ABOUT US
Established in 1996, Bellmont Partners provides a full range of communications services, including creative and strategic public relations counsel, public relations campaign development and execution, media relations services, social media strategy and outreach, special event coordination, video production, and writing and design services.
Our clients include companies of all sizes in industries ranging from home & garden to food & beverage to arts & entertainment and beyond. Over the years we've worked for companies and organizations including: Midwest Dairy Association, Toro/Lawn-Boy, Nabisco, Medica, Minnesota Reading Corps, BugBand, Land O'Lakes, Hound Dog Products, Peanuts on Parade, Deluxe, ID Insight, Lawry’s, The O’Neill Brothers, United Way, the University of Minnesota, and many others.
We know that our clients have invested significant resources to develop their products and brands, and we creatively reinforce brand equity and key strategic messages through all of our tactics. Our team of talented, experienced PR practitioners works hard to exceed expectations.
BRIAN BELLMONT
Former reporter Brian Bellmont is the co-owner and president of Bellmont Partners Public Relations. For the past 16 years, he has developed successful local and national public relations campaigns for clients including Midwest Dairy Association, Nabisco, BugBand, Land O’Lakes, Toro/Lawn-Boy, Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, United Way, ID Insight, and dozens of other companies and organizations. He has produced award-winning videos, and written everything from news releases and brochures to magazine articles and books.
His work has appeared in publications across the country, including MSNBC.com and Writer's Market. His background includes experience as a television reporter in Wisconsin and as a national news producer, where he helped coordinate coverage for programs such as the “MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour,” “Inside Edition,” “American Journal” and The Weather Channel.
Connect with Brian via email, on Twitter or LinkedIn.
SHELLI LISSICK
Shelli Lissick has honed her public relations expertise through 15 years of “big agency,” corporate, small business, university, and consulting experience. With a passion for news and dedication to delivering results, Shelli has led strategic public relations and communications campaigns for a variety of organizations including Minnesota Reading Corps, ID Insight, Midwest Dairy Association, Reeher LLC, Thread Logic, Pfizer Animal Health, Old Home Dairy, Midwest of Cannon Falls, United Way, Minnehaha Creek Watershed District and more.
As an experienced project manager, writer and media relations pro, Shelli has developed a wide range of results-driven public relations and media campaigns incorporating press releases, newsletters and feature stories, as well as online materials such as web sites, e-newsletters, and blogs; and social media like Facebook and Twitter.
Connect with Shelli via email, on Twitter or LinkedIn.
JEN BELLMONT
Jen Bellmont has more than 15 years of experience in consumer and trade public relations, including four years at one of the world’s largest PR agencies. As co-owner and account supervisor, her focus is on working with Bellmont Partners’ clients on a daily basis -- from one-person operations to Fortune 500 corporations -- to ensure that all projects and processes run as smoothly and as efficiently as possible.
Her areas of expertise include media relations, digital outreach and strategic planning for clients including Midwest Dairy Association, United Way, BugBand, The O'Neill Brothers, Minnesota Reading Corps, Land O’Lakes, and more.
Connect with Jen via email, on Twitter or LinkedIn.
BRIDGET NELSON MONROE
Bridget Nelson Monroe has more than five years of experience in media relations, social media, research, writing and event planning. While attending Drake University, she was selected for a highly competitive editorial apprenticeship program at Meredith Corporation. After college, she started her career in New York, first at Reader’s Digest magazine, then at digital marketing agency Digitas Health and most recently at Beehive PR.
Monroe is an active volunteer for several industry organizations, including the Minnesota Interactive Marketing Association (MIMA) programming committee, the Minneapolis Content Strategy Meetup and the Minnesota Blogger Conference.
TARA CEGLA
Tara Cegla joins Bellmont Partners with a Bachelors of Arts in mass communication and an emphasis in public relations from UW-Eau Claire. Tara recently served as the PR Intern for the Minnesota State Fair, writing news releases, coordinating interviews, creating the 2011 media kit and managing social media.
At UW-Eau Claire, Tara began as Copy Editor, and later, Section Editor for her campus newspaper, The Spectator. She also served as Public Relations Manager for UW-Eau Claire’s student radio station, WUEC 89.7 FM, and was a Public Relations Director for UW-Eau Claire’s American Marketing Association chapter.
KATRINA WOLLET
Katrina Wollet brings valuable experience in written communications, client services, and freelance photography. As an Intern, Katrina’s responsibilities include research, writing, media relations (both traditional and social) and photography.
Katrina is a recent Edgewood College (Madison, Wis.) graduate with a Bachelor’s of Science in English Writing. On campus, she worked for her award-winning student newspaper, On the Edge, for three years, and spent a year as Editor-in-Chief. In addition, she served as a board member on her campus literary magazine, The Edgewood Review.
STRATEGIC PARTNERS
McFARLAND CAHILL COMMUNICATIONS
McFarland Cahill Communications is a public relations boutique offering senior-level experts who achieve remarkable results. The team at MCC is highly strategic while maintaining a creative edge — they're nimble yet solid and best of all, they offer measurable return on investment.
MCC prides itself on helping clients go beyond coverage on the business page — because every impression matters.
Combined, Bellmont Partners and McFarland Cahill have developed a team of 14 experienced PR professionals. The agencies' strategic alliance has resulted in phenomenal results for several clients, as well as in joint initiatives such as the Media Relations Lab and FeatureHub.
BOB RUMPZA, RUMPZA CONSULTING
Bob Rumpza’s experience as a communications professional embodies several specialty areas, including:
- Marketing and public relations for dozens of products and services;
- Communications planning for companies and non-profit organizations;
- Crisis communications management;
- Employee/internal communications; and
- Communications training, including interview preparation.
Bob has worked inside non-profit organizations, corporations and communications agencies. During his 20-year agency career working for global public relations firm Weber Shandwick and marketing communications agency Nicholson Kovac, he has designed and managed communications programs for dozens of clients. A representative sample includes The Toro Company, Marvin Windows and Doors, Owens-Illinois, Ecolab, The Scotts Company, Novartis, Honeywell and Lawson Software. He is a University of Minnesota School of Journalism alumnus and a Silver Anvil winner in crisis communications from the Public Relations Society of America.
ARIK C. HANSON, APR, ACH COMMUNICATIONS
A savvy and seasoned communications professional, Arik is the principal of ACH Communications, a digital communications firm focused on serving as strategic thought partners to financial services, retail, business-to-business, health care and not-for-profit organizations. Arik has provided senior-level digital-focused counsel to Bellmont Partners and Rumpza Consulting clients since 2009.
Through integrated PR, communications and digital programs, Arik helps organizations across the country create tight-knit communities, build strong brand awareness and drive thought leadership. As the chief blogger at Communications Conversations, Arik has founded the PR Rock Star Conversation series, the PR Reader’s Choice Awards and the Top 20 Minnesota Social Media Innovators list. He has also started the B2B Voices blog and is a frequent contributor to the PR Breakfast Club, Ragan and PR Daily.
Arik is a long-time PRSA member, serving on the Minnesota PRSA board for the past three years and is a frequent speaker at local colleges, universities and industry events.
ENSEMBLE CREATIVE & MARKETING
Ensemble’s principals, Kristina Murto and Steve Volavka, have more than 40 years of combined experience in developing and marketing brands, products and companies, and are dedicated to providing clients with creative ideas and campaigns that drive results. Their areas of expertise include Web site design and development, graphic design, photography, art direction and brand development.