Who We Are
Richmond Public Relations was founded in Seattle, Washington and has grown to be one of the most respected independent public relations firms in the country. Our three core values are integrity, creativity and financial results for our clients.
We utilize our core strengths," idea architecture", experience and relationships with the media to provide industry expertise and specialization in the areas of consumer products and retail, real estate, healthcare, travel and tourism, food and beverage, technology, sports and entertainment and start-up launches.
Richmond Public Relations is proud and humbled to have been recognized by the American Marketing Association, Downtown Seattle Association, Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International, International Association of Business Communications, Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle, Mayor’s Small Business Award, Public Relations Society of America, Puget Sound Business Journal, Seattle Convention and Visitors Bureau, Seattle Times, Seattle Weekly, Town & Country, University of Washington, Wall Street Journal, Washington Family Business Award Association, Washington State University, Washington State Tourism and WorldWise PR, to name a few.
Louie Richmond
Founder
Louie Richmond founded Richmond Public Relations in 1992 after launching his PR career in the Seattle hospitality industry. Spending several years as the face of PR for multiple prominent hotels in the Seattle area, including the Sheraton Seattle, Louie received 25 awards for excellence in public relations and was named Public Relations Director of the Year by the North American Division of Sheraton Corporation in 1988.
Through discipline and an ethical approach to PR, Richmond gained some of the most high-profile clients in the Seattle area and by 1994 was named "the best public relations person hands-down" by Seattle Weekly. Overcoming the perception of being a small Seattle agency, Richmond singlehandedly began to take on national accounts, creating long-lasting relationships based on RPR's core values. By 1995, Richmond was labeled a "promoter extraordinaire" and named one of the top "100 People of Influence in Washington State" by the Seattle Times Pacific Magazine. After several years in the business, RPR became a notable and well-respected public relations agency in the Seattle area.
Prior to starting RPR, Richmond was an accomplished cellist who played in the National Symphony in Washington D.C. and founded the Northwest Chamber Orchestra in 1973. Richmond taught cello at Dickinson College, University of Nevada and University of Puget Sound as well as played in numerous operas and ballets. He has been recognized by the Seattle Times, PR Week, Puget Sound Business Journal, and is featured in Melinda Bargreen's book, Classical Seattle, which documents the lives of the most prominent artists in Seattle's classical music scene.
In addition to starting one of the most established public relations agencies in Seattle and being a local classical music legend, Louie has also completed 50 marathons all around North America.
Lorne Richmond
CEO
The CEO of Seattle-based Richmond Public Relations, Lorne Richmond is recognized by the business and media communities as one of the most influential public relations professionals in the region. He has earned numerous professional awards and currently serves as a judge for the high-profile Puget Sound Business Journal's 40 Under 40 Awards where he was inducted to their Hall of Fame.
Lorne is often asked to speak on high-profile issues and trends to share his extensive expertise on business, media relations and entrepreneurship. The University of Washington's Department of Communication and its faculty frequently invite Lorne to lead panels on leadership and public relations for PR graduate programs. He also serves as an undergraduate lecturer and mentor. He assists numerous executive boards, nonprofit organizations and has been involved with the development of successful start-up companies. In addition to serving as our CEO, he is currently the Advisory Board Chair of DeepCell Industries, a rapidly growing national company.
He is also involved with organizations such as Mary's Place, Food Lifeline, JDRF and The Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle. Lorne previously served on the Seattle Seahawk Earl Thomas' Business Advisory Board and currently serves as a member of the Board of Governors for Swedish Medical Center Foundation.
Elizabeth Richmond
Director of Community Relations
As Director of Community Relations, Liz spearheads corporate social responsibility initiatives that empower clients to impact their communities by building partnerships with local charities and supporting causes that align with their mission. A recognized leader in philanthropy, community service and advocacy, Liz facilitates corporate launch events and coordinates non-profit training, often working with volunteer teams as well as staff on capacity-building and comprehensive, integrated approaches to non-profit fundraising.
Using data-driven strategies, Liz helps organizations and companies find resources and collaborate in order to raise awareness and revenues and, at the same time, helps build community among business, communities and non-profits. She has served on numerous local non-profit boards including the Stroum Jewish Community Center, The Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle and sits on the procurement committee of the JDRF Seattle Guild’s Dream Gala.
Laura Melincianu
Director of Operations
Born and raised in Europe, Laura moved to Seattle in 2002 to give the American Dream a shot. After graduating with a BA in Business Administration from the University of Washington, she started working towards achieving her very own version of the Dream: being able to enjoy a simple and fulfilling life while working jobs that never really felt like work.
Laura joined the RPR team in 2010 as a part-time bookkeeper. In her current position, she values creating an exciting and positive learning environment, monitoring the company’s financial performance and helping it reach its fullest potential. Versatile in learning new skills to keep up with the industry’s changes and demands, Laura takes extraordinary pride in RPR’s values and mission.
When she is not working, Laura enjoys traveling, the outdoors, reading and spending time with her family.
Deidre Jorgensen
Account Executive
Graduating from Western Washington University in 2016 with a BA in English, Jorgensen joined Richmond Public Relations in 2018. In her current position as an Account Executive, she manages the day-to-day client communications, project management and media outreach.
She enjoys helping to tell client stories and crafting their narratives into engaging and thought-provoking content for the media and public. Jorgensen values integrity and creativity – ideals that she brings to every project she works on. She has worked with notable clients such as Westbank Corp, Sheraton Grand Seattle (Gingerbread Village), Suncadia Real Estate, Schwartz Brothers Restaurants, Card Kingdom and Anchor Light Therapy Collective.
When not at work, Jorgensen engages in a handful of hobbies, including writing, costume design, sewing and gaming.