DARIEN, CT: Brinks, one of the nation's largest manufacturers of
home and professional security systems, dissolved its entire corporate
communications division last week, and put its VP of global security in
charge of media relations.
An internal memo cited the need "to reduce overhead costs" for the
elimination of the department. Layoffs included Marven Moss, the
director of corporate communications and a 20-year veteran of Brinks, as
well as his assistant, Darcy Lyons. Moss said he was unaware of any
plans for the company to seek out a PR firm, and said he considered such
a scenario unlikely.
The memo declared that all press inquiries be directed to VP of global
security Ed Cunningham, but also read, "Our policy continues to be 'no
comment.'"
True to its word, calls to Cunningham went unreturned, and inquiries
were eventually directed to the discharged Moss, who said his agreement
with the company prevented him from commenting.
"They didn't make their intentions known to me; they just told me the
department was being eliminated," he said.
