Developer docs
API playgroundTry for free, no card

Search company profiles

The Hawthorn Group

Full company profile

uuid000ckch

Namestring
The Hawthorn Group
Legal namestring
The Hawthorn Group, L.C.
Websiteurl
hawthorngroup.com
Company typeenum
Private
Founded yearint
1992
Descriptiontext

The Hawthorn Group, L.C., founded in 1992 and headquartered at 2111 Eisenhower Ave., Ste 200, Alexandria, Virginia, is a privately held international public affairs and strategic communications firm serving corporations, trade associations, and non-profit organizations. Its core service offerings are Strategic Communications and Issues Management, Crisis Planning and Communications, and Grassroots/Grasstops Engagement, supported by capabilities including in-depth research, issue framing, design, media relations and training, advertising, digital engagement, thought leadership development, litigation preparedness, and community relations. The firm differentiates through proprietary technology assets—specifically the INTERCEPT advocate-identification network, a customized integrated advocacy database, and sophisticated targeting capabilities—combined with what it describes as a "beyond the beltway" distribution model with local operatives in more than 40 U.S. states.

Revenue is generated through project-based consulting engagements sold via direct senior-staff client engagement rather than a published rate card; pricing is determined per engagement and not publicly disclosed. The go-to-market motion is relationship-led enterprise selling, with marketing support limited to an Insights blog, Twitter and LinkedIn presence, an email newsletter, and presentations. Customer concentration is anchored in heavily regulated industries—public utilities, energy, healthcare, consumer products, and gaming—with cited newer forays into fintech, higher education, manufacturing, and telecommunications.

The firm is led by founder John Ashford (Chairman & CEO), Suzanne Hammelman (President & COO, 30+ years of experience), James Brandow (CFO), Anthony Sowah (VP & CTO), and a bench of Senior Counselors drawn from Duke Energy, NextEra Energy Resources, the Nuclear Energy Institute, Hill & Knowlton, the U.S. House and Senate, and the Rockefeller Foundation. Headcount is reported in the 11-50 range. No external investment, M&A, or IPO activity has been disclosed.

Short descriptiontext

The Hawthorn Group is a privately held international public affairs and strategic communications firm founded in 1992, serving Fortune 500 corporations, trade associations, and non-profits with strategic communications, crisis response, and grassroots advocacy across 40+ U.S. states.

Operating statusenum
Operating
Ownership categoryenum
Headcount rangeband
11–50
akta.pro rankint
HeadquartersAlexandria, United States
HQ citystring
Alexandria
HQ countrystring
United States
HQ regionstring
North America
Markets served

Serves global market

Offices1 record

Each record includes

City, Country, Type, Description, Source

Keyword5 values
public affairs consulting, strategic communications, crisis management, grassroots advocacy, government relations
NAICS code1 code
  • Public Relations Agencies54182
SIC code1 code
  • Services-Management Consulting Services8742
Product category
Public Affairs Consulting
Marketing channels5 records

Each record includes

Title, Type, Stage, Description, Source

Distribution channels1 record

Each record includes

Title, Type, Scope, Target buyer, Description, Source

Cost components4 values
Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
GTM typeB2B
B2B
Offering typeServices
Services
Core offering1 text field

The Hawthorn Group is an international public affairs firm that provides strategic communications, crisis response, and grassroots/grasstops advocacy services to corporations, trade associations, and non-profit organizations. The firm helps clients identify threats and emerging issues, develop overarching strategic plans, manage crisis communications, and activate grassroots supporters across U.S. states to influence public policy and stakeholder opinion.

Differentiator
Functional benefit
Problem solved
Product overview1 text field

The Hawthorn Group is a professional services firm offering a unified suite of public affairs and strategic communications consulting services rather than a technology product platform. The core offerings consist of Strategic Communications and Issues Management, Crisis Planning and Communications, and Grassroots/Grasstops Engagement. These are supported by specialized service offerings including in-depth research, issue framing and positioning, design, media relations and training, advertising, digital engagement, thought leadership development, litigation/crisis preparedness and management, and community relations. The firm operates across heavily regulated industries, particularly public utilities, as well as fintech, higher education, manufacturing, telecommunications, consumer products, and gaming sectors.

Product and service7 records
1Strategic Communications and Issues Management
CategoryStrategic Communications
Description

Helps clients identify threats and emerging issues and develop overarching plans and manage tactics to solve problems, promote agendas, and inoculate against expected challenges. Designed for corporations, associations, and non-profit organizations facing public policy challenges.

2Crisis Planning and Communications
CategoryCrisis Management
Description

Provides real-time support to help clients manage and recover from crises, identify challenges to anticipate, and develop systems for effective response. Targeted at corporations and organizations needing immediate crisis communications counsel.

3Grassroots/Grasstops Engagement
CategoryAdvocacy and Mobilization
Description

Activates grassroots and grasstops supporters to take real, verifiable actions in a controlled and measured way, utilizing local operatives and digital tactics to reach audiences. Targeted at clients seeking to mobilize support across U.S. states for policy advocacy and stakeholder engagement.

4In-depth Research
CategoryResearch and Analytics
Description

Provides issue analysis, opposition research, and audience surveys to form the strategic underpinnings of communications campaigns. Supports clients needing research-driven strategic foundations for advocacy and communications programs.

5Media Relations and Training
CategoryMedia Relations
Description

Incorporates traditional and digital tactics to drive coverage and conversation, including local media outreach and staff media engagement training. Targeted at organizations seeking to shape media narratives and train spokespeople.

6Digital Engagement
CategoryDigital Communications
Description

Reaches audiences through email, social media, podcasts, and video on computers, phones, and tablets. Designed for clients seeking to engage audiences across digital channels as part of integrated advocacy and communications campaigns.

7Litigation/Crisis Preparedness and Management
Scale indicator3 records

Each record includes

Type, Value, Description, Source

Recent move5 records

Each record includes

Date, Type, Title, Description, Source

Expansion highlight5 records

Each record includes

Type, Description

Market position
Strengths4 records

Each record includes

Headline, Details, Source

Competitive moat5 records

Each record includes

Type, Details

Key risks6 records

Each record includes

Headline, Details, Source

Key highlights6 records

Each record includes

Headline, Details, Source

Customer concentration

Classification, Details

Segment8 records

Each record includes

Title, Type, Primary, Description, Pain point addressed, Use case, Source

Ideal customer profile3 records

Each record includes

Profile, Firmographic size, Sales motion, Sales cycle length, Buying structure, Purchase trigger, Buyer persona, Geography, Industry vertical, Primary use case, Description, Pain points, Evidence proof points, Target buyer

Technology focused
No
API detail
Has APIbool
No

Docs URL, Description

AI maturity
App detail

Has app

Core technology
Revenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Number of profiles
Profiles15 records

Each record includes

Name, Designation, Designation category, Overview, Profile commentary, Source

No data
No data
Funding overview

Funding stage, Last funding date, Total funding USD

Funding rounds

Each record includes

Round, Amount USD, Date, Pre money valuation, Total investors, Investors, News

Investors

Each record includes

Name, Type, Date of entry, Rounds participated, Website

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Each record includes

Name, Acquisition type, Announced date, Completed date, Status, Website, News

Investment

Each record includes

Name, Round, Announced date, Lead investor, Website, News

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

The Hawthorn Group

Public Affairs Consultinghawthorngroup.com

The Hawthorn Group is a privately held international public affairs and strategic communications firm founded in 1992, serving Fortune 500 corporations, trade associations, and non-profits with strategic communications, crisis response, and grassroots advocacy across 40+ U.S. states.

What The Hawthorn Group does

The Hawthorn Group, L.C., founded in 1992 and headquartered at 2111 Eisenhower Ave., Ste 200, Alexandria, Virginia, is a privately held international public affairs and strategic communications firm serving corporations, trade associations, and non-profit organizations. Its core service offerings are Strategic Communications and Issues Management, Crisis Planning and Communications, and Grassroots/Grasstops Engagement, supported by capabilities including in-depth research, issue framing, design, media relations and training, advertising, digital engagement, thought leadership development, litigation preparedness, and community relations. The firm differentiates through proprietary technology assets—specifically the INTERCEPT advocate-identification network, a customized integrated advocacy database, and sophisticated targeting capabilities—combined with what it describes as a "beyond the beltway" distribution model with local operatives in more than 40 U.S. states.

Revenue is generated through project-based consulting engagements sold via direct senior-staff client engagement rather than a published rate card; pricing is determined per engagement and not publicly disclosed. The go-to-market motion is relationship-led enterprise selling, with marketing support limited to an Insights blog, Twitter and LinkedIn presence, an email newsletter, and presentations. Customer concentration is anchored in heavily regulated industries—public utilities, energy, healthcare, consumer products, and gaming—with cited newer forays into fintech, higher education, manufacturing, and telecommunications.

The firm is led by founder John Ashford (Chairman & CEO), Suzanne Hammelman (President & COO, 30+ years of experience), James Brandow (CFO), Anthony Sowah (VP & CTO), and a bench of Senior Counselors drawn from Duke Energy, NextEra Energy Resources, the Nuclear Energy Institute, Hill & Knowlton, the U.S. House and Senate, and the Rockefeller Foundation. Headcount is reported in the 11-50 range. No external investment, M&A, or IPO activity has been disclosed.

The Hawthorn Group firmographics

Firmographics
Name
The Hawthorn Group
Legal name
The Hawthorn Group, L.C.
Website
https://hawthorngroup.com
Company type
Private
Founded year
1992
Operating status
Operating
Headcount range
11–50 employees
Short description
The Hawthorn Group is a privately held international public affairs and strategic communications firm founded in 1992, serving Fortune 500 corporations, trade associations, and non-profits with strategic communications, crisis response, and grassroots advocacy across 40+ U.S. states.
Ownership category
akta.pro rank

Where The Hawthorn Group is headquartered

Location

Headquarters

HQ city
Alexandria
HQ country
United States
HQ region
North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

The Hawthorn Group business model

Business model
GTM type
B2B
Offering type
Services
Cost components
Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

The Hawthorn Group product offering

Product offering

Core offering

The Hawthorn Group is an international public affairs firm that provides strategic communications, crisis response, and grassroots/grasstops advocacy services to corporations, trade associations, and non-profit organizations. The firm helps clients identify threats and emerging issues, develop overarching strategic plans, manage crisis communications, and activate grassroots supporters across U.S. states to influence public policy and stakeholder opinion.

Product overview

The Hawthorn Group is a professional services firm offering a unified suite of public affairs and strategic communications consulting services rather than a technology product platform. The core offerings consist of Strategic Communications and Issues Management, Crisis Planning and Communications, and Grassroots/Grasstops Engagement. These are supported by specialized service offerings including in-depth research, issue framing and positioning, design, media relations and training, advertising, digital engagement, thought leadership development, litigation/crisis preparedness and management, and community relations. The firm operates across heavily regulated industries, particularly public utilities, as well as fintech, higher education, manufacturing, telecommunications, consumer products, and gaming sectors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

  • Strategic Communications and Issues Management Helps clients identify threats and emerging issues and develop overarching plans and manage tactics to solve problems, promote agendas, and inoculate against expected challenges. Designed for corporations, associations, and non-profit organizations facing public policy challenges.
  • Crisis Planning and Communications Provides real-time support to help clients manage and recover from crises, identify challenges to anticipate, and develop systems for effective response. Targeted at corporations and organizations needing immediate crisis communications counsel.
  • Grassroots/Grasstops Engagement Activates grassroots and grasstops supporters to take real, verifiable actions in a controlled and measured way, utilizing local operatives and digital tactics to reach audiences. Targeted at clients seeking to mobilize support across U.S. states for policy advocacy and stakeholder engagement.
  • In-depth Research Provides issue analysis, opposition research, and audience surveys to form the strategic underpinnings of communications campaigns. Supports clients needing research-driven strategic foundations for advocacy and communications programs.
  • Media Relations and Training Incorporates traditional and digital tactics to drive coverage and conversation, including local media outreach and staff media engagement training. Targeted at organizations seeking to shape media narratives and train spokespeople.
  • Digital Engagement Reaches audiences through email, social media, podcasts, and video on computers, phones, and tablets. Designed for clients seeking to engage audiences across digital channels as part of integrated advocacy and communications campaigns.
  • Litigation/Crisis Preparedness and Management

Companies that use The Hawthorn Group

Customer profile

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

The Hawthorn Group technology and API

Technology

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API
No
API docs
API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

The Hawthorn Group partnerships and signals

Strategic signal

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

The Hawthorn Group competitors and assessment

Company assessment

Market position

Strengths4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

The Hawthorn Group social profiles

Digital presence

The Hawthorn Group financial estimates

Financial estimate

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

The Hawthorn Group leadership team

Management profile

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

The Hawthorn Group funding detail

Funding detail

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

The Hawthorn Group M&A and investment

M&A and investment

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Hawthorn Group

What does The Hawthorn Group do?

The Hawthorn Group is an international public affairs firm that provides strategic communications, crisis response, and grassroots/grasstops advocacy services to corporations, trade associations, and non-profit organizations. The firm helps clients identify threats and emerging issues, develop overarching strategic plans, manage crisis communications, and activate grassroots supporters across U.S. states to influence public policy and stakeholder opinion.

Is The Hawthorn Group a public or private company?

The Hawthorn Group is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.

When was The Hawthorn Group founded?

The Hawthorn Group was founded in 1992. It employs 11 to 50 people.

Where is The Hawthorn Group based?

The Hawthorn Group is headquartered in Alexandria, United States, in the North America region.

Does The Hawthorn Group have an API?

No public API is recorded for The Hawthorn Group.

Unlock the full company data

50 free credits on sign-up, no credit card required.

Contact sales
Live signals
PR NewswireAndrew Bemus Joins The Hawthorn Group as Director of ResearchAndrew Bemus has joined The Hawthorn Group as the Director of Research, bringing extensive government affairs experience. The firm, which specializes in public policy objectives across diverse issues, made the announcement as it continues to manage projects in 33 states.PR NewswireWide Support for Mask Mandates as Governors Decide Whether to Require ThemThe Hawthorn Group released polling results on July 20, 2020 showing that 56% of Americans support state-level mask mandates while 79% support local government authority to require masks, with 87% expressing concern about a second wave of COVID-19. The poll, conducted during a period when more than half of U.S. states had implemented mask requirements, found that 79% of respondents view wearing masks as a civic duty. John Ashford, Chairman and CEO of The Hawthorn Group, stated that the results demonstrate voters recognize the seriousness of the health crisis.PR NewswireMississippi Governor's Chief of Staff Returns to Hawthorn GroupScott McClintock, former Chief of Staff to Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant, has returned to The Hawthorn Group as a Senior Vice President to coordinate the firm's operations across the southeastern United States. McClintock will be based in Birmingham, Alabama, with his first assignment being external affairs work for the Republican National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina. The announcement was made by Hawthorn President Suzanne Hammelman, who noted that McClintock's political experience at state and national levels will complement the firm's public affairs work.PR NewswireHawthorn Chairman And CEO John Ashford Peers Into The Political Crystal Ball For The Georgia Bankers AssociationJohn Ashford, Chairman and CEO of The Hawthorn Group, addressed the Georgia Bankers Association annual meeting in Atlanta on January 15, 2020, offering his political outlook on the 2020 presidential election. Ashford described Michael Bloomberg's campaign spending as unprecedented and discussed the strategic expansion of campaign offices in states not targeted in 2016. He placed Trump's re-election chances at 55-45% based on current conditions.PR NewswirePromotions Announced At The Hawthorn Group, Henry Rubin And Frank Klepadlo, Esq.The Hawthorn Group, L.C. announced two senior officer promotions at its Alexandria, Virginia office: Henry Rubin has been named Senior Vice President and Frank Klepadlo has been promoted to Vice President. The announcements were made by Hawthorn President and Chief Operating Officer Suzanne Hammelman, who highlighted both individuals' contributions to the firm's public affairs practice and client services. The firm, which specializes in advocacy campaigns on issues including energy policy, tax policy, and infrastructure, has operated in more than 33 states over the past two years.PR NewswireHawthorn Group names Jared Melamed Dubnow Vice PresidentJared Melamed Dubnow, an Illinois political consultant, has been named Vice President of The Hawthorn Group, an international public affairs firm based in Alexandria, Virginia, effective September 3, 2019. Dubnow previously worked in former Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner's administration as Director of Operations for the Governor's Office and later as Director of Business Engagement at the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. The firm, which has conducted campaigns across more than 33 states over the past two years, announced Dubnow will design and implement public affairs campaign strategy for various client projects.PR NewswireHawthorn Group names David Nassar Chief Strategy Officer and EVPDavid Nassar, formerly Vice President at the Brookings Institution, has been named Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer at The Hawthorn Group, effective June 1, 2019. In his new role, Nassar will oversee business development and lead strategy on various client projects for the Alexandria, Virginia-based international public affairs firm. Nassar brings over 20 years of experience in public engagement campaigns, having previously grown Brookings' social and email following by hundreds of thousands and led partnerships with notable publications including the New York Times and Esquire magazine.PR NewswireHenry Rubin Named Vice President Of The Hawthorn GroupHenry A. Rubin, previously Director of Client Services at The Hawthorn Group, has been promoted to Vice President effective immediately. Rubin has been with the public affairs firm since 2016 and has served in his prior role since May 2018, having previously held positions at AARP and Vertex Pharmaceuticals. The announcement was made by President and COO Suzanne Hammelman, who cited Rubin's role in coordinating client services and his expertise in public affairs trends.PR NewswireThe Hawthorn Group Names Suzanne Hammelman President and Chief Operating OfficerThe Hawthorn Group appointed Suzanne Hammelman as its president and chief operating officer, effective immediately. Hammelman, an original partner of the firm since 1991, previously served as Chief Client Officer and brings over two decades of experience in public affairs and issue advocacy. This leadership change aims to enhance client service and support business growth within the strategic communications sector.