GCI Group - Making The Business Case For Communication

From the onset of every public affairs engagement, we work in seamless partnership with our clients to understand their company’s core values and to use that knowledge as the foundation for all of our efforts. It is these values that guide our crisis communications, advocacy work, coalition building, regulatory and legislative affairs and labor relations along with traditional media and issues management.

In 2001, GCI acquired Read-Poland Associates, a prominent Austin-based public relations/public affairs consulting firm with a half-century of Texas heritage. Founded more than 50 years ago in Fort Worth, Texas, GCI-Read Poland is one of the nation's most experienced public relations/public affairs consultant firms. Well-known for its political acumen, strategic planning, government relations, corporate counseling, the firm for decades has maintained key political contacts from the White House to the state house, including long-term relationships with governors, U.S. Senators, members of Congress, state agencies and legislators, plus numerous other elected and appointed officials down to community levels.

At the helm is Julian Read who has almost a half century experience in communications counseling and services nationwide. He was public relations advisor and confidant to Texas Governor John B. Connally and worked with President Lyndon B. Johnson. He has been a key consultant to numerous major Texas projects, including HemisFair and the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, and has worked closely with city, state and federal officials on a variety of issues. He has directed programs for numerous corporations, associations, special events and public policy campaigns. He is widely recognized for his strengths in creative conception, crisis communications, political strategy, issues management and special projects communications.

Julian Read
GCI Read-Poland - Austin
jread@gcigroup.com