Solem & Associates’ client work covers the spectrum of California public affairs activity. Our work spans clean air issues, clean energy, earthquake safety, transportation and housing and land use. We are also proud to be committed to environmental communications as San Francisco’s first green business PR firm.
Great Salt Lake Minerals Solem & Associates provides strategy, media relations and other communications services for Great Salt Lake Minerals Corp., of Ogden, Utah, the only American producer of potassium sulfate specialty fertilizer. The fertilizer, also called sulfate of potash or SOP, is essential for growers of vegetables, fruits, nuts and other wholesome crops, but is in short supply. GSL is attempting to expand its operations to meet growers' needs. Solem created media material, two videos and a website www.gslfuture.com explaining how Great Salt Lake Minerals uses solar energy and other natural processes to produce the fertilizer from the brine of the Great Salt Lake. The fertilizer is all-natural, chemical-free and organic-approved.
Interstate 580 and Interstate 680 Solem & Associates provides media relations and other communications services for the Alameda County Congestion Management Agency’s improvement projects on Interstate 580, and for the Bay Area’s first toll lane coming to Interstate 680.
On I-680, Solem & Associates provides marketing, media, and public outreach services for the I-680 Express Lane Project, the first toll lane project in Northern California, which open in September 2010. Solo drivers can choose to pay a toll electronically to use the lane, while carpools continue to use the lane for free. Solem acts as project spokesperson for the project, created an interactive project website www.680expresslane.org, and managed the kickoff ceremony for the new lane. Earlier, Solem briefed the City Councils of the cities along the I-680 corridor in advance of the launch of its marketing program, managed the groundbreaking ceremony at the start of construction, and conducted the first public meeting to inform residents and drivers on details of the Express Lane project.
On I-580, Solem is providing media, government and other communications to address congestion on the second-most crowded freeway in the Bay Area - the stretch of I-580 from Pleasanton to Livermore. The Congestion Management Agency is bringing new lanes, new interchanges, and intelligent transportation systems to the corridor. In October 2009, Solem teamed with Caltrans to open the first five-mile-long segment of the eastbound 580 carpool lane with a bus-full of local leaders as the first vehicle on the lane. In September 2008, Solem publicly launched construction of the I-580 carpool lanes with a groundbreaking ceremony that received wide coverage from Bay Area radio, television and newspapers. Solem arranged the appearances and speeches by federal, state, and local elected officials, as well as managing media relations for the event. In 2007 Solem provided communications as the State decided among competing freeway projects for funding.
Katie Rath from the Solem team engages in community outreach for the I-680 Express Lane
CalRENEW-1 Solem & Associates managed all activities for the ribbon-cutting event and civic celebration in June 2010 at Meridian Energy's CalRENEW-1 project in Mendota, CA, the first-ever utility-scale photovoltaic solar farm to fulfill the California's clean energy vision by providing large supplies of solar power directly to the state's electricity grid. Solem selected the site, invited speakers and guests, coordinated with Pacific Gas and Electric Co., and managed logistics, media relations, and event organization ranging from talking points for speakers to catering, tours, souvenirs and signage. The principal speaker was California Public Utilities Commissioner John Bohn. Media at the event included all six TV stations from Fresno (two Spanish-language plus the four network affiliates) as well as Fresno and Mendota newspapers and energy bloggers who drove three hours from San Francisco.
Solel Solar Systems Solem & Associates provided strategic communications for Solel Solar Systems and its contract to build the world's largest solar power project in the Mojave Desert. Solem created and helped execute a strategic communications plan to introduce Solel and its Mojave Solar Park project to California decision-makers, media and the public in 2007, resulting in wide, positive coverage of the company's plan to build a 553 megawatt solar power project and sell the energy to Pacific Gas and Electric Company. Solem continued to manage media relations for Solel until it was purchased by Siemens in October 2009.
California Public Utilities Commissioner John Bohn dedicates the CalRENEW-1 solar farm.
Cleaire Diesel Exhaust Purifiers Solem & Associates provides communications and media services to Cleaire Advanced Emissions Controls, which designs, manufactures and installs diesel exhaust filters for in-use vehicles. The filters help fleet owners meet California Air Resources Board requirements to reduce emissions of toxic particulate matter (PM) and oxides of nitrogen (NOx). Solem created a well-covered media event on Treasure Island in September 2006 to celebrate the near-completion of the Clean Diesel Bus Program, which installed diesel exhaust filters on 1,700 buses for 13 transit districts in the Bay Area.
The event featured San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, Metropolitan Transportation Commission Chair Jon Rubin, and Bay Area Air Quality Management District Executive Officer jack Broadbent. Solem also organized media events for San Joaquin Valley school districts that are retrofitting their school buses with Cleaire’s exhaust filters.
Clean Energy: Shutting Down Hunters Point Power Plant
Pacific Gas & Electric Company Pacific Gas & Electric Company has been a client for more than 30 years. In May 2006 Solem & Associates managed logistics and communications for the official announcement and community celebration when PG&E shut down its controversial Hunters Point Power Plant. Solem previously had worked on securing approvals necessary to shut the plant, and now is working on various green energy projects for PG&E.
Former PG&E CEO Tom King and San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom at the community shutdown celebration.
Front page on Civil Engineering and Contingencies magazines
Beginning with the historic conference marking the 100th Anniversary of the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake, Solem & Associates has provided communications strategy, media relations and public policy services surrounding earthquake preparedness. For Degenkolb Engineers, we have organized events with state and federal officials, local media and the public, managed media coverage of seismic experts' reconnaissance missions to earthquake sites around the globe, and provided soup-to-nuts video production. Recently, we have secured cover stories in both Civil Engineering and Contingencies magazines for an earthquake expedition and a story on seismic risk management.
Top: Chris Poland, Conference Chair with Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Lower Left : Contingencies Magazine Lower Right: Civil Engineering Magazine
