sugar industry|url=http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20050206/news_mz1e6bandow.html|access-date=December 8, 2011|newspaper=The San Diego Union-Tribune|date=February 6, 2005}}
• Saudi Arabia
• Cyprus
• Cambodia
• Bahrain
• Sri Lanka
• China
• Fiji{{cite news | first = Marc | last = Edge | title = Media Wars in Paradise | date = January 30, 2013 | url = https://thetyee.ca/Mediacheck/2013/01/30/Fiji-Media-Wars/ | work = The Tyee | access-date = February 12, 2013}}
• Equatorial Guinea and Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo{{cite news| url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/efforts-against-equatorial-guinea-official-shows-challenge-of-us-in-foreign-corruption-cases/2011/10/25/gIQAndatWM_story.html | newspaper=The Washington Post | first=James | last=Grimaldi | title=Efforts against Equatorial Guinea official shows challenge for U.S. in foreign corruption cases | date=October 30, 2011}}{{cite news|last=Lynch|first=Colum|title=Can K Street save Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo's good name?|url=http://turtlebay.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2010/06/24/can_k_street_save_teodoro_obiang_nguema_mbasogo_s_good_name|access-date=December 8, 2011|newspaper=Foreign Policy|date=June 24, 2010}}
• Yemen

Saudi Arabia first hired Qorvis to improve its image in the wake of the September 11 attacks, paying the company $14.7 million between March and September 2002.{{cite news|last=Gerstein|first=Josh|title=P.R. Effort By Saudis Sparks Justice Probe|url=http://www.nysun.com/foreign/pr-effort-by-saudis-sparks-justice-probe/6502/|access-date=December 8, 2011|newspaper=The New York Sun|date=December 20, 2004}} Qorvis engaged in a PR frenzy that publicized the "9/11 Commission finding that there was 'no evidence that the Saudi government as an institution or senior Saudi officials individually funded Al Qaeda, while omitting the report's conclusion that 'Saudi Arabia has been a problematic ally in combating Islamic extremism.'"{{cite news|last=Kurlantzick|first=Joshua|title=Putting Lipstick on a Dictator|publisher=Mother Jones|date=May 7, 2007|url=https://www.motherjones.com/news/outfront/2007/05/extreme_makeover.html|access-date=August 22, 2007}}{{cite news|last=Shenon|first=Philip|title=Saudis Face New Problem With Publicity|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2002/12/05/business/saudis-face-new-problem-with-publicity.html|access-date=December 8, 2011|newspaper=The New York Times|date=December 5, 2002}} Petruzzello told The Washington Post that the work was not about "lobbying" but "educating" the public and policy makers.{{cite news|title=Saudi Arabia a 'Fascinating Client' for Qorvis|author=Judy Sarasohn|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=March 21, 2002}}

In 2004, Matt J. Lauer, previously executive director of the U.S. Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy at the State Department, was hired by Qorvis to work on public relations for Saudi Arabia and other clients.{{cite news|last=Sarasohn|first=Judy|title=Special Interests|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A30919-2004Oct13.html|access-date=February 19, 2013|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=October 14, 2004}} Lauer subsequently founded the group's Geopolitical Solutions (GPS) division, which went on to represent numerous foreign sovereign countries and corporations, including Yemen, China and Equatorial Guinea.{{cite news|last=Halvorssen|first=Thor|title=PR Mercenaries|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/thor-halvorssen/pr-mercenaries-their-dict_b_863716.html|access-date=May 19, 2011|newspaper=The Huffington Post|date=May 19, 2011}}

In December 2004, the Federal Bureau of Investigation executed search warrants at Qorvis's offices as part of a criminal investigation into whether a pro-Saudi radio-ad campaign run by the firm broke federal law by not disclosing funds from the Saudi government.{{cite news| url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A49849-2004Dec8.html | newspaper=The Washington Post | first=Sari | last=Horwitz | title=FBI Searches Saudi Arabia's PR Firm | date=December 9, 2004}}{{cite news| url=http://www.nysun.com/national/saudi-account-caused-a-row-at-patton-boggs/6578/ | work=The Sun | first=Josh | last=Gerstein | title=Saudi Account Caused a Row At Patton, Boggs | date=December 21, 2004}} No charges were ever filed.{{Citation needed|date = December 2015}}

The company was handed the lucrative lead role in shaping media coverage of the widely criticized Saudi-led attack on Yemen of 2015. This included the creation of the website operationrenewalofhope.com and helping Saudi officials gain access to US media.{{Cite web|url = https://theintercept.com/2015/12/01/inside-saudi-charm-campaign/|title = Inside Saudi Arabia's Campaign to Charm American Policymakers and Journalists|date = December 1, 2015|access-date = December 2, 2015|website = The Intercept|last = Fang|first = Lee}} One example of the latter is a Newsweek article in which the Saudi foreign minister claims that, far from "supporting violent extremism", his country has actually shown "leadership in combating terrorism".{{Cite web|title = The Saudis are fighting terrorism, don't believe otherwise|url = http://europe.newsweek.com/saudis-are-fighting-terrorism-dont-believe-otherwise-422710|website = Newsweek|access-date = February 8, 2016|date = February 3, 2016|last = Abel bin Ahmed al-Dubeir}}

Qorvis has also been employed by Saudi Arabia to perform reputation laundering following the Kingdom's assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, receiving $18.8 million from October 2018 through July 2019{{cite news |first1=Beth |last1=Reinhard |first2=Jonathan |last2=O'Connell |first3=Tom |last3=Hamburger |title=In the aftermath of Khashoggi's killing, Saudi influence machine whirs on in Washington |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/in-the-aftermath-of-khashoggis-murder-saudi-influence-machine-whirs-on-in-washington/2019/07/09/c6da2d86-9683-11e9-a027-c571fd3d394d_story.html |access-date=July 17, 2019 |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=July 10, 2019}} and signing three additional contracts with the Kingdom in spring 2019.{{cite web |last1=Ahmed |first1=Akbar Shahid |title=Khashoggi's Murder Should Have Made Saudi Arabia A Pariah. 7 Men Made Sure That Didn't Happen. |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/saudi-seven-khashoggi_n_5d975e49e4b02911e11a38b1 |publisher=HuffPost |access-date=October 9, 2019 |date=October 9, 2019}}

In 2020, Qorvis was hired by the Saudi Arabian Human Rights Commission, for an annual fee of $684,000.[https://alqst.org/en/post/Saudi-HRC-Qorvis ALQST’s (Free) Advice To The Saudi Human Rights Commission: Defend Human Rights, Not The Saudi Authorities], July 2, 2020, ALQST

Qorvis is the agency of record for the Kingdom of Bahrain. According to Foreign Agents Registration filings with the Department of Justice, Bahrain's government pays Qorvis $40,000 per month to manage the government's communications strategy and image in the United States in face of civil protests.{{cite news| url=http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2011/08/08/qorvis_bahrain/ | work=Salon | first=Justin | last=Elliot | title=D.C. firm inks lucrative public-relations contract with Bahrain | date=August 8, 2011}}{{cite news|last=Baker|first=Aryn|title=Disappearing Dissent: How Bahrain Buried Its Revolution|url=https://world.time.com/2011/11/29/disappearing-dissent-how-bahrain-buried-its-revolution/|access-date=December 8, 2011|newspaper=Time|date=November 29, 2011}}{{cite news|last=Wearing|first=David|title=The Regime in Bahrain Needs to Drop the PR, and do its Homework|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/david-wearing/the-regime-in-bahrain-nee_b_2732434.html|access-date=February 28, 2013|newspaper=HuffPost Students|date=February 21, 2013}} In August 2011, it was widely reported that Qorvis wrote press releases on behalf of Bahrain's government, defending its crackdown on Doctors Without Borders.{{cite news| url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/06/world/middleeast/06bahrain.html | work=The New York Times | first=Rick | last=Gladstone | title=Relief Group Stops Work in Bahrain After Raid | date=August 5, 2011}}{{cite news| url=https://www.npr.org/2011/08/09/139030028/doctors-without-borders-targeted-in-bahrain | work=NPR | first=Kelly | last=McEvers | title=Doctors Without Borders Targeted In Bahrain | date=August 9, 2011}} Qorvis employee Tom Squitieri has written articles critical of the protesters that have appeared in The Huffington Post and USA Today.{{cite news|last=Silverstein|first=Ken|title=How Bahrain works Washington|url=http://www.salon.com/2011/12/08/how_bahrain_works_washington/singleton/|newspaper=Salon|date=December 7, 2011}} Qorvis assists in organizing delegations of individuals who represent the government's point of view. These delegations often criticize opposition to Bahrain's monarchy.{{cite news| url=https://www.propublica.org/article/bahraini-youth-in-washington-courtesy-of-american-spinmeisters/ | work=ProPublica | first=Justin | last=Elliot | title=Bahraini 'Reformers' in Washington, Courtesy of American Spinmeisters | date=February 28, 2012}}

Qorvis was criticized by human rights groups for representing rogue governments such as Bahrain.{{cite news|last=Garcia|first=Tonya|title=Qorvis Working with Bahrain's Ruling Family to Improve Image|url=http://www.mediabistro.com/prnewser/bahrain-ruling-family-working-wit-qorvis_b25538|access-date=December 8, 2011|newspaper=PR Newser|date=August 9, 2011}}{{cite news| url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/02/world/middleeast/02lobby.html | work=The New York Times | first=Eric | last=Lichtblau | title=Arab Uprisings Put U.S. Lobbyists in Uneasy Spot | date=March 1, 2011}}

In early February 2011, three of Qorvis's partners left the firm{{cite news|last=Plumb|first=Tierney|title=CEO says Qorvis still growing, despite recent partner exodus|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/washington/print-edition/2011/03/11/ceo-says-qorvis-still-growing-despite.html?page=all|access-date=February 28, 2013|newspaper=Washington Business Journal|date=March 11, 2011}} disgruntled by compensation; however, they later attributed it to the company's controversial work with foreign governments. A former employee was reported as saying, "I just have trouble working with despotic dictators killing their own people."{{cite news| url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/24/lobbyist-mideast-unrest-departures_n_840231.html | work=The Huffington Post | first=Marcus | last=Baram | title=Lobbyists Jump Ship In Wake Of Mideast Unrest | date=March 25, 2011}} During the Arab Spring uprisings in 2011, executive vice president Seth Thomas Pietras said, “Our clients are facing some challenges now.... But our long-term goals—to bridge the differences between our clients and the United States—haven’t changed. We stand by them.”

Given that Qorvis has represented the country of Saudi Arabia since the September 11 attacks, the company has been accused of helping to whitewash that country's record on human rights.{{Cite web|url=http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/pr-firm-accused-of-helping-saudi-arabia-whitewash-its-human-rights-record-a6937271.html|title=PR firm 'helping Saudi Arabia whitewash its human rights record'|date=March 17, 2016|website=The Independent|language=en|access-date=September 20, 2019}}{{Cite web|url=https://efile.fara.gov/docs/5483-Supplemental-Statement-20150504-19.pdf|title="Supplemental Statement Pursuant to the Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938" (PDF). fara.gov. Foreign Agents Registration Act. p. 12. Retrieved 3 October 2017.|date=April 5, 2015|website=Foreign Agents Registration Act|access-date=October 3, 2017}}

The writer Ken Klippenstein obtained leaked documents from Qorvis, which show the company pitching the private company Caliburn on a propaganda video, which intended to improve the reputation of its Homestead, Florida shelter for "unaccompanied alien children."{{Cite web|url=https://tyt.com/stories/4vZLCHuQrYE4uKagy0oyMA/6tcosRq7ObVqebKo2ZQR11|title=Saudi-Linked Lobby Group Pitched Film to Humanize Child Detention Camp|website=TYT Network|date=September 6, 2019 |language=en|access-date=September 19, 2019}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.wonkette.com/guess-well-never-get-to-see-baby-jail-the-movie-now|title=Guess We'll Never Get To See 'Baby Jails: The Movie' Now|date=September 9, 2019|website=Wonkette|language=en|access-date=September 19, 2019}}

{{reflist|30em}}

• [http://qorvis.com/ Official website]

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Category:American companies established in 2000

Category:Lobbying firms based in Washington, D.C.

Category:Public relations companies based in Washington, D.C.

Category:2000 establishments in Washington, D.C.

Category:American subsidiaries of foreign companies

Category:2014 mergers and acquisitions

Category:Publicis Groupe