Solem & Associates' client work covers the spectrum of California public affairs activity, including strategy, lobbying, media relations, videos, and website design. Among our newest work: communications strategy and media relations for Northern California's first Express Lane; media, videos, public opinion research and a website for a company that produces all-natural fertilizer for vegetables and fruits; and introducing California's first-ever utility-scale photovoltaic solar farm providing large supplies of solar power directly to the state's electricity grid.
9/20/11 First Year of Express Lanes
Solem & Associates manages marketing and media, and serves as on-air spokesperson, for the the Bay Area's first Express Lane, a 14-mlle stretch of I-680 over the Sunol Grade. When the lane opened at 5 a.m. Sept. 20, all five TV networks broadcast live from the Express Lane throughout the morning, an afternoon media briefing resulted in front-page articles in the San Francisco Chronicle, Oakland Tribune, San Jose Mercury News, and Contra Costa Times, and Solem’s project spokesperson was on KGO-Radio’s Ronn Owens call-in show for a full hour answering drivers’ questions.
1 year later, Media relations guru Dave Hyams acted as spokesman once again for the I-680 Express Lane on its 1-year anniversary since opening. Click the image to the right to view the news clip.
The Express Lane lets solo drivers pay electronically to use the lane while carpools continue to use it for free. Solem has worked on the project since 2005, including (with Caltrans) managing the kickoff event the week before the lane opened, the groundbreaking ceremony in 2008, and a survey in 2007 by Solem's public opinion research division, SA|Opinion Research, that found commuters favor the plan by a 2-to-1 margin. Solem also manages the project website, which features a "how-it-works" video, at www.680expresslane.org.
Kirk Cowgill from Solem & Associates secured an article in Contingencies Magazine for Degenkolb Chair, Chris Poland. Kirk worked closely with Chris and assisted him in drafting the article and editing it to produce the final product. The article is about seismic safety, risk management and disaster preparedness in the wake of the devastating earthquakes in Haiti, Chile and Japan. Check it out here.
In the SF Chronicle's May 19th issue, C.W. Nevius wrote an article about a local government issue and referenced a quote about Solem Associates' founder Don Solem as being the "Godfather of San Francisco lobbyists"
1/27/11 California Public Utilities Commission Centennial
The California Public Utilities Commission marked its 100th anniversary in January 2011 with a commemorative dinner featuring political leaders, commissioners past and present, consumer groups and businesses; a day-time gathering for hundreds of staffers, and creation of a new CPUC Foundation to provide educational and public information activities going forward. Solem & Associates managed all aspects of the commemoration, including invitations and seating arrangements for 340 guests, the evening’s program, media relations, talking points for speakers, proclamations from the State Legislature, a special logo and poster, and a video to end the program featuring energy experts looking toward the commission’s next 100 years. The dinner, which also included an oration by noted California historian Kevin Starr, was hosted by the CPUC 100 Committee.
The California Emerging Technology Fund (CETF) works to bring broadband service to disadvantaged populations in California--those not served by the Internet either because they cannot afford to subscribe or because they live in remote communities that are not yet wired. Solem helped persuade members of California's Congressional Delegation to endorse grant applications for stimulus funding, and created videos about the work that CETF is doing. The result: CETF received a $7.1 million grant to fund a project designed to place unemployed residents in IT-industry jobs by training approximately 37,000 people and providing computers to qualified low-income residents who graduate from a broadband training curriculum. Here's one example of the videos: Congressman Mike Thompson.
Solem & Associates manages marketing and media, and serves as on-air spokesperson, for the the Bay Area's first Express Lane, a 14-mlle stretch of I-680 over the Sunol Grade. When the lane opened at 5 a.m. Sept. 20, all five TV networks broadcast live from the Express Lane throughout the morning, an afternoon media briefing resulted in front-page articles in the San Francisco Chronicle, Oakland Tribune, San Jose Mercury News, and Contra Costa Times, and Solem’s project spokesperson was on KGO-Radio’s Ronn Owens call-in show for a full hour answering drivers’ questions. The Express Lane lets solo drivers pay electronically to use the lane while carpools continue to use it for free. Solem has worked on the project since 2005, including (with Caltrans) managing the kickoff event the week before the lane opened, the groundbreaking ceremony in 2008, and a survey in 2007 by Solem's public opinion research division, SA|Opinion Research, that found commuters favor the plan by a 2-to-1 margin. Solem also manages the project website, which features a "how-it-works" video, at www.680expresslane.org.
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 affiliates of six TV networks (Fox, ABC, CBS, NBC, Univision and Telemundo) as well as newspapers and energy bloggers who drove three hours from San Francisco.
North American Salt Company provides rock salt for de-icing highways in 18 states from its mine on Cote Blanche Island in Louisiana. The company and its miners are opposed to a proposal to store 46 billion cubic feet of highly pressurized natural gas adjacent to the underground salt mine. Solem & Associates is providing full communications services for the mine, including strategy, media relations, creating the website www.coteblanchemine.com and other materials, community relations, and employee communications. In March 2010, Solem created full-page newspaper ads surrounding a State public meeting about permits for the gas storage proposal; more than 200 miners, environmentalists and concerned residents attended with opposing speakers outnumbering supporters 20 to 1. The gas storage proposal is still under State and Federal review.
We are particularly proud of a victory that our client Veolia Transportation achieved in San Francisco. In a city fraught with conflict over government services, Veolia received excellent marks for managing the Municipal Transportation Agency's para-transit program.
In a bid for a new contract it won unanimous approval of the selection committee, the MTA Board and the Board of Supervisors. A member of the MTA board and a leader in the disabled community called the San Francisco para-transit program the best one in the country.
In Fall 2009 Solem tackled three transportation initiatives which all help people get around the Bay Area without driving their cars. Solem lobbied for San Francisco's para-transit provider, Veolia Transportation, which manages the bus-taxi system for senior citizens and the disabled; lobbied for City CarShare, which provides its members with a fleet of green vehicles for short-term use to supplement public transportation instead of car ownership; and manage the ribbon-cutting ceremony for Alameda County's biggest Park & Ride lot, the Ardenwood lot where 350 commuters leave their cars and take AC Transit buses to work each day.
Solem also teamed with Caltrans to announce a major congestion relief project for East Bay commuters -- opening the first segment of eastbound I-580 carpool lane in Pleasanton and Livermore. A bus-full of local leaders was the first vehicle on the lane, which is the first new lane on this busy freeway in 40 years. When the second segment is completed in 2011, the entire 11-mile stretch will open as an Express Lane, where solo drivers can pay a toll electronically to share the lane with carpoolers and transit buses.
Genedics Clean Energy LLC hired Solem to publicize its patented “Green Roadway” project, a system to create and collect clean energy by placing solar panels or small windmills on the right-of-way along roadways and railways. Solem began a national media campaign by teaming with the Route 66 Alliance for a media event to demonstrate the Green Roadway system along America's favorite highway. Over the next month, Solem secured coverage of the Green Roadway in the New York Times, local newspapers from Alabama to Malibu, and digital media sites covering clean energy and investments.
Solem & Associates won two 2009 Awards of Distinction from the International Academy of the Visual Arts and the Communicator Awards for three mailers we prepared last year for Pacific Gas and Electric Company's “Green Marin” program. The series of mail pieces to residents of Marin County described PG&E's environmental programs and clean energy plans for the county. We won the awards in the Direct Mail and the Community Awareness Program categories.
Don Solem watched President Obama's Inauguration from special guest seats, then attended a congressional luncheon and the Western Ball on the historic day. "It was thrilling and inspiring and really, really cold," he said. For the rest of the week in Washington, Don met with journalists and policy-makers on Capitol Hill.
On September 20th, Solem employees Dave Hyams, Vanessa Lindlaw, Chris Nishimura and Pamela Davis participated in the "Community Clean Team" with the San Francisco Department of Public Works, SF Connect and Friends of the Urban Forest to clean Warm Water Cove Park in San Francisco's Bayview District.
The Community Clean Team visits a different district of the city each month, coordinating volunteers to sweep streets and sidewalks, tend to neighborhood trees and plants, work on gardening projects, and paint out graffiti in parks, schools, and neighborhoods all over the district.
Solem & Associates handled public relations for the ALS Association of the Bay Area to draw attention to Lou Gehrig disease victim Lorri Coppola carrying the Olympic torch in San Francisco. As the torch parade's route changed amid protests about China and the Olympics, Solem staffer Chris Nishimura raced ahead to get the photo of Lorri's big moment.
Solem & Associates is providing communications strategy, media and other services to Solel Solar Systems, developer of a 553-megawatt solar power project in the Mojave Desert to bring clean energy to customers of PG&E. In July 2007, we helped arrange the announcement of the project, called the Mojave Solar Park, to the media and to government agencies. This is the largest single solar power project in the world. We provide ongoing communications regarding the project and Solel’s solar thermal parabolic trough technology, which captures the sun’s heat to drive turbines to generate electricity.
