Weber Shandwick Wins Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs Campaign

Thursday, August 21, 2008 MINNEAPOLIS – ST. PAUL, Minn. – August 21, 2008 – The Minneapolis-St. Paul office of Weber Shandwick today announced the win of a campaign for the Minnesota Department of Veteran Affairs (MDVA). Weber Shandwick will support the organization’s campaign to provide complete and accurate information about depleted uranium (DU) and drive awareness about government-provided screening services for exposure.

The MDVA is an organization committed to ensuring that Minnesota’s veterans, their dependents and survivors receive the full measure of benefits and services to which they are entitled. MDVA programs and services include the five Minnesota Veterans Homes, Bronze Star Markers, Claims and Outreach Assistance, Higher Education Veterans Assistance Program, LinkVet and the Women Veterans Program. The organization also regularly hosts military and veteran events.

Sparked by funding from the Minnesota state legislature to notify veterans about the availability of uranium testing, Weber Shandwick will support the project by organizing a forum with an expert panel to explain the facts about DU, put the risks into context and share the state government’s interest in addressing DU now. The agency will assist experts in developing a white paper of existing research, preparing supporting materials and conducting media outreach.

“We are honored to be part of such an important awareness campaign on behalf of the MDVA,” says Sara Gavin, president of Weber Shandwick’s Minneapolis-St. Paul office. “This work will allow us to help ensure our state’s veterans realize the programs and screening available surrounding DU exposure.”

About Weber Shandwick
Weber Shandwick is a leading global public relations agency with offices in over 79 markets around the world. The firm’s reputation is built on its deep commitment to client service, creativity, collaboration and harnessing the power of Advocates - engaging stakeholders in new and creative ways to build brands and reputation. Weber Shandwick provides strategy and execution across world-class practices such as consumer marketing, healthcare, technology, public affairs, corporate/financial and crisis management. Its specialized services include digital/social media, advertising, market research, and corporate responsibility. Weber Shandwick received the highest client-satisfaction honors in the 2007 Agency Excellence Survey by PRWeek U.S. and in 2006, was named Large PR Firm of the Year (PR News U.S.), European Consultancy of the Year (The Holmes Report) and Network of the Year (Asia Pacific PR Awards). The firm also won the United Nations Grand Award for Outstanding Achievement in Public Relations for the past three years. Weber Shandwick is part of the Interpublic Group (NYSE: IPG). For more information, visit http://www.webershandwick.com/.