SARASOTA, Fla. – One Eight Oh PR, a full-service public relations and strategic communications agency, recently welcomed accomplished media professional Joey Panek to its team as creative content director.
Most recently, Panek was the executive producer and co-host of Suncoast View for WWSB ABC-7 in Sarasota, Florida. He produced the lifestyle talk show for more than five years, highlighting local businesses, arts organizations and community events. Through the pandemic, he found innovative ways to continue the show’s mission of dynamic local coverage.
Panek has an extensive background in communications and video engagement. In 2009, he introduced the area’s first social media campaign as the “Sarasota Elf,” promoting Downtown Sarasota’s local businesses. This campaign launched a successful social media marketing company at the HuB Incubator, where he created numerous award-winning campaigns that earned his clients national media coverage. He was the creative director for a video campaign that won the “Gold Excellence in Economic Development” award from the International Economic Development Council, and his team’s original web series earned Sarasota a title as “One of the 10 Underrated Hotbeds of American Innovation”.
Panek also partnered with the Arts and Cultural Alliance of Sarasota County to launch the award-winning video campaign, The Art Whisperer, and was named one of 25 People to Watch by Biz941 Magazine for innovation in interactive media. Panek’s social media marketing campaign for Hyatt Regency locations in Sarasota and the Orlando International Airport won a Hyatt Corporate award, and he’s worked with area arts organizations to develop social media campaigns to attract and retain younger audiences.
Fun facts about Joey are that he is an exercise fanatic and has taught group fitness for over a decade, he is a seasoned stage performer and his famous dog Lulu was featured on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.
At One Eight Oh PR, Panek will lead the firm’s digital marketing and video content efforts, assisting clients with live and on-location video and social media broadcasts, and will spearhead creative engagement communication campaigns. He will continue to serve as a frequent guest host on ABC7’s Suncoast View.
“This is an exciting time for a change. Businesses are ready to rethink how they communicate with the communities. It’s a time for brands to embrace creativity and reintroduce themselves to their customer base. I’m thrilled to be a part of the team at One Eight Oh PR and join the momentum they’ve created for their clients,” said Panek.
This year, One Eight Oh PR celebrated its 9-year anniversary. With offices in Sarasota, Florida and Denver, Colorado, the full-service public relations and strategic communications firm assists clients in five states, including Florida, Georgia, Illinois, California and Colorado. The firm specializes in consulting for strategic communication services, including public relations strategy, press writing and social media management, for commercial and residential real estate clients, health care agencies, manufacturing firms and governmental agencies.
“We could not be more excited to welcome Joey to our team. As a trusted colleague and friend for many years, his creative skill set will be a perfect fit to complement our team and we look forward to offering new and existing clients even more opportunities for engagement and promotion of their brands,” said Candice Brown-McElyea, founder and CEO of One Eight Oh PR.
Since 2012, the agency of seasoned PR professionals has handled public relations and social media marketing for a diverse group of clients, as well as sales training, messaging and media coaching.
About One Eight Oh PR
One Eight Oh PR is a full-service public relations firm with two locations, in Sarasota, Fla. and Denver, Co. Founded in 2012 by owner and president Candice Brown-McElyea, the firm handles public relations strategy, press writing and social media management for a diverse group of clients, as well as sales training, messaging and media coaching. For more information, visit www.OneEightOhPR.com.
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[Photo 1 attached: Joey Panek, photo credit SRQ Headshots]