Weber Shandwick Financial Services Leaders Receive Prestigious Industry Recognition

Wednesday, June 30, 2010 MINNEAPOLIS – June 30, 2010 – Two leaders in Weber Shandwick’s Financial Services practice have earned industry honors for their business acumen and communications expertise. Barb Iverson, president of the firm’s Financial Services practice, was named Bulldog Reporter’s IR/Financial Communications Professional of the Year. Brooke Worden, a vice president in the Financial Services practice, was recognized by the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal as one of the publication’s 25 Women to Watch.

Iverson has 34 years of communications management experience in business, government and education. Since joining Weber Shandwick in 1996, her work has involved strategic and integrated communications planning and reputation/brand management, with particular emphasis in the banking, electronic payments, retirement services and insurance industries. Bulldog Reporter recognized Iverson’s leadership in working with offices around the world to provide seamless service to clients, ultimately growing the Financial Services practice by 8 percent despite the difficulties caused by the 2009 financial crisis. Iverson also accelerated Weber Shandwick’s focus on financial education and financial literacy, which involved a number of federal government clients.

Worden was recognized by the Business Journal as a business leader to watch for continued professional success. Worden leads the U.S. Census Bureau’s public relations campaign, working with more than 50 colleagues in six offices nationwide to encourage people to participate in the census. She joined Weber Shandwick 10 years ago and has worked with several companies and organizations during that time, including Prudential Retirement, the Business Roundtable, ING, CIGNA Retirement & Investment Services, MasterCard and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Worden has been named president-elect of the Minnesota chapter of the Public Relations Society of America. She also is a member of the Citizens League of Minnesota and volunteers with the St. Paul City Ballet.

“We are thrilled that the financial services industry shares our firm’s high regard for Barb’s and Brooke’s talents and leadership,” said Sara Gavin, president of Weber Shandwick Minneapolis. “They both bring tremendous drive and dedication to our Financial Services practice, which delivers outstanding service and measurable results to some of the most recognized brands in the industry and prominent government agencies.”

Weber Shandwick’s Financial Services practice serves clients ranging from the U.S. Treasury, Ernst & Young, U.S. Bank and Federated Investors to LIFE, the Federal Reserve Bank, Cerberus, the IRS, MassMutual, Scottrade and Ceridian.

About Weber Shandwick
Weber Shandwick is a leading global public relations agency with offices in 81 countries around the world. The firm’s success is built on its deep commitment to client service, our people, 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 practices such as consumer marketing, healthcare, technology, public affairs, financial services, corporate and crisis management. Its specialized services include digital/social media, advocacy advertising, market research, and corporate responsibility. In 2010, Weber Shandwick was named Global Agency of the Year by The Holmes Report for the second year in a row; an ‘Agency of the Decade’ by Advertising Age, Large PR Agency of the Year by Bulldog Reporter, a Digital Firm of the Year by PR News, and Top Corporate Responsibility Advisory Firm by CR Magazine. The firm has also won numerous ‘best place to work’ awards around the world. Weber Shandwick is part of the Interpublic Group (NYSE: IPG). For more information, visit http://www.webershandwick.com.