Testimonials

Here's What People Have to Say About Us

Bruce Hennes Presenting Barb Paynter gives a crisis communications speech

"Barb did a great job. She was responsive and persuasive in moving us to take her advice, while taking our input. We are very pleased."

Robert C. Smith, President & CEO
Spero-Smith Investment Advisers, Inc.

"Bruce Hennes is the Master of Disaster."

Becca Braun, (former) Chief Development Officer
JumpStart, Inc.

"Barb Paynter worked with Legal Aid on a short-term public relations project focused on print media. She was phenomenal! After an initial meeting with our leadership staff, she was able to help us better highlight the key issues so we could effectively work with the various newspaper editorial boards. She continued to work with us and helped us prepare for subsequent meetings and articles. The outcome was better than expected – Barb’s assistance helped us not only with the short-term public relations project, but we now have a good long-term relationship with key newspaper staff. Thank you, Hennes Paynter Communications !!!"

Melanie A. Shakarian, Esq., Director of Development
The Legal Aid Society of Cleveland

"Thanks to Bruce Hennes for coming to Coshocton County, Ohio to do his "Extreme Crisis Communications" presentation. I was glad that our health department was able to support this effort and that so many of our employees - and other government officials - attended. Because of the training, I was able to serve as spokesman for our agency during the recent H1N1 Swine Flu situation and conduct the press conference in a professional manner. We used his forms and techniques to prepare for all of our encounters with the media, predicting all of their questions in advance and serving the public with transparency, You can read about the results of our media relations in a laudatory editorial that ran in a local newspaper. Government and health officials across the board should receive the crisis and risk communications training he offers."

D. J. McFadden, M.D., M.P.H.
Holmes County (Ohio) Health Commissioner

"I found myself agreeing with everything Bruce Hennes said. Hennes is a crisis communications specialist based in Cleveland. The Coshocton and Holmes County Health Departments brought him to Coshocton to speak with area politicians, public health officials and business leaders. I hope they heed his words. And I'm sorry that some area leaders didn't get to hear it. They - and the citizens and customers they serve - would benefit greatly from it as well."

Len LaCara, Managing Editor
The Coshocton Tribune & Zanesville Times Recorder

" One hour with Bruce is worth it. He’s a real expert with real applicable knowledge…and he’s interesting !!"

David J. Janus, Cleveland Regional President
First Merit Bank

" Every lawyer who acts as litigation counsel or corporate counsel to a business or institution should be familiar with the principles and practical considerations conveyed in Bruce's program because coverage and public reaction can be such powerful factors when a client is involved in litigation or faces some type of business crisis."

Deborah Coleman
Partner Hahn Loeser + Parks LLP

" I have had the pleasure of attending a presentation by Bruce Hennes on media relations. It provided excellent content that is very useful and instructive to lawyers, and provides important insights that enable lawyers to effectively serve clients facing media issues and to do so in an ethical and professional manner."

Gerald Korngold, Former Dean
Case Western Reserve University School of Law

"Invaluable media instruction for local public officials."

Ken Krause
Municipal Law Director

"It was a real pleasure watching a 'Best-in-Class' pro on the platform. You engaged us with the first words out of your mouth. Your comments were clear, simple, well-organized and easy to follow. Your casual in-your-face style was energetic, dramatic, humorous and very easy to listen to. Like I said, a real pro at work. And did I thank you yet for not using PowerPoint? How refreshing to see a content expert not have to rely on it."

Phil Stella, President
Effective Training & Communications

"With Bruce's strategic guidance and understanding of public relations and community relations issues, our business has grown. "

John Zagara
Zagara's Marketplace

"Bruce's presentation for the Greater Lorain County SHRM was not only professional but extremely interesting. Bruce discussed current events that relate to everyday issues that arise in the workplace. He provided excellent tips on how companies should prepare for and more importantly, appropriately handle crisis communication!
Our group was most impressed with Bruce."

Lisa Satonick, VP Programs
Greater Lorain County SHRM

"We just finished our quarterly Investment Committee meeting and I can unequivocally identify multiple benefits from our training and preparations with you. We sharpened the focus of our written materials, improved the delivery of our verbal presentations and implemented several of your helpful suggestions to reduce the shortcomings of our meeting space. In short, it went very, very well!"

Sally J. Staley, Chief Investment Officer
Case Western Reserve University

"Don't wait until one of the TV investigative reporters shows up with camera in tow to decide you need training in dealing with the media."

Dale Canter,Chief of Police
Richfield, Ohio

"I now have more insight and confidence in media relations in addressing a crisis."

Jack Crivel, Chief of Police
Pepper Pike, Ohio

"I now have the confidence I need to go in front of the television cameras and answer the tough questions !"

Trenton H. Brown, Patrolman
Brook Park (Ohio) Police Department

"Great information to have as we all learn to live under the media microscope."

Dave Handwerk, Mayor
City of Orrville, Ohio

“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
(The Plain Dealer June 24, 2011)

"Hennes Paynter Communications provided an insightful introduction to the art of media relations for a group of Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine faculty physician scientists and support staff. I found his verbal and visual performance tips of great value, as were the practice of developing key messages and implementing them during on-camera interviews. Bruce has a real talent for understanding how the media works and how they’re going to interpret your actions/non-actions. I recommend anyone in the public eye go through this training."

Pamela B. Davis, MD, PhD
Dean, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine
Vice President for Medical Affairs
Arline H. and Curtis L. Garvin, MD, Research Professor

"On behalf of Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Ohio, the state’s largest health benefits provider, I wholeheartedly endorse Mr. Bruce Hennes and the Hennes Paynter Communications team for the work they have done for our organization in the recent past.

Any company worth its salt expects the best – and prepares for the worst. Bruce and his team helped conduct intensive four hour media training – pairing one of Northern Ohio’s most combative news reporters with each of Anthem’s top level executives. The purpose? To engrain in these executives the process for accurately and confidently responding to questions from the media. The result? A team prepared to step into an interview at a moment’s notice.

And Hennes’ organization did it on schedule and, more importantly, on budget.

So well did these Anthem executives do after Hennes’ training, neighboring Anthem states began to ask how they, too, could conduct such high intensity training. A credit to Bruce’s follow through."

Chip Palazzo, Public Relations Director
Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield

"We asked the Hennes Paynter team to custom-design a program about the use - and misuse - of social media. The resulting in-service was well received by our entire staff. For our veterans, it introduced them to the concept of social media and the impact it has on students and their fellow colleagues. For the newer staff members, the in-service hit home how their professional life can accidentally merge with their private one - and caution must be deliberately taken when using Facebook, Twitter, etc. The Hennes Paynter team also emphasized the importance of professionalism in dealing with parents and the community at large. This in-service provided excellent overviews and how-to's for topics too-often back-burnered because of priorities related to standards and testing. The use of new technologies coupled with best practices for staff professionalism helps create a positive, proactive school climate with a positive impact on teaching and learning."

Angela Smith, Director of Curriculum
Madison Local School District

"Dynamic, informative and not for a second, boring. You will be ready to handle whatever's thrown at you."

Dr. Laura Cox Dzurec, Dean, College of Nursing
Kent State University

"Worth the time. Made me hungry for more."

MaryAnne Saunders, Exec. Dir., Office of External Affairs
Kent State University

"Excellent information, presented well."

Phil R. Stammitti, Sheriff
Lorain County, Ohio

"I learned just as much, if not more, about crisis communications and how to manage the media in the Hennes Paynter 4.5-hour class than I did in the ten-week FBI National Academy."

Terence M. Calloway, Chief of Police
Woodmere Village, Ohio

"As a thirty-year veteran police officer, I have been conditioned to avoid and roadblock the media. This seminar has changed that perception, and my department will use these principles."

Jim Abramowski, Lt.
Solon, Ohio Police Department

"Bruce Hennes offers invaluable tips on managing the media and conveying key message points that build trust. Anyone who works with the media and may find themselves on the other end of a microphone or camera could learn from him."

CJ Sheppard, Media Relations
Parma Community General Hospital

“Bruce Hennes conducts a nuts and bolts no-nonsense crisis comm seminar full of great advice laced with enthusiasm and humor. The time flies as he delivers great, actionable advice.”

Norman Wain, Adjunct Professor Mass Media
Case Western Reserve University

"Bruce provides great insight to crisis communications and media relations. All publicly-funded organizations can benefit from his presentation."

Jeff Kipp, Director
LiveCleveland !

"Bruce was extremely informative, entertaining and on-point in terms of relating to Cleveland Development Corporation media relations."

Colleen Gilson, Executive Director
Cleveland Neighborhood Development Coalition

Testimonials

Here's What People Have to Say About Us

“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 (The Plain Dealer June 24, 2011)

Ron Fountain, Chairman of the Board
MetroHealth System
(The Plain Dealer June 24, 2011)