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.

Currently, Solem is providing full communications services for three of the biggest development projects in the Bay Area, including replacing the River Rock Casino with a green 255-room resort hotel in the wine country of Sonoma County, building more than 4,000 homes and new parks behind safe new levees in Eastern Contra Costa County, and developing the 65-acre Firemans Fund headquarters site in Marin into mixed use including more open space, a hotel, retail, offices and community amenities.

Solar Power: World’s Largest Solar Power Project

Solel Solar Systems
Solem & Associates provides 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.

Solem’s communications and media relations strategy resulted in wide, positive coverage of Solel in July 2007 when the company publicly announced its intention plan to build a 553 megawatt solar power project and sell the energy to Pacific Gas and Electric Company.Since then Solem has arranged meetings between Solel executives and California decision-makers, and in January 2008 managed media relations for the announcement of new funding and new leadership of Solel USA, the company’s American subsidiary.

Solel’s solar thermal technology in Israel.

Clean Air: Reducing Diesel Emissions

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.

Transportation: Congestion Management

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 provides marketing, media relations and outreach for the Bay Area’s first Express Lane, which is now being designed for a 14-mile stretch of the freeway over the Sunol Grade. In September 2007 Solem released results of a poll and focus groups the firm conducted on public attitudes toward the toll lane, which allows solo drivers to pay a toll electronically to use the existing carpool lane while carpools continue to use the lane for free. Solem has created presentation material to introduce the lane to stakeholders in the East Bay.

On I-580, Solem is providing media, government and other communications under engineering firm T.Y. Lin’s multi-year project management contract 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 2007 Solem provided communications as the State decided among competing freeway projects for funding. In December 2006 Solem publicly launched the I-580 improvement project 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, including the first appearance of new Congressman Jerry McNerney after his appointment to the House Transportation Committee, as well as managing media relations for the event.

MTC’s Scott Haggerty, surrounded by media at I-580’s groundbreaking ceremony.

Clean Energy: Shutting Down Hunters Point Power Plant

Pacific Gas & Electric Company
Pacific Gas & Electric Company has been a client for almost 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.

Earthquake Safety:  100th Anniversary Earthquake Conference

Earthquake Engineering Research Institute
Solem & Associates provided communications strategy, media relations and public policy for the 100th Anniversary Earthquake Conference in San Francisco in April 2006.  It was the science, engineering and policy focus of the centennial of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire. 

Solem brought policy leaders to the conference including Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, California Senators Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer, former FEMA director James Lee Witt, two U.S. Cabinet members, and San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom.  Solem generated world-wide media coverage when the conference released a new report assessing the destruction a 1906-size earthquake would cause today.  In addition, Solem produced a 14-minute film that was shown to start the conference, given to each conference attendee, and distributed to Bay Area libraries, science teachers, community organizations and government agencies.

Housing and Land Use: Projects and Future Development

AF Evans
Developer AF Evans hired Solem & Associates to provide media relations and event planning support in June 2006 when it unveiled the $75 million Bay Area Workforce Housing Equity Fund.  The Fund was established to help reduce the initial costs of project development to provide middle-class housing without relying on public subsidies.  The lower development costs made possible by the fund allow AF Evans to sell housing units to consumers at 10-15 percent below market rates. 

Currently, Solem is providing full communications services for three of biggest projects in the Bay Area replacing the River Rock Casino with a 255-room resort hotel in the wine country of Sonoma County, building more than 4,000 homes and new parks behind safe new levees in Eastern Contra Costa County, and developing the 65-acre Firemans Fund headquarters site in Marin into mixed use including more open space, a hotel, retail, offices and community amenities.

Other News

Solem & Associates is the first public relations firm officially named a “Green Business” by the San Francisco Environment Department.