Bartlesville, OK: Phillips Petroleum has at last filled its top
communications position, having raided Edelman's Texas operations for
EVP and managing director Sam Falcona.
Falcona will join Phillips November 1 as corporate affairs manager. The
oil company's communications team has been without a leader since
corporate communications director Fred Ramos stepped down several months
ago, said media relations director Kristi DesJarlais.
Falcona's upgraded job title brings with it additional
responsibilities.
Phillips is bringing together employee and financial communications,
media and community relations, image advertising, business promotion,
video services, and internet content responsibilities under Falcona's
leadership.
In the past two years, Phillips has entered two major joint ventures,
acquired ARCO Alaska, and last month bought Tosco.
Falcona's departure comes just weeks after Edelman closed its Austin
office, consolidating its Texas activities in Dallas. The agency is
"aggressively" seeking a replacement, said regional president Bob
Kornecki in Atlanta.
Edelman will likely hire someone from outside the firm with agency
management experience in Texas, Kornecki added.
