The Portuguese cork industry, backed by the Portuguese government, is undertaking an American-style campaign with a green twist.

Actually, “twist” might be the wrong word, because the campaign seeks to encourage wineries to use cork stoppers rather than aluminum twist-off caps or stoppers made of plastic and other synthetic materials. The campaign includes advertising, public relations, a Web site, events and a presence in social media like Facebook and Twitter.

The campaign promotes cork by playing up what are proclaimed as its significant advantages over alternatives on environmental and sustainability grounds. That separates it from other efforts that have sold the use of cork for bottles on the issue of taste.

To underline that message, the campaign refers to cork as “natural cork” and carries the theme “Approved by nature.”

There are also some unconventional elements to the campaign like coasters made of cork that will proclaim “Put a cork in climate change.”

The campaign is being handled by the Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco offices of Sitrick & Company, the public relations and communications agency, which has brought in the Citizen Group in San Francisco, a shop that specializes in what its founder, Robin Raj, calls pro-social marketing and “building citizen brands.”

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Deposed H-P CEO Mark Hurd has hired Sitrick & Co. for PR counsel as he navigates the aftermath of his forced resignation from the Silicon Valley giant.

Hurd’s departure was announced by H-P on Aug. 6 following an investigation of a claim of sexual harassment against him by a former company contractor and ex-reality show contestant, Jodie Fisher.

Sitrick partner Glenn Bunting, a crisis and media specialist who heads the firm’s San Francisco, Silicon Valley and Miami offices, is representing Hurd. Bunting is a 22-year veteran of the Los Angeles Times.

The firm repped former H-P board chair Patricia Dunn when she resigned in 2006 during the company’s “pretexting” scandal.

H-P said the 53-year-old Hurd, mostly lauded for his term guiding the tech giant, did not violate the company’s sexual harassment policy but broke its standards of business conduct.

Hurd has not issued any public comments himself since he was quoted in the resignation announcement from HP .

Fisher released a statement on Sunday through high-profile Los Angeles attorney Gloria Allred.

“I have resolved my claim with Mark privately, without litigation, and I do not intend to comment on it further,” said an Aug. 8 statement from Fisher via Allred.

The New York Times reported earlier this week that APCO Worldwide counseled H-P’s board that it would likely “endure a devastating PR hit” if Hurd remained at the helm.

“Glenn Bunting would also like you to believe that Jeremiah Masoli isn’t a thug. Formerly an investigative reporter for the Los Angeles Times, where he spent 22 years, Bunting is currently managing director of Sitrick & Company, a crisis management firm. Sitrick’s San Francisco office, which Bunting manages, was made aware of the case through a friend of the Masolis who was a local lawyer and knew its details. After meeting Masoli and his parents and researching the case, Bunting and a colleague agreed to represent the family. It was Bunting who noticed the line in the police report about Embry and his roommates giving another Oregon player a lift later that night. Bunting followed up by asking Masoli to approach the player — long snapper Jeff Palmer — and have him sign a statement as to what he witnessed.”

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Lieutenant General H Steven Blum (US Army, Ret.), one of the world’s leading experts on Homeland Security, has joined Sitrick Brincko Group as Managing Director and Group Practice Leader.

Sitrick Brincko, a management consulting firm specializing in strategic, crisis and corporate communications and corporate advisory and turnaround work, is a unit of Resources Connection, Inc. (Nasdaq: RECN). Sitrick Brincko is the parent company of Sitrick And Company and Brincko Associates.

General Blum, who retired on June 1, 2010, after a 41-year career in the United States Army and National Guard, will lead the firm’s crisis practice in the areas of Homeland Security issues advising clients in preparing for and dealing with natural and man-made disasters. He will also lead the firm’s practice areas in Defense, Government Relations and Public Affairs.

As Deputy Commander, United States Northern Command and before that Chief of the National Guard Bureau, General Blum was one of the highest ranked military officers in the United States dealing with Homeland Security issues for the United States, Mexico and Canada. He also oversaw the mobilization of the National Guard for such domestic emergencies as 9-11, National Special Security Events, Hurricane Katrina, the California wildfires, as well as the two-year deployment of the National Guard to provide military support to the US Border Patrol along our nation’s southwest border. As Commanding General for Multinational Division (North) Stabilization Force 10, Operation Joint Forge, Bosnia Herzegovina, he commanded a multi-national joint force, consisting of US soldiers from Active, National Guard and Reserve forces from over 23 states and armed forces contributed from nine different countries. The force successfully maintained a safe and secure environment in this war torn region in the complex and uncertain post 9-11 environment.

“Our firm is known for dealing with all kinds of crises, from plant explosions to toxic waste issues, from oil spills to product recalls, from patent litigation to criminal investigations, from financial restructurings and turnarounds to bankruptcies,” said Michael Sitrick, Chairman and CEO of Sitrick Brincko. “General Blum brings a critical new element of what we can offer our clients.

“Over the past decade, he has managed the aftermath of nearly every kind of major crisis imaginable from terrorist attacks to natural disasters – for cities, states and an entire region of the world. His experience and expertise will be invaluable to helping clients prepare for a whole variety of events, including these and other worst case scenarios. We are very excited about the value he will bring to our clients and are extremely flattered that he chose to join our firm,” he said.

General Blum added, “The results that Mike Sitrick and John Brincko have achieved for their clients have demonstrated time and again that they are one of the best, if not the best strategic consulting firm in the nation – especially for high stakes situations When Mike and John came to me with this opportunity, we all immediately saw the fit. I have spent my life protecting and serving. I am pleased to be able to make this same contribution going forward through Sitrick Brincko and Resources Connection.”

During his career, General Blum commanded at every level, including a Special Forces Operational Detachment-A, a Light Infantry Battalion, an Infantry Brigade, a Division Support Command, and twice as the Commanding General of the 29th Infantry Division (Light).

In his years of service, General Blum received more than two dozen major awards and decorations, including being twice awarded the Department of Defense Distinguished Service medal, the Army Distinguished Service medal, two awards of the Defense Superior Service Medal and three awards of the Legion of Merit.

About Sitrick Brincko Group

Sitrick Brincko Group is the parent company of Sitrick And Company, Inc. (www.sitrick.com), one of the nation’s leading strategic communications firms and Brincko Associates, Inc. (www.brincko.com), a widely respected corporate advisory and restructuring firm. Sitrick And Company, with headquarters in Los Angeles and offices in New York, San Francisco, Baltimore and Miami, specializes in corporate, financial, transactional and crisis communications. It was founded in 1989. Headquartered in Southern California, Brincko Associates is an international management consulting firm established in 1979. Sitrick And Company and Brincko Associates merged in November 2009 and were immediately acquired by and became an operating subsidiary of Resources Connection, Inc. (Nasdaq: RECN).

Sitrick and Co., a Los Angeles-based public relations firm whose client roster ranges from Paris Hilton to Patricia Dunn, opened a San Francisco office.

The firm, founded in 1989 by Michael Sitrick, was recently acquired by Resources Connection Inc., which also purchased turnaround adviser Brincko Associates Inc. to form a corporate advisory and restructuring unit.

Sitrick follows a well worn path into San Francisco, where crisis communications firms have established offices. Sard Verbinnen & Co. arrived in San Francisco in 2005, Abernathy MacGregor Group in 2006, and the Brunswick Group of London in 2007.

One of the Bay Area’s big draws is the number of large companies based in the region.

“There’s a huge opportunity in San Francisco. I see our San Francisco office one day rivaling our New York office,” said Michael Sitrick, chairman and CEO of the Los Angeles-based firm. A dozen people from the firm’s work force of 60 work in New York.

The new office, located on the 13th floor of 90 New Montgomery, houses three professionals.

Those based in San Francisco include Glenn Bunting, managing director of the Bay Area, Miami and Orange County offices. The former head of the investigative unit at the Los Angeles Times has represented home builder Lennar in the Bay Area.

Lance Ignon, head of the San Francisco office, previously worked for Tenet Healthcare and VaxGen, as well as the Los Angeles Times and Investor’s Business Daily. Dave Satterfield, former managing editor at the San Jose Mercury News, focuses on the firm’s Silicon Valley clients.

IRVINE, Calif., Nov. 23 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Resources Connection, Inc., (Nasdaq: RECN), today announced the completion of the acquisition of the business of Sitrick And Company, Inc., one of the nation’s leading strategic communications firms and Brincko Associates, Inc., a widely-respected corporate advisory and restructuring firm and the formation of a Corporate Advisory and Restructuring subsidiary.

The acquisitions, which include the purchase of certain assets of both Sitrick And Company and Brincko Associates, and the personal goodwill of Michael Sitrick, CEO of Sitrick And Company, were made for aggregate initial consideration of approximately $44.7 million, comprising $28.6 million in cash and approximately 822,000 shares of restricted stock, plus an earn-out based on the achievement of certain adjusted earnings before interest, income taxes, depreciation and amortization (“EBITDA”) levels over a period of four years from the date of closing. The principal acquisition agreement provides that the employees of the new subsidiary would share in up to 20 percent of the earn-out based upon the achievement of certain growth targets.

The new Resources subsidiary is called Sitrick Brincko Group, LLC. Michael Sitrick is Chairman and CEO of the new subsidiary and reports directly to Donald B. Murray, Chairman and CEO of Resources. John Brincko is President and COO of the new subsidiary.

Sitrick And Company, with headquarters in Los Angeles and offices in New York, San Francisco and Miami, specializes in corporate, financial, transactional and crisis communications. It was founded in 1989. Headquartered in Southern California, Brincko Associates is an international management consulting firm established in 1979.

For the twelve months ended December 31, 2008 and the six months ended June 30, 2009, Sitrick And Company and Brincko Associates had combined revenue of approximately $24.4 million and $14.4 million, respectively, and adjusted EBITDA of $10.5 million and $6.6 million, respectively. Adjusted EBITDA represents EBITDA adjusted for certain expenses which are not anticipated to recur post-closing.

In connection with the acquisition, at the closing, Michael Sitrick and John Brincko entered into a 54-month employment contract with the Resources subsidiary.

ABOUT RESOURCES GLOBAL PROFESSIONALS

Resources Global Professionals, the operating subsidiary of Resources Connection, Inc. (NASDAQ: RECN), is a multinational professional services firm that helps business leaders execute internal initiatives. Partnering with business leaders, Resources Global Professionals drives internal change across all parts of a global enterprise – finance and accounting, information management, internal audit, human capital, legal services and supply chain management.

Resources Global was founded in 1996 within a Big Four accounting firm. Today, it is a publicly traded company with over 2,700 professionals, from 82 practice offices, annually serving 2,100 clients around the world. Its professionals have an average of 18-years of experience in fields such as finance and accounting, human capital, information management, internal audit, legal and supply chain.

Headquartered in Irvine, California, Resources Global has served 84 of the Fortune 100 companies.

The Company is listed on the NASDAQ Global Select Market, the exchange’s highest tier by listing standards. More information about Resources Global is available at http://www.resourcesglobal.com.

Certain statements in this press release are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Such forward-looking statements may be identified by words such as “anticipates,” “believes,” “can,” “continue,” “could,” “estimates,” “expects,” “intends,” “may,” “plans,” “potential,” “predicts,” “should,” or “will” or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. Such statements and all phases of Resources Connection’s operations are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, including seasonality, overall economic conditions and other factors and uncertainties as are identified in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and our other public filings made with the Securities and Exchange Commission (File No. 0-32113). Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. Resources Connection’s, and its industry’s, actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements may be materially different from any future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements in this press release.

SOURCE Resources Connection, Inc.

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Aaron Curtiss, formerly director of innovation at the Los Angeles Times, has joined the Los Angeles office of Sitrick And Company, a specialist in corporate, financial, transactional and crisis communications.

“Aaron’s knowledge of both traditional and digital media is a good complement to the deep strength and experience of our team,” says Michael Sitrick, the firm’s chairman and chief executive officer. “In addition to his work as a reporter, editor and opinion writer, Aaron has led successful large-scale change initiatives—experiences that will benefit clients undergoing changes of their own.”

Curtiss is the latest Times journalist to join Sitrick, and joins former reporters and editors from The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg News and the Orange County Register. He comes to Sitrick after 20 years at the Times, where he was director of innovation, leading the paper’s transition to web-first publishing and developing editorial strategies to adapt to structural changes in the media business. Prior to that, he was the paper’s technology editor, launched a weekly personal technology section, wrote editorials and spent two years implementing new strategies in preprinted advertising.

Journalist David Satterfield, currently managing editor of the San Jose Mercury News, is joining the Silicon Valley/San Francisco office of Sitrick & Company, a public relations firm specializing in corporate, financial, transactional and crisis communications. Satterfield joins editors and reporters who recently have joined the firm from The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg Business News, the Orange County Register and CBS Television News.

Satterfield joins Sitrick with 27 years of experience in journalism. He has been managing editor of the San Jose Mercury News for the past five years, overseeing day-to-day operations. Prior to that, he served two years as the newspaper’s business and technology editor.

Before joining the Mercury News, Satterfield spent 17 years as a reporter and editor at the Miami Herald, where he was part of two teams that won Pulitzer Prizes. He has expertise in banking, technology, insurance and economics reporting.