nfrastructure, now Zones, a provider of core-to-edge technical and managed services, projected steep growth and engaged The Baker Agency in 2010 to boost its brand awareness and relevancy in the local business community, elevate the CEO as a thought leader, open valuable new doors with potential clients and strengthen public/private partnerships with the state and higher education.
The Challenge
As a growing startup, nfrastructure still lacked significant market awareness and struggled to establish a strong presence in the industry. The company needed additional support and legitimacy to bolster its networking efforts, seeking recognition and credibility to advance its growth objectives.
Our Approach
The Baker Agency developed and executed a comprehensive communications plan that included message development, internal communications initiatives, media relations, collateral development, video production, advertising, graphic design, social media strategy, event coordination and management, marketing, executive media training, new product and program launches (Cloudtricity), crisis communications, e-mail marketing and speech writing.
Also in 2011, The Baker Agency branded and launched “nfrastructure Center of Competency in Information Technology (NCCIT).” NCCIT is a public-private partnership created to meet the application and technology demands of New York state and local government, SUNY and other higher education institutions, K-12, and healthcare. As part of former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo’s shared services strategy, NCCIT was selected by The Research Foundation for the State University of New York (SUNY RF) to provide IT optimization. Our team played a crucial role in assisting nfrastructure with the integration of SUNY RF information services (IS) personnel (nearly 35 staff members) into nfrastructure’s corporate culture as part of this plan.
Results
We secured media placements in Crain’s New York Business, Forbes, CEOWorld
Magazine, VMBlog.com, Albany Business Review, Albany Times Union, The Saratogian, Saratoga Today, Daily Gazette, Utica Dispatch Observer, WNYT News Channel 13,
Spectrum News, FOX23 News, WTEN and more. Furthermore, in the first nine months, The Baker Agency secured more than 3,200 views on nfrastructure’s YouTube channel through the production of 24 videos highlighting the company’s services and capabilities.
During our nearly five-year engagement with the company, nfrastructure grew revenue by 37 percent and increased its staff from 140 full-time employees to nearly 250. Also, due to our efforts, nfrastructure made the Inc. 5000 list as one of the fastest-growing companies in the country. In 2011, The Business Review named nfrastructure Company of the Year.
In 2023, Dan Pickett, the former CEO of nfrastructure, engaged Baker Public Relations on behalf of his new startup, aptihealth, a telehealth company improving higher acuity behavioral healthcare for populations who need it most.
Reference:
Daniel T. Pickett III, managing partner, Hudson River Capital Holdings, LLC
Contact information: [email protected]; 518-365-0701 (personal)