“Jeff brings a tremendous wealth of knowledge and extensive experience in healthcare marketing and public policy,” said IMRE President Mark Eber. “We’re confident that with Jeff leading our team of healthcare experts, IMRE will continue to be driving force in healthcare industry and significantly grow our healthcare practice over the next several years.”

A longstanding leader in shaping communications strategy for some of the biggest healthcare brands in the country, Smokler’s work experience has given him unique insight on what healthcare companies need to achieve with both their business and public policy objectives. Prior to joining IMRE, he served as Senior Vice President of Healthcare Public Affairs at Weber Shandwick/Powell Tate, where he oversaw communications programs for a full range of healthcare clients.

Smokler has also served as Executive Director for Strategic Communications at the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association (BCBSA), where he was responsible for developing and executing strategies for media relations, brand advertising, social media, executive communications, strategic sponsorships, and community investments and partnerships. Other previous positions include Director of Corporate and Public Affairs at BlueCross and BlueShield of Tennessee, as well as Director of Communications at the American Health Care Association, a national trade group representing both publicly traded and privately owned skilled nursing and assisted living facilities. Smokler started his communications career as a reporter on Capitol Hill, covering healthcare policy, legislation, and lobbying for a daily trade publication.

About IMRE

IMRE is a full-service agency specializing in the communications needs of the healthcare industry. We shape consumer perception and induce behavior change for leading healthcare brands like Pfizer, MedImmune, Susan G. Komen, Target and the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists. Visit us at www.imrehc.com, read our blog at www.imrehealthiq.com or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/imrehealthiq.

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IMRE is a full-service agency specializing in the communications needs of the healthcare industry. Our marketing, PR, social marketing, emerging media and advertising programs shape consumer perception and induce behavior change for leading healthcare brands like Pfizer, MedImmune, Quintiles, Susan G. Komen and the National Disability Rights Network. Visit us at www.imrehc.com, read our blog at www.imrehealthiq.com or follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/imrehealthiq.

For nearly two decades, IMRE has spearheaded a wide array of sports marketing initiatives for its clients. IMRE will now have a dedicated team to handle clients that are specifically invested within the sports industry. IMRE Sports will connect brands to fans and help corporations leverage their sponsorship investments to generate more brand exposure and fan engagement. IMRE Sports clients will get the full range of services provided by the agency, including marketing, public relations, social marketing, advertising and emerging media.

“IMRE has been involved in the sports arena for some time now, and we’re excited to finally put a stake in the ground with the launch of IMRE Sports,” said IMRE President Mark Eber. “We have mobilized a great team of industry experts, and we are confident that this business unit will help clients get the most out of their sports sponsorship investments.”

Eber and sports industry veteran Matt Saler will be overseeing IMRE Sports. Eber will be spearheading the overall vision and new business development of the practice, while Saler will be managing day-to-day operations. Saler was hired in January of 2011, after spending many years working within the sports marketing industry, most recently at Maroon PR.

IMRE’s sports-related client experience includes Target, John Deere, Stanley Black & Decker and others, covering the NFL, PGA TOUR, NASCAR, professional boxing and more.

With its launch, IMRE will feature a new blog, www.imresportsiq.com, offering original reporting on trends within the sports business industry, insight into sports fans and commentary on relevant breaking news. IMRE Sports will also have a Twitter handle, twitter.com/imresportsiq, that will engage in online conversations about the sports business industry.

Pre-approved tweet: Baltimore marketing agency @IMREIQ launches sports practice. Follow along @IMREsportsIQ & find out more http://bit.ly/ePBjua.

ABOUT IMRE SPORTS

IMRE is an agency of marketing experts serving brands and clients invested in the Sports Industry. IMRE Sports connects brands to fans and helps corporations leverage their sponsorship investments to generate more brand exposure and fan engagement. IMRE’s clients include Target, Stanley Black & Decker and John Deere. Services include marketing, public relations, social marketing, advertising, emerging media and research. For more information, visit www.imresports.com.

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“We see the expansion as an opportunity to strengthen current client relationships and grow our portfolio of national and international brands headquartered in the Southeast,” explained Mark Eber, IMRE partner and president. “Our extensive experience in the Home & Building, Healthcare and Financial Services sectors, coupled with our expertise in marketing, public relations, social marketing and sustainability, make us attractive to Research Triangle Park and surrounding area businesses with national and global communications needs.”

Research Triangle Park is home to many national brands, including a variety of Fortune 100 multinational corporations that align with IMRE’s focused areas of industry expertise.

ABOUT IMRE

IMRE is an agency of marketing experts serving business-to-business and business-to-consumer clients in the Healthcare, Home & Building, and Financial Services industries.  IMRE specializes in driving demand and purchase for brands and clients that include Black & Decker, Pfizer and Travelers. Services include marketing, public relations, social marketing, advertising and interactive.  For more information visit www.imre.com.

“The stresses and costs of managing chronic conditions such as diabetes is a heavy load for many Medicare beneficiaries and a central issue within our nation’s health care system,” said Jim Murphy, vice president of marketing for XLHealth. “Through this partnership with IMRE, we hope to continue building community support for programs that address the needs of Medicare beneficiaries with chronic conditions and those who care for them.”

IMRE is providing public relations services to assist the company in promoting Care Improvement Plus, a Medicare health plan designed to meet the needs of underserved beneficiaries and those living with chronic conditions such as diabetes and heart failure. Care Improvement Plus operates one of the nation’s largest chronic condition Special Needs Plans, providing comprehensive Medicare coverage and a Part D prescription drug benefit, as well as additional services such as dental and vision coverage, and care and management support. Care Improvement Plus plans serve more than 85,000 Medicare beneficiaries across six states.

“Healthcare reform continues to be a major public policy issue for the United States,” said Michael O’Brien, senior vice president and healthcare practice leader at IMRE. “We are very excited to be working with a forward-thinking company that has created a successful care management model to improve the nation’s ailing Medicare system.”

This campaign includes promoting XLHealth’s expertise, educating seniors and caregivers on Special Needs Plans, as well as creating partnerships to help XLHealth reach an even broader audience and raise its profile within the industry.

ABOUT IMRE

IMRE is an agency of marketing experts serving business-to-business and business-to-consumer clients in the healthcare industry. IMRE specializes in shaping consumer perception and inducing behavior change for healthcare brands and associations that include Pfizer, MedImmune, XLHealth, LifeCell, Nutricia, Johns Hopkins Medicine and the American Dental Association. Services include marketing, social marketing, digital, public relations and advertising. For more information, visit www.imrehc.com.

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IMRE was selected from a competitive field of public relations agencies from around the state to lead public relations, media relations and on-site media support for Komen events throughout Maryland. The agency will play a significant role in providing strategic support for the 2010 Susan G. Komen Maryland Race for the Cure® in October. IMRE is conducting the work pro bono. As such, the entire agency will participate in the planning and implementation of this year’s event to continue its ongoing support for the organization.

“We are excited to be working with IMRE to further raise awareness of The Maryland Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure and breast cancer research,” said Robin Prothro, executive director, Komen Maryland. “We chose IMRE for their deep experience in healthcare and proven ability to produce results. We also appreciated their clear passion for our organization and our cause.”

IMRE will also work actively with Komen Maryland’s 2010-2011 grantee recipients to provide media counsel to the 27 programs across the state of Maryland that were awarded grants totaling $2.2 million for their direct and supportive breast health service programs.

“IMRE is honored to have been chosen from a competitive pool of applicants as public relations partner to The Maryland Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure,” said Michael O’Brien, senior vice president and healthcare practice leader at IMRE. “Nearly everyone has been affected by breast cancer in some way. As an agency, we look forward to working with Komen Maryland to increase awareness and to do our part in contributing to the cure.”

ABOUT SUSAN G. KOMEN FOR THE CURE®

Nancy G. Brinker promised her dying sister, Susan G. Komen, she would do everything in her power to end breast cancer forever. In 1982, that promise became Susan G. Komen for the Cure and launched the global breast cancer movement. Today, Komen for the Cure is the world’s largest grassroots network of breast cancer survivors and activists fighting to save lives, empower people, ensure quality care for all and energize science to find the cures. Thanks to events like the Komen Race for the Cure®, the organization has invested more than $1.5 billion to fulfill our promise, becoming the largest source of nonprofit funds dedicated to the fight against breast cancer in the world. For more information about Susan G. Komen for the Cure, breast health or breast cancer, visit www.komen.org or call 1-877 GO KOMEN.

ABOUT IMRE

IMRE is an agency of marketing experts serving business-to-business and business-to-consumer clients in the healthcare industry. IMRE specializes in shaping consumer perception and inducing behavior change for healthcare brands and associations that include Pfizer, MedImmune, XLHealth, LifeCell, Nutricia, Johns Hopkins Medicine, Erickson Living and the American Dental Association. Services include marketing, social marketing, digital, public relations and advertising. For more information, visit www.imrehc.com, www.imrehealthiq.com or www.twitter.com/@HealthIntel.

As president, Eber will assume an outward facing role for the agency and continue to oversee the daily operations. He will also keep the agency focused on its core business of serving national clients in the Financial Services, Healthcare, and Home & Building industries. Formerly, Eber served as chief operating officer of IMRE.

“Mark has been a driving force in IMRE’s growth, and we are excited about his expanded leadership role,” said Imre. “Forecasting change, including the latest trends in social and digital marketing, has always been one of Mark’s strengths. I am confident that he has the leadership skills, ambition and dedication necessary to take IMRE to the next level.”

Eber joined IMRE in 1997 as an account supervisor and has been an integral part of the management team with client service responsibilities since his tenure began. He quickly rose to partner and chief operating officer and has been overseeing the day-to-day operations of the agency for almost a decade. During his time at IMRE, Eber has led numerous client campaigns, including the largest power tool launch in history. Eber is a former president of the Maryland Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America, a frequent national speaker on agency finance and operations, and has served as an adjunct professor at Towson University.

“We have built a vibrant agency with talented and passionate employees who execute bold and smart work for major national brands,” said Eber. “I look forward to driving this agency forward by focusing on great client service and growing the IMRE brand, both in service offerings and geographically.”

ABOUT IMRE

IMRE is an agency of marketing experts serving business-to-business and business-to-consumer clients in the Healthcare, Home & Building, and Financial Services industries. IMRE specializes in driving demand and purchase for brands and clients that include Black & Decker, Pfizer and Travelers. Services include digital, advertising, marketing and public relations. For more information visit www.imre.com.