Seasoned Investor Relations and Corporate Reputation Executives form Alpha Advisory Group

Former Golin, Edelman Executives Join Alpha IR to Expand Services Across the C-Suite


CHICAGO, April 11, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --  Alpha IR Group, the leading independent consultancy focused on protecting, enhancing, and building investment brands, today expanded its service offerings through the creation of a new subsidiary called the Alpha Advisory Group.

The combined investor relations and corporate reputation advisory establishes a new communications consultancy aimed at helping C-Suite leaders build and enhance their reputations among all critical corporate influencers, including investors, customers, employees, policymakers, and other key stakeholders.

Created by founder Chris Hodges, the combined company now includes veterans from Wall Street, investor relations and corporate communications. This includes two new partners, Tim Peters and Dave Duschene, who join Alpha after serving as key leaders at global PR agency Golin for the past several years. Peters and Duschene bring more than 60 years of combined journalistic, government and corporate communications and large agency experience.

“Today’s executives understand the need for a comprehensive approach to building corporate reputation through effective engagement, communications, and investment branding strategies,” Hodges said. “I am excited to form Alpha Advisory Group to help our clients effectively bridge the gap between traditional IR and PR using our holistic approach to both.”

Hodges formed Alpha IR in 2012 and has spent his career guiding C-Suites at leading public companies through numerous transformations, transactions and crises. He has been a strategic communications consultant for two decades, having co-founded and sold Ashton Partners. He held senior roles at Financial Dynamics and FTI Consulting before starting Alpha IR. Hodges has counseled clients across all industries, and through various points in the business cycle, including multiple recessions and valuation peaks. He is a recognized thought leader in the investor relations industry having presented at the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD), National Directors Institute (NDI), and numerous NIRI events across the country.

Peters most recently served as U.S. leader for Golin’s corporate practice. Duschene led Golin’s issues & crisis practice. Peters held corporate affairs communications positions at McDonald’s Corp. and Edelman after working the early part of his career as a Congressional staffer. Duschene previously led employee engagement and executive communications positions for Hill + Knowlton Strategies and Kemper Insurance Companies after nearly a decade as a journalist across Illinois.

“Traditional PR firms are increasingly challenged to deliver the right specialties and capabilities in one place to navigate the obstacles today’s corporate brands must overcome,” Peters said. “Alpha Advisory Group has the talent and experience to guide C-Suites with holistic strategic counsel to drive their corporate reputations and investment brands forward.”

“As a storyteller, I understand that building a consistent narrative is essential to effectively communicating,” Duschene said. “We’re dedicated to making sure our clients are clear and compelling in how they present themselves to influencers and key stakeholders – both inside their organizations and out.”

Duschene and Peters began their new roles April 10, joining Hodges and agency President Mike Cummings as operating partners in the new firm. Cummings has been a part of Alpha since the early days of the firm, playing a substantial role alongside Hodges in growing the firm into one of the most influential independent IR agencies in the U.S.

About Alpha Advisory Group: The Alpha Companies, including Alpha Advisory Group and Alpha IR Group, bring deep sector expertise and senior-driven programs focused on clients’ most critical stakeholders. The firm’s work includes strategic investor relations consulting, corporate reputation advisory, stakeholder communications research, as well as transactions and special situations counsel. Alpha is the right choice to manage clients’ reputations, credibility, and ultimately, their corporate brand. The Alpha Companies are headquartered in Chicago, with offices in New York, Boston, and Dallas. The Alpha Companies serve clients across all industries and through multiple inflection points in the business cycle. Additional information about Alpha IR and Alpha Advisory can be found at www.alphaadvgroup.com.

Contact:
Dan Faust, Sales & Marketing Associate
Alpha Advisory Group, LLC
(312) 445-2870