Jan 11, 2011 – the new firm of Truscott Rossman was born. Hard to believe it’s been 14 years. It seems like it has flown by and at the same time, it seems like we’ve been around forever. What a ride it has been so far and the change has been staggering.
When Kelly Rossman-McKinney and I combined our firms to have more reach and impact statewide, everything we did was intentional. As the largest bi-partisan public affairs firm in Michigan, we not only bolstered our reputation, but we reached way beyond our traditional work. We landed corporate projects, big non-profit work and continued to grow our public affairs base of work. Our individual reputations in the business for decades helped open doors and expand our traditional business.
So much has changed and evolved since then. I think Kelly would be amazed at where the firm is today. (more on that in a minute)
When Kelly retired in 2018 to run for the Michigan Senate, we continued our close friendship, even though we came from opposite sides of the aisle. I admired Kelley’s tenacity in the face of an uphill battle. She was one of a kind and nothing was going to get in her way. Most importantly, she was my dear friend.
Then came her next career in the AG’s office and the devastating diagnosis of cancer. She fought like nobody else could, but eventually lost that battle. It left a huge hole in our hearts.
All of this in 14 years and not a day goes by that I don’t think about her, the fun we had and the impact she had on so many people around the state.
So as we go forward, some of Kelly’s traditions are coming back. After suffering through Covid lockdowns and later Covid outbreaks, the Kelly inspired Paczki party is back! In typical Kelly fashion, it’s just an opportunity to bring good people together for conversation, friendship and calorie laden sweets. This Fat Tuesday morning tradition is meant to help renew or create relationships, especially made difficult in a hybrid work climate.
And the famous Lobby Guide. It was getting so thick and frankly it was time to bring it up to date in how people use documents. So a few years ago, we created an app with all of the relevant information still included at your fingertips. A big announcement about the Lobby Guide is coming soon.
As I look back, it’s important to recognize how much the public affairs and public relations business has changed. People don’t consume information like they did in 2011. The public has a healthy distrust of institutions they once believed in. And the media landscape is fractured and in many cases fading away.
As a result, Truscott Rossman has changed along with the environment and in many cases we’re ahead of the changes. We’re leading the way in the digital presentation of issues and informing the public in a way that was not even possible just a few short years ago. We’ve added an incredible creative team that is helping us present information in a way that grabs attention. Our “secret sauce” is still at the forefront, but there are now so many different ways to utilize it.
It’s an exciting yet challenging time in the business. Truscott Rossman is 24 people strong and we’re located across the state. We’ve added staff to push the boundaries of how we have traditionally communicated and we have the results to show for it.
I smile when I think of how Kelly would respond to where we are today as a firm. I can imagine her saying in her own way…”Well shit, look what we’ve built.” Yes Kelly, on your foundation, we’ve built a heck of a team and an incredible firm. And we’re ready for whatever the future throws at us.