BALTIMORE, MD (August 1, 2006) -- Maryland PR firm Sawmill Marketing Public Relations (SMPR) is providing comprehensive crisis communications services and media relations counsel to the executive team of the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center, Washington, D.C., in the wake of an organizational transition that resulted in staff layoffs and realignments and the termination of some of its services.

SMPR led the Center's crisis communications team and provided ongoing counsel and guidance for internal as well as external communications that included employee and media relations as well as outreach to its executive committee, key trustees and major donors.

The Baltimore PR firm is now overseeing the organization's communications activities, as its refocused mission is disseminated via a national media relations campaign, events, ongoing executive committee/trustee/donor communications, and the design and launch of a new Web site. The Web work will include recommendations on a Google AdWords campaign as well as search engine optimization (SEO) and other public relations technology enhancements.

Opened in the spring of 2001, the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center was established to foster greater understanding among people of different religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds through art, cultural programs, dialogue and study.

It is situated on a 12-acre campus near The Catholic University of America in nor thea st Washington , D.C. The site was selected by Pope John Paul II, who called the nation's capital the "crossroads of the Third Millennium."

Sawmill Marketing Public Relations, headquartered in Baltimore, was established in 1995 and specializes in the development and execution of marketing public relations programs as business development strategies for business-to-business, business-to-consumer and professional services clients. For additional information, visit http://www.sawmillmarketing.com.

BACK