BRIAN
TIERNEY
Mr. Tierney is an internationally recognized expert in communications and media, with a specific focus on crisis situations and issues management.
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PUBLIC RELATIONS
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Currently CEO of Brian Communications, a rapidly growing public relations agency, Mr. Tierney represents a wide range of clients including the Newspaper Association of America, The Poynter Institute and Independence Blue Cross, a major health care insurer in the United States.
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Immediately prior to launching Brian Communications in 2010, Mr. Tierney was the owner and publisher of the region’s largest newspapers: the Philadelphia Inquirer and the Daily News as well as the Chief Executive Officer of its parent company, Philadelphia Media Holdings. During his tenure as publisher, the Daily News was awarded the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for Investigative Journalism.
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Mr. Tierney has advised CEOs and leaders of Fortune 500 companies including Exelon (NYSE: EXC), Commerce Bank (now TD Bank, NYSE: TD), Marriott (NYSE: MAR), IBM (NYSE IBM), Deloitte and ARAMARK. He has served as a trusted advisor to myriad clients in crisis situations where there was no room for error. He is often called upon to provide confidential, behind-the-scenes advice to heads of state and other political leaders.
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POLITICAL
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Early in his career, Mr. Tierney served as Deputy Director for Political Education for the Republican National Committee, based in Washington, D.C. He left this position to serve as a national political director for GOPAC under then Governor Pierre S. DuPont IV, coordinating political campaigns and messaging across the United States. He was then appointed to the U.S. Small Business Administration under President Ronald Reagan. In 2000 he was appointed Chairman of the Republican National Committee’s Catholic Task Force for the successful Bush/Cheney Presidential Campaign.
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ACADEMIA & CORPORATE
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He is an Entrepreneur in Residence at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and a sought-after speaker who has presented at the Milken Institute Global Conference, Columbia University School of Journalism as well as international newspaper and media conferences in the Middle East and Australia. He has appeared on the BBC, NPR, CNBC, CBS, ABC and FOX.
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Mr. Tierney serves on the Board of Directors for NutriSystem (NASDAQ: NTRI), Republic Bank (NASDAQ: FRBK) and is also Chairman of the foundation for the Poynter Institute, which supports outstanding journalism for a strong democracy. Hundreds of journalists from around the world travel to the Institute to be mentored and taught by key influencers including Brian Williams, Diane Sawyer, Katty Kay and Christiane Amanpour among others.
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ADVERTISING
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Mr. Tierney has launched several successful advertising and public relations companies, including The Tierney Group, T2 Group and Tierney Communications, which he grew to $275 million in billings and sold to the Interpublic Group of Companies (NYSE: IPG) in 2000. His advertising agency laid the foundation to increase tourism in the city of Philadelphia by the creation and launch of the slogan, “Philadelphia, the Place that Loves You Back.”
Mr. Tierney is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania. He holds a Juris Doctor degree from the Widener University School of Law.