CLEVELAND—Falls Communications is expanding its corporate communications capabilities with the launch of an investor relations practice.

The firm has hired Robert Berick to oversee the development of this new practice group. He brings more than 20 years of capital market communications experience across sectors including energy, consumer products, and industrial manufacturing. He was most recently senior managing director at Dix & Eaton, and before that was director of corporate communications and investor relations for Scott Technologies, which underwent a dramatic strategic transformation and financial restructuring before being acquired by Tyco International in a contested shareholder vote.

According to Rob Falls, president and chief executive officer, “The traditional channels to the investment community have been altered dramatically by rapid technological advances and ever-changing regulatory requirements. As a result, it's never been harder for a company to identify or reach targeted investors and market influencers with a truly differentiated message.”

Services will include:
• Investor engagement strategy and counsel
• Investor messaging and communications campaigns
• Governance and risk management counsel
• Timely disclosures / SEC filings
• Quarterly / annual financial and CSR reporting
• Institutional investor targeting / non-deal roadshows / analyst days
• Retail investor outreach
• IR websites / online tools
• Market intelligence, including perception studies and peer group analysis
• Disclosure policy development and training
• Financial / trade media relations
• Executive presentation /media training
• Employee communications

The firm also will help companies manage high-stakes special situations such as proxy contests, shareholder activism campaigns, M&A activity, initial public offerings, leadership successions, financial restructurings, strategic transformations, and corporate crises.