Burson-Marsteller U.S. Appoints Erica Swerdlow and Nicole Cornish as Executive Vice Presidents

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Burson-Marsteller, a leading global public relations and communications firm, has appointed Erica Swerdlow and Nicole Cornish as Executive Vice Presidents for its United States region. Swerdlow will manage the region’s new business and marketing strategy, while Cornish will oversee business operations and resource management. Both Swerdlow and Cornish will report to U.S. CEO Dave DenHerder.

“I know that in this new role Matt will help continue to ensure that our Southwest operations remain best in class.”

Swerdlow joined the firm in 2010 as the Midwest Market Leader, a post she will continue to hold. Cornish joined the firm in 2002, and she has been promoted several times. Cornish is currently Chief Executive Officer of the firm’s grassroots unit, Direct Impact. She will continue in that role as well.

“Erica and Nicole are my trusted advisors and have a strong focus on outstanding results-driven client service,” said Burson-Marsteller U.S. CEO Dave DenHerder. “They both have a track record of bringing out the best in their colleagues. In their new roles, Erica and Nicole will be resources to the firm’s U.S. leadership team to strengthen our core business areas: Maintain and build client relationships, facilitate a higher level of integration across our firm and retain the best talent in the industry.”

Additionally, Burson-Marsteller has also appointed Matt Burns as Southwest Market Leader. Burns joined the firm in June as Southwest Public Affairs Market Leader. He will now assume complete oversight and responsibility for each of the three offices in the region including Dallas, Austin and Houston.

“In the few months since Matt joined our team, he has been steadily driving growth and momentum across our offices in Texas,” said DenHerder. “I know that in this new role Matt will help continue to ensure that our Southwest operations remain best in class.”

Erica Swerdlow

In 2010, Swerdlow was appointed the Midwest Market Leader at Burson-Marsteller where she has been responsible for leading operations in Chicago and expanding Burson-Marsteller’s presence and footprint in the Midwest region, including talent acquisition and client counsel. Swerdlow has provided leadership on key Burson-Marsteller clients including Discover Financial Services and Harman International.

Prior to joining Burson-Marsteller, Swerdlow was an Executive Vice President at Porter Novelli, where she was responsible for strategic communications and social media programs for both business-to-business and consumer clients. She also served as global client relationship leader for Penske Truck Leasing and Monster Worldwide as well as leading the team developing and executing general consumer marketing and public relations programs for McDonald's Owner/Operators of Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana. Prior to Porter Novelli, Swerdlow was president of EBS Public Relations, Inc., a mid-size public relations agency later acquired by Omnicom in 2000.

Nicole Cornish

Cornish was appointed as CEO of Direct Impact, Burson-Marsteller’s leading grassroots public affairs, public education and corporate reputation firm, at the start of 2012. She will continue in this role, overseeing day-to-day operations, managing the new business development process, and serving as primary liaison for Direct Impact’s national grassroots field network. Previously, Cornish served as President and Executive Vice President of Direct Impact.

Cornish joined Direct Impact in 2003, providing client leader services for some of the company’s highest profile clientele with the pharmaceutical sector, automotive sector and various trade associations and industry coalitions. Cornish also successfully spearheaded the expansion of the company’s grassroots model in North America and overseas, building a grassroots network in Canada and most recently launching its first European office and field network in the UK. Before joining Direct Impact, Cornish served as day-to-day client lead for key consumer brands in New York and California, including Sony Electronics Corporation and Fuji Photo Film U.S.A., focusing on key product launches and corporate communications.

Matt Burns

Burns joined Burson-Marsteller in June 2012 as Southwest Public Affairs Market Leader. Prior to joining Burson-Marsteller, Burns was director of corporate communications for UnitedHealthcare Medicare & Retirement, a UnitedHealth Group business, where he led public relations and the alignment of communications activities with internal communications, legal, government affairs, regulatory, marketing and sales functions. He advised C-suite executives on strategic business and public relations initiatives, planned and oversaw a strategic partnership with the National Council on Aging and led media relations around business mergers and acquisitions. Burns also served as the lead spokesperson for UnitedHealthcare Medicare & Retirement, working with national, regional and online media outlets.

Before working with UnitedHealthcare Medicare & Retirement, Burns operated Compelem Strategies, a firm counseling non-profit, corporate and political clients. Burns also served as director of communications for the 2008 Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minn. He acted as the convention’s chief media strategist and spokesperson, leading a team of 200 veteran communicators that generated 2,600 surrogate media interviews and unprecedented online engagement through strategic partnerships with Google, Microsoft and Ustream.TV.

About Burson-Marsteller

Burson-Marsteller, established in 1953, is a leading global public relations and communications firm. It provides clients with strategic thinking and program execution across a full range of public relations, public affairs, reputation and crisis management, advertising and digital strategies. The firm’s seamless worldwide network consists of 73 offices and 83 affiliate offices, together operating in 108 countries across six continents. Burson-Marsteller is a unit of WPP, the world’s leading communications services network. For more information, please visit bm.com.