PR agency Borshoff plans leadership shakeup

Borshoff, the largest public relations firm in the Indianapolis area, has its own news to report: changes in leadership and ownership.

After 30 years with the advertising and PR agency, Managing Principal Susan Matthews plans to step down at the end of 2015 and sell her ownership in the 56-employee, women-owned firm.

Co-owners and current principals Jennifer Dzwonar and Karen Alter will assume new roles. Dzwonar will become managing principal, and Alter will assume responsibility for agency-wide operations.

In addition, longtime employees Katherine Coble and Jennifer Berry have been named principals with ownership stakes in the company. Coble will oversee account services and help develop talent for the agency. Berry, who has served as Borshoff’s lead creative strategist for many years, will focus on growing agency services and overseeing development of customer engagement strategies for clients.

Borshoff is the area’s largest public relations firm in terms of employees, and the third-largest advertising agency in terms of local billings, according to IBJ research. It reported $10.7 million in revenue for 2014.

Borshoff was founded in 1984. The trio of Matthews, Dzwonar and Alter took the reins at the firm several years ago after founding principal Myra Borshoff Cook and senior principal Erik Johnson sold their ownership stakes.

Matthews was named among IBJ's 2014 Women of Influence. She plans to stay involved with the firm as a consulting principal.

“I’m excited about Borshoff’s future,” Matthews said in a prepared release. “Our agency is on a positive trajectory, and I look forward to watching and helping the agency continue to flourish.”