New York, NY – Seasoned digital communications professional Ryan Brack will join Mercury as Senior Vice President, Mercury Partner and former Communications Director for Governor Pataki Michael McKeon announced today. Brack worked at Google in Silicon Valley and served in key technology positions in the Bloomberg and de Blasio administrations, most recently as the Director of Strategic Partnerships for the New York City Mayor’s Office of Tech and Innovation and a senior advisor to New York City’s first Chief Technology Officer, Minerva Tantoco.
“Ryan Brack will bring an exciting new dimension of expertise to Mercury, and demonstrates the commitment we have to expanding our technology and innovation practice,” said McKeon, “His deep knowledge of emerging trends and unique experience in politics, global and digital communications and government technology are a significant asset for our public affairs operations.”
“Mercury is a world-class public affairs firm and I am thrilled to join such an elite team of strategists,” said Brack. “We are a living in a world that is undergoing unprecedented disruption, which means opportunity and a better customer experience for those who are prepared. Traditional industries are transforming into hyphen-tech industries, today’s well-funded startup has the ability to be tomorrow’s market leader, the competition for quality tech talent is ruthless, and governments are grappling with how to regulate, innovate, and go digital — meanwhile, millennial consumers are accelerating these trends. With 18 offices around the world and over 100 in-house experts across various disciplines, it is clear that Mercury is the 21st century firm for clients who are ready to act on these 21st century opportunities.”
“Ryan Brack is a prime example of why the New York technology and innovation community is not only growing exponentially but is leading the country in developing civic innovations that serve the public good,” said Andrew Rasiej, the Founder of Civic Hall and Chairman of New York Tech Meetup. “By adding Ryan to their roster of talent, Mercury is bringing on an experienced civic innovator who substantially increases the firm’s vision, capacity, and impact.”
“Mercury and their clients just landed a significant win by hiring Ryan!” said Jeff Namnum, Co- Founder of leading Android development and design firm, touchlab. “We’re fortunate to build the products of the future, for example as the Android development and design experts for New York City’s ambitious LinkNYC Wi-Fi hotspot initiative and the firm behind the soon-to-be launched mHealth platform, ResearchStack 1.0. Ryan impresses us as one of a rare breed of people who truly understands the importance of harnessing these and other rapidly changing technologies.”
“During his time in the Mayor’s Office of Technology and Innovation, I came to know Ryan as someone with his finger on the pulse of where the City’s tech sector is headed next,” said Margaret Honey, President and CEO of the New York Hall of Science. “He will no doubt be a great benefit to any of his clients who are looking to broaden their participation and visibility in NYC’s tech ecosystem.”
“Mercury couldn’t have made a better decision by hiring Ryan Brack to enhance their public affairs footprint for tech and innovation — especially here in the Northeast region,” said New Jersey Tech Meetup Founder, Propeller Festival Founder, and longtime tech community advocate, Aaron Price. “He understands the opportunities waiting to be unlocked along the East Coast and his skillset is uniquely positioned to help clients who want to harness the energy and excitement of rapidly growing tech communities from Trenton to Philadelphia, and Boston to the Bronx. Players from the entire region’s tech sector should jump at the chance to engage someone like Ryan who understands tech from multiple angles.”
“Ryan Brack brings an expertise, energy, and effectiveness that is hard to match; he’s been a tremendous connector and advocate for our organization in New York City and beyond. We hope companies take advantage of Ryan’s passion for diversity in the tech sector as they look to bring on talent from all walks of life,” said Andrew Lowenthal, Executive Director of Out in Tech.
At the Mayor’s office, Brack was responsible for public and community affairs, communications and public relations, branding and marketing, and crisis communications. He was also tasked with seeking out and bringing on private and public sector partner organizations, with a special focus on diversity in tech.
Prior to joining the senior technology team within Mayor Bill de Blasio’s administration, Brack managed global communications and public affairs at Google’s San Francisco headquarters for their photos, news, social, and developer relations teams. Brack also served through two terms of Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s administration, initially as the Chief of Staff for Public Affairs, responsible for helping pass Mayoral control of public schools, then as the first-ever Director of Online Communications and founding member of the Mayor’s Social Media Advisory and Research Taskforce.
Brack is a veteran of the notably tech-centric candidacies of Howard Dean for President, Ned Lamont for U.S. Senate, and served as Executive Director of the Pledge for Al Gore Political Action Committee designed to draft Al Gore for President in 2008. He is a resident Long Island City, of one of NYC’s fastest-growing tech communities.
Ryan Brack can be contacted at [email protected] and (212) 681-1380.
About Mercury
Mercury is a high-stakes, bipartisan public strategy firm. The firm provides a comprehensive suite of services that includes federal government relations, international affairs, digital influence, public opinion research, media strategy and a bipartisan grassroots mobilization network in all 50 states. Our firm is not just led by top talent — we distinguish ourselves by having senior talent deeply engaged in each project from start to finish, a promise we keep to clients. The firm has an established global presence, with U.S. offices in Washington, DC, New York, California New Jersey, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Florida, Tennessee and North Carolina, and international offices in London and Mexico City.
Mercury is a part of Omnicom Group Inc. Omnicom is a leading global marketing and corporate communications company. Omnicom’s branded networks and numerous specialty firms provide advertising, strategic media planning and buying, digital and interactive marketing, direct and promotional marketing, public relations and other specialty communications services to over 5,000 clients in more than 100 countries.
