The Daly Gray Team from left: Jerry Daly, President; Katheryn Gray, Principal; Carol McCune, Senior Vice President; Chris Daly, Vice President; Melanie Boyer, Account Executive; Julie Tullbane, Operations Manager.
Daly Gray Established Specialized Niche in “Business of Hotels”HERNDON, VA—Daly Gray Public Relations, a communications firm specializing in the hospitality industry, today announced that it will kick off a year-long celebration to commemorate the company’s 20th anniversary. Over the next 12 months, the firm will conduct a series of activities to thank its clients.
During the past two decades, the company defined and created a new PR niche focused on the business of hotels and remains the leader in that segment.
“When we began, the industry and media focused almost exclusively on hotel operations and branding,” said Jerry Daly, president of Daly Gray. “The industry was undergoing a major crisis due to the collapse of the savings and loan industry in the early 1990s just as we were getting underway.
"As a result, the business of hotels, including ownership, development, management, finance and the key suppliers who make the industry run, became of more interest to the media. Concurrently, Wall Street was beginning to embrace the hotel industry and a number of companies went public during the 1990s, including the first hotel real estate investment trust."
“We responded to these changes by developing communications programs that helped hotel companies define and articulate their corporate strategies so that they could more easily reach their business objectives,” he noted. “We played a meaningful role in bringing many of these public and private companies to the world."We have been involved in some 50 initial public and follow-on stock offerings, as well as announcing billions of dollars in private funds. In the past two decades, we estimate conservatively that we have been involved in more than $200 billion in transactions, including mergers, acquisitions/dispositions, and financings.”
Today, the firm estimates that it “touches” directly or indirectly about one fourth of all the hotels in the U.S. and a rapidly growing number of overseas properties. Daly Gray executives have been involved in the launch of six hotel brands and hundreds of grand openings and milestone events. The firm is a well-recognized expert on hotel and restaurant crisis communications, handling nearly 100 situations a year, ranging from fires to food-borne illnesses.
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ly Gray has represented more than 100 hotel, restaurant, casino and hospitality supplier companies and associations, and currently has approximately 50 active clients. “Over the past decade, many of our clients have been acquired or merged with other companies,” said Chris Daly, vice president. “We are fortunate to typically remain with the new company and/or help the former senior executives with the formation of new ventures. While we represent many of the largest companies in the industry, we equally relish the opportunity to help new companies become successful.”
ly Gray has represented more than 100 hotel, restaurant, casino and hospitality supplier companies and associations, and currently has approximately 50 active clients. “Over the past decade, many of our clients have been acquired or merged with other companies,” said Chris Daly, vice president. “We are fortunate to typically remain with the new company and/or help the former senior executives with the formation of new ventures. While we represent many of the largest companies in the industry, we equally relish the opportunity to help new companies become successful.” Chris Daly noted that, because of the company’s breadth of clients, the firm “sees” the industry across the complete spectrum. “For example, we are able to tell our brand clients what owners think and counsel our management company clients about what owners want,” he said. “This allows us to give unparalleled communications counsel.”
Daly Gray was founded in December 1987 when Jerry Daly and Katheryn Gray joined together to create a firm specializing in hospitality and real estate communications. “Our first client was a diversified commercial real estate company, followed by a casino and a hotel company. We began in earnest with the hotel industry while working with the RTC to help them communicate how they were going to dispose of more than 400 hotels,” said Jerry Daly.
All of the firm’s associates have “hotel genes,” with an average of more than 10 years in the hotel industry. “It was gratifying to welcome my son Chris to the firm as a summer intern nearly 15 years ago, Jerry Daly said. "Today, he is responsible for approximately half of our business.
"Our firm has been through all phases of the hotel cycle for the past 20 years and we still learn something new every day. We call upon our in-depth understanding of the industry, but no two days or transactions are ever alike. That’s what keeps the business interesting.”
Founded in 1987, Daly Gray Public Relations is one of the nation’s leading hospitality and real estate communications consultancies. In addition, the firm has in-depth experience in some 10 other industries. Daly Gray’s hospitality account group serves some 50 companies and associations, including brands, ownership groups, management companies, conferences, suppliers and consultants. 
The agency’s services include financial relations, marketing communications and product support, employee and organizational communications, crisis communications, advertising, strategic planning and community relations.
Adds Chris Daly: "The entire DG family would like to thank everyone for working with us over the years and apparently still opening our e-mails to this day. We’re certainly looking forward to the next 20."
CONTACTS:
Daly Gray Public Relations
620 Herndon Parkway, Suite 115
Herndon, VA 20170
