The field of public relations is growing at an astronomical rate.  River Rock understands the importance of two-way symmetrical communication, how to not just promote or defend a particular company’s product or service, but also build sustaining relationships with audiences that are important to the client.

• Reputation Management
• Branding Strategy
• Communication Audit & Planning
• Media Relations
• Media Training
• Crises Communications
• Employee & Community Relations

Our company recently broke ground on a $1.2 billion major infrastructure project in Lackawanna County. This was the culmination of four years of development work and a nearly two year, full scale public affairs effort to win approvals at the local and county levels. River Rock Communications played a critical role in this public affairs effort and in the ultimate approval of the project. Their broad PR skill set, personal relationships with local media, knowledge of the community and adaptability in a rapidly evolving issue environment made them an integral part of our development team.

During the summer of 2015, a local opposition effort coalesced that significantly escalated the intensity of the community relations effort to win support for the project. The River Rock team worked tirelessly alongside our engineering and legal teams to educate the public about key facilities changes designed to address community concerns. They interfaced with numerous members of the media including working with the editorial board of the Scranton Times-Tribune to secure a meeting with our team and a very timely and significant editorial in our favor. Additionally, over the course of more than a year of public hearings and grassroots events, they coordinated supporter turnout efforts and helped our company establish sustained relationships with our best and most vocal supporters in the community.

One illustration of River Rock’s cross-functional project leadership was a scholarship program our company established with Lackawanna Community College. River Rock arranged introductions between our lead developer, the college President and the head of the college’s oil and gas program. This and subsequent meetings led to an announcement of a scholarship program that would provide two students with full-time scholarships every year for five years. In addition to full tuition support, scholarship students would receive a paid internship at the power plant we were developing. Additionally, we agreed to work with faculty to develop a curriculum that would train students for eventual employment in natural gas power plants including our own. River Rock facilitated the introductions at a time when community support was very limited, they advised on the structure of the scholarship program and they managed key components of the media rollout and follow up coverage around the program. This scholarship program proved to be one of the early steps in turning around our standing in the community.

Patrick Whitty, Invenergy LLC