Crisis Communications

 

3200 Terminal Tower
50 Public Square
Cleveland, Ohio 44113
tel 216.321.7774
fax 216.916.4405

Welcome to Hennes Paynter Communications

Crisis Communications Specialists


Hennes Paynter - Crisis Communications

Crisis – a situation that has reached a critical phase for which dramatic and extraordinary intervention is
necessary to avoid or repair major damage.

- Harvard Business Review

“The research is very clear that organizations can emerge
from a crisis with a better reputation than if the crisis never
happened, because people see how you handle it under fire.”

- Frank Ovaitt, President & CEO, Institute for Public Relations

"Traditional public relations practitioners want to educate and inform over some period of time. We are crisis communications specialists. It's our job to make your pain stop or go away - now!"

- Bruce Hennes & Barbara Paynter

Hennes Paynter - Crisis Communications Specialists

Founded in 1989 as Hennes Communications, Hennes Paynter Communications LLC is one of the few firms in the U.S. exclusively focused on crisis communications.

In 2009, Hennes Communications became Hennes Paynter Communications LLC, reflecting Barbara Paynter's inclusion as a full partner in the firm, as well as her contributions to the firm's growth. 

media training litigation communication Media Training

Hennes Paynter Communications offers a wide range of crisis-oriented services, including Cleveland media training, media relations, litigation communications support, pre-crisis preparation, crisis drills and presentation training.

Today, our firm handles a diverse set of clients from corporations, government agencies, nonprofits, trade associations and professional service firms to hospitals, school systems, colleges and universities that are “on trial” in the Court of Public Opinion. Among the types of crises we have handled: industrial accidents, plant closings and staff reductions, white collar crime, product recalls, food contamination, activist protests and attacks, work stoppages and labor disputes, sudden changes in leadership, medical malpractice, environmental clean-ups… and many others.

 

If you say the right thing in the wrong way, a crisis can be created. A crisis of communications...a crisis of confidence. When they (Hennes Paynter) do their job best, there is no crisis.”


Ron Fountain, Chairman of the Board
MetroHealth System

     News FlashesNew

Hennes Paynter Communications Wins Prestigious
Crisis Communications Award Third Year in a Row

For the third year in a row, Hennes Paynter Communications has won the top award for crisis communications work from the Greater Cleveland Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America. On December 2, the firm won the 2011 gold "Rocks" award for its work on behalf of Saint Joseph Academy, the only Catholic all-girls' school in the city of Cleveland.

In 2010, Hennes Paynter won a gold Rocks award for its work on behalf of The MetroHealth System, which faced public scrutiny when the organization's vice president of construction and his assistant were implicated in a bribery and kick-back scheme. FULL STORY

In 2009, Hennes Paynter won the coveted "Best of Show" award from the Cleveland Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America for its work with another agency on the national peanut butter recall.  FULL STORY

Bruce Hennes Receives "Communicator of the Year" Award from International Association of Business Communicators - Cleveland Chapter. 
FULL STORY

Nora Jacobs, APR, joins Hennes Paynter as
Vice President.
 
FULL STORY

Our Principals

The firm's principals are Bruce Hennes and Barbara Paynter, APR.

Our staff includes former reporters, newsroom producers and professional communicators with extensive corporate, government and education experience. We are based in Cleveland, Ohio.

The firm is a coalition member of ProtectingAmerica.org and National Preparedness Month (US. Dept. of Homeland Security). We are also active with the Business Emergency Planning Institute.

Hennes Paynter Communications is certified as a Small Business Enterprise.