The Hodges Partnership Announces Sale to Senior Management Team
The Hodges Partnership, an award-winning public relations firm, announced today that four members of the firm’s senior management team – whose combined tenure at the Richmond-based agency totals close to 70 years – have entered into an ownership agreement with the founding partners, a deal that will incrementally transfer ownership of the 23-year-old firm over the next several years to the four senior vice presidents.
Founded in 2002 by Jon Newman and Josh Dare, Hodges has grown to become the largest independently owned public relations firm in Central Virginia and whose longtime clients include Virginia’s Community Colleges, Kroger Mid-Atlantic, Hilldrup, Richmond Region Tourism, The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, Mercy Chefs and Estes Express Lines. The agency provides a range of services, including media relations, social media and content marketing, digital advertising, strategic communications, event planning and graphic and web design.
The sale of the agency to Lindsay O’Bar, APR, (SVP Client Services and Culture), Paulyn Ocampo (SVP Agency and Client Operations), Sean Ryan (SVP Media Relations) and Greg Surber, APR, (SVP Research and Insights) is designed not only to provide operational and strategic continuity to the firm’s clients, but also help ensure that Hodges’ “people first” culture remains a top priority well into the future. The agreement takes effect on January 1, 2026.
“For all practical purposes, this senior team has been effectively leading Hodges over the past several years, and each of them have respected reputations in the public relations, business and civic communities of Richmond,” said Newman, CEO and founding partner. “Josh and I are thrilled to be able to turn the keys over to a group of professionals in whom we have complete confidence in to carry the Hodges torch. We can think of no better way to carry on the culture, success and legacy of Hodges than by entrusting this particular team with this responsibility.”
O’Bar, Ocampo, Ryan and Surber will continue to work on client accounts and carry out their other management responsibilities.
“We’re incredibly grateful to Jon and Josh for the trust they’ve placed in our team to carry Hodges forward,” said Ryan, the agency’s second hire in 2003. “Our agency always has been defined by impactful work and genuine relationships – with our clients, colleagues and partners – a legacy our founders have cemented. We’re thrilled by the opportunity to shape Hodges’ next chapter.”
Dare Retiring
In addition to the change in ownership, the agency also announced the retirement of Dare, effective December 31, 2025. The Hodges cofounder has close to a half-century of communications experience, including management positions at two FORTUNE 500 corporations and public affairs posts at the FBI and National Endowment for the Arts.
He also served as a press secretary on Capitol Hill and helped to found two high-tech startups before serving as the senior communications officer at The Martin Agency, where he met Newman. In 2017, Dare was the recipient of the Excellence in Public Relations award given by the Richmond chapter of the Public Relations Society of America for his career achievements.
“Founding and growing Hodges with my friend Jon Newman has been the most professionally gratifying achievement of my career,” Dare said. “And while I will miss my incredible colleagues and clients, I look forward to downshifting gears with more travel, grandparenting, volunteering, creative writing and maybe even some accordion lessons, so apologies in advance. I’m indebted to Jon, my family and all the young people who helped me figure out things on my computer.”
While Dare is retiring, Newman is maintaining his ownership stake over the next several years and will continue to serve day to day as the firm’s CEO for the foreseeable future.
A 23-person agency, Hodges recently underwent a rebranding in concert with its move to new offices in Scott’s Addition. Its “Public Relations. Differently.” brand reflects its approach to public relations that embraces a trilogy of earned-owned-paid strategies.
Jon Newman
In 2002 Jon cofounded The Hodges Partnership and has helped to grow it into one of the country’s largest public relations firms (based on O’Dwyer’s annual rankings). Jon has taught communications as an adjunct professor at VCU, speaks regularly at conferences and meetings and blogs and tweets about public relations and marketing issues.
Leave a Reply