LOS ANGELES, July 31, 2008 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Englander & Associates and Arnie Berghoff & associates confirmed today that they had been in recent merger talks with Washington DC's National Strategies, Inc., but ended discussions after failing to agree on technical issues surrounding the transaction. Englander & Associates Managing Director Harvey Englander and Arnie Berghoff, President of Arnie Berghoff & associates issued the following joint statement:
"Englander & Associates and Arnie Berghoff & associates confirm that their companies were in merger discussions with Washington DC's National Strategies, Inc. While agreement was reached on terms, the talks have ceased because of disagreements on the structure of the transaction. A strong strategic rationale still exists to support the proposed transaction; however, we will continue to evaluate our options as we continue to grow our respective firms. We are fully aware that our companies remain strategic investments."
Englander & Associates was formed in March 2005. It has quickly become a leading public affairs, media and government relations and crisis management firm in the region and was ranked 10th largest independent public relations agency in the Los Angeles Business Journal.
Arnie Berghoff & associates was formed in 1998 and is widely considered to be one of Los Angeles' most successful and effective lobbying firms.
The two entities also formed Berghoff/Englander & Associates Government Affairs in 2007 as a joint venture of top Los Angeles lobbyist Arnie Berghoff, Public Affairs guru Harvey Englander, and Marcus Allen, former Deputy Chief of Staff to Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. BEA is a sister organization to the existing firms.
The combined fee billings of the firms are in excess of $5.5 million annually.