Lippin Group Ups Golum, Benson, Price-Keith In Executive Promotions

Public relations firm The Lippin Group today promoted longtime senior executives Pam Golum to president, global entertainment; Jim Benson to president, corporate communications, West Coast; and Jennifer Price-Keith to president, television and events.  All will continue to report to Chairman-CEO Dick Lippin, who made the announcement today.

Additionally, Nazli Simno has been elevated to vice president, business operations, reporting to CFO Shelly Saarela.

In their new roles, Golum, Benson and Price-Keith will each continue working closely with the company’s teams across its three offices — Benson collaborating with senior corporate communications executives including Don Ciaramella, president, corporate communications, East Coast; Debbie Lawrence, managing director, London Office; as well as Matt Biscuiti in New York and Kevin Broderick in Los Angeles. Similarly, Golum and Price with senior consumer executives including Katie Fuchs in New York, Jeanne O’Keefe and Alex Uliantzeff in Los Angeles.

Lippin said: “I consider myself very fortunate that I have a team of exceptional professionals who are not only exceedingly talented in what they do but have been with me for 15 years or more. Together, we have built an international agency with a longstanding and superb client list spanning the globe, operating activities that touch every major platform in the entertainment industry and, most importantly, a high degree of credibility for our integrity and delivering on what we promise.”

Golum, who has been president, entertainment, West Coast, since 2007, joined The Lippin Group at its inception in 1986 and has since served as the point person for many high-profile clients including Dick Wolf’s Law & Order, Chicago and FBI brands from Wolf Entertainment and Universal Television. She has played a significant role in expanding the client base of the agency, which has represented nearly 650 network, streaming and syndicated series from studios and independent production companies – including scores of iconic titles for the past three decades. Her new responsibilities come as demand grows for economical, publicity-generated earned media, both at home and abroad.

Benson, formerly EVP of The Lippin Group, joined the firm in 2007 after a lengthy tenure overseeing corporate communications and publicity for Universal/Studio USA’s domestic and international television divisions, as well as covering television as a longtime reporter at Variety, Los Angeles bureau chief at Broadcasting + Cable and as a reporter/syndicated columnist for the Los Angeles Daily News. Having developed and executed successful strategic trade and business PR campaigns for many corporate clients across all sectors and genres, Benson remains heavily focused on retaining and representing a rapidly growing range of domestic and international studios involved in the production, distribution and commissioning of IP across streaming, broadcast and theatrical platforms. He also represents broadcasters as well as companies involved in innovative entertainment-related technologies including industry-transforming standardized watermarking, streaming aggregation and an all-encompassing talent discovery app for Hollywood creatives.

Price-Keith, who joined the firm in 1993 as an assistant and rose through the ranks to formerly serve as EVP, brings wide-ranging experience in the television and entertainment industry to her new role. These have included managing all publicity aspects for major events including the Emmy Awards, People’s Choice Awards, Daytime Emmy Awards, among many others; developing and executing original drama, comedy and kids’ series campaigns for network, cable and streaming platforms; and creating strategic campaigns for clients and their brands to stand out in a highly competitive marketplace, with a special focus on creating greater brand awareness, equity and enhanced business opportunities for many diverse organizations. These have included the NAACP Image Awards, ALMA Awards and producing the annual MLK Community Healthcare “Dream Show” for KTLA Los Angeles, among many others.

Simno, who joined The Lippin Group in 2008 and earned a master’s degree in public administration from California State University, Northridge, holds a range of responsibilities including office financial management and employee administration. She will continue working closely with Saarela.