I posted my message because someone had said here that they hoped Renmark could write more interesting/better press releases than VIT staff, staff being Williams & Dorrington. But Renmark has zero ex-journalists or trained journalists on its roster, and instead they have a number of hospitality types who organize lunches.

Any writing to be done will have to originate from the same top level of VIT that we already know - Williams & Dorrington. Any material "prepared" by Renmark itself or by some sub-contractor they might produce would be less authentic than what can be produced by the real thing at VIT.

And I know - being a journalist - that media really dislike these PR types. Only a tiny percentage, something less than 1%, are able to escape this general press disdain and are recognized as being knowledgeable. Almost without exception, these are former journalists. In the other 99% of cases, the media will always bypass or step around the PR types and go for the principals. Because that's where the story really lies. In the case of VIT, the principals are Williams & Madrid. Dorrington, if she knows her job - and I think she does - will do everything in her power to connect the media to the principal parties.

Somebody has posted here that it's OK to spend the money as long as they can drag the bodies to the lunches. I've noticed, though, that the bodies who attend these affairs are usually the Mom-and-Pop retail brokers. These are not the investors Williams wants, at least I hope not. What he wants - I hope - are strong, stable institutional holders. In general, these guys don't attend Renmark lunches. Couple years ago I saw a broker at one of these do's asleep with his face in his dinner plate.

In short, it's not a very good PR firm, although it is very expensive. It's a good thing they've only made a commitment for 4 months, or $24K. Not too much money, so if it doesn't work out VIT can dump the flacks and carry on by themselves.