Aaron Blank

About Aaron Blank

I started in radio. Five years as a reporter, anchor, and producer in New York and Connecticut, chasing stories, writing under deadline, and learning that the way you tell something matters as much as what you\'re telling. Then I moved to Seattle for love, walked into a PR firm called Fearey, and never left. I joined as a senior account executive in 2006. In 2014, I bought the company from its founder, Pat Fearey, one of the most respected names in Northwest communications, and became CEO. That was the beginning of the best chapter yet. Today, Fearey is one of the most established independent communications and marketing agencies in the Pacific Northwest. We\'ve been doing this for 45 years, through recessions, pandemics, crises, and cultural shifts that completely rewrote the rules of how brands communicate. What hasn\'t changed: people trust stories. They trust honesty. They trust the organizations that show up with both, especially when it\'s hard. That\'s what we build for our clients every day. What I do: → PR, crisis communications & public affairs → Integrated marketing & creative strategy → Brand reputation — building it, protecting it, rebuilding it → Helping organizations communicate fearlessly What I believe: At the crux of good communication is conversation. And you don\'t win people\'s trust with a press release, rather you win it one honest exchange at a time. I write a monthly newsletter called PR Failure — 12 years, 50+ editions — where I dissect the biggest corporate communications disasters and extract the lessons worth keeping. It\'s become one of my favorite things I\'ve ever built. If you\'re in a crisis, planning for one, or trying to build the kind of brand that doesn\'t need damage control: let\'s talk. Seattle, WA & Los Angeles, CA | fearey.agency a•••••@feareygroup.com

Experience

1. Chief Executive Officer & President

   Fearey

   Dec 2011 — Present · Seattle, WA, US

   I became the president of The Fearey Group in December 2011 and CEO when I became the next generation owner in January 2014. The firm rebranded as Fearey in 2021. Founded in 1981, by legendary PR professional Pat Fearey, the company is a founding member of the Public Relations Global Network, with more than 50 offices around the world. The firm is now in its 5th decade as an independent public relations, crisis communications and public affairs agency.My public relations and public affairs work have taken established companies and start-ups through growth phases or to an acquisition. I specialize in raising awareness of my clients as market share leaders or helping clients through various crises or issues. Sample lists of my clients, as well as their partners and customers with whom I\'ve worked, include: Amazon (top 25% of vendors), Rite Aid, Bartell Drugs, JLL, Johnson & Johnson, Humana, Providence Swedish, Children\'s, Virginia Mason, UCSF Medical Center, Life Science Washington, Fred Hutch, Sonosite, Allen Institute for Brain Science, Russell Family Foundation, SH Worldwide, MTR Western, LYFE Kitchen, Bar Louie, Victoria Clipper, Lisa Dupar Catering, Domino\'s Pizza, Northeastern University, Bellevue Christian School, Seattle Nativity School, University of Washington, City of Seattle, King County, Community Transit, Merriman, Lee & Hayes, Fisher Phillips, Foster Pepper, Perkins Coie, Sellen Construction, Vulcan Real Estate, Lorig Development, GLY Construction, JayMarc Homes, Evergreen Home Loans, Seattle Kraken, Oak View Group, Tacoma Rainiers, Tacoma Defiance, and many others.Specialties: Creation of customized Public Relations and Public Affairs, Social Media, CEO Campaigns & Customer Reference Programs for companies of all sizes. I have experience in Communications Marketing, specifically Branding and Naming companies. And I have significant experience helping all sorts of companies and people through Crisis Communications and Issues Management programs.

Education

• Quinnipiac University

  BA, Mass Communications, Political Science

  1998 — 2002

Skills

• Healthcare
• Real Estate
• Content Strategy
• Marketing Strategy
• Research
• Social Networking
• Management
• Reputation Management
• Communication
• Company Naming
• Professional Services
• Public Affairs
• Customer Service
• Online Communications
• Innovation
• Real Estate Communications
• Press Releases
• Crisis Communications
• Strategic Thinking
• Strategic Planning
• Mobile Communications
• National Speaker
• Biomedical Devices
• Branding & Identity
• Social Marketing
• Strategic Communications
• Social Media Strategist
• Social Media Integration
• Social Media
• Sports Marketing
• Biotechnology Industry
• Social Media Consulting
• Media Training
• Executive Coaching
• Social Media Marketing
• PR
• Strategic Public Relations Planning
• Public Relations
• Media Relations
• Business Strategy