Prior to joining Neuger Communications Group, Placko served as an administrative assistant at St. Olaf College where she worked with the TRiO Educational Talent Search, Upward Bound and GEAR UP programs. At St. Olaf, she managed three different websites, designed and edited newsletters and brochures, and administered databases for the TRiO programs. She has also served as the webmaster for the Monarch Gift Shop and The Measuring Cup, local retailers in Northfield, Minn.

David Neuger, president and CEO of Neuger Communications Group, said, “Wendy’s talents are a wonderful addition to our team. She shares the firm’s values of integrity, excellence and success, and she has a can-do spirit that will serve our clients well.”

Placko is a graduate of St. Olaf College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in interdisciplinary fine arts with an emphasis in visual arts. She and her husband reside in Northfield, Minn.

Neuger Communications Group also announced that it has promoted Daniel Edwins to senior web design and development specialist. Edwins joined the firm in June 2008 as technology specialist. Edwins manages data and information systems, designs and builds websites, and troubleshoots a broad array of technological issues.

Neuger commented, “Daniel is a terrific human being and he has been a tremendous asset to our firm. His expertise in all things web has benefited our clients tremendously. We are delighted to recognize his contributions with this announcement.”

Edwins is a graduate of St. Olaf College with a degree in mathematics. He has extensive computer science experience including research on stereo vision as part of a project funded by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. He was raised in Northfield, Minn., and currently resides in St. Paul, Minn. His parents are Steven and Jennifer Edwins.

Neuger Communications Group, founded in 2002, is a full-service strategic communications firm that specializes in marketing and public relations. The company was founded to provide comprehensive marketing and communications services that blend main street values with innovative and traditional communications tools and methods. For more information about Neuger Communications Group, visit www.neuger.com or call 507.664.0700.

David Neuger, president and CEO of Neuger Communications Group, said, “We are delighted to recognize Betsey’s achievements in this manner. She has served our firm and our clients extremely well for the past five years and her work is first class.”

Garvey is a native Northfielder and lives with her husband, John. Her parents are Michael and Darlene Witt. She is a graduate of Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa, and is a member of St. Dominic’s Catholic Church. She said, “Neuger Communications Group has been a great fit for me, and I’m excited to be a part of the company’s growth in the years ahead.”

Neuger Communications Group, founded in 2002, is a full-service strategic communications firm that specializes in marketing and public relations. The company was founded to provide comprehensive marketing and communications services that blend main street values with innovative and traditional communications tools and methods. For more information about Neuger Communications Group, visit www.neuger.com or call 507.664.0700.

Having joined Neuger Communications Group as a senior communications counselor, McLaughlin has provided key leadership throughout his tenure, heading up the organization’s data management services, technology projects, and most recently, client development initiatives. He serves clients in a breadth of industries including retail, education and professional services.

President and CEO David Neuger said, “Jeff has been a terrific team member, playing a pivotal role in the growth of our firm. Our clients speak very highly of him and his ability to understand and meet their needs. His work ethic is tremendous and dedication to the company’s values of integrity, excellence and success is clear.”

A graduate of St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minn., McLaughlin holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and history. Having served in the admissions office at St. Olaf College for more than 10 years, including a stint as the director of admissions and acting vice president for enrollment management, McLaughlin brings a wealth of experience in developing results-oriented communications campaigns that are directed, in part, on strong data analysis.

McLaughlin said, “It has been a privilege to be a part of this firm. I’m excited about our ongoing success and looking forward to the years ahead.”

McLaughlin lives in Northfield, Minn., with his wife, Betsy, and their two young children. In addition to his work with Neuger Communications Group, McLaughlin is an avid runner, serves as secretary for St. John’s Lutheran Church and is a member of Northfield.org’s board of directors.

Neuger Communications Group is a full-service, strategic communications firm, specializing in marketing and public relations. It serves clients in a wide array of industries, providing strategic communications solutions tailored to each client’s unique needs. Employing a complete range of tools and techniques, Neuger Communications Group is focused on integrating communications for all aspects of a client’s business. The company delivers extraordinary value to its clients through high-quality, results-oriented solutions that blend main street values with innovative and traditional methods to generate results for its clients – from brochures to websites and traditional media relations to social media. For more information about Neuger Communications Group, visit www.neuger.com or call 507.664.0700.

Neuger Communications Group President and CEO David Neuger said, “The renovation of our new space was a Northfield project through and through, and we’re very grateful to the community for its support and warm welcome to the heart of downtown. From Northfield Construction Company and First National Bank of Northfield, to the City of Northfield and the EDA, we’ve had an extraordinary team of professionals to help us craft a space that will elevate our business to new heights. More than that, we’re thankful for the people of Northfield who make this a wonderfully vibrant community to call home.”

The list of area people and organizations that played a significant role in the renovation include: Bierman’s Home Furnishings and Flooring, Blesener’s Quality Exteriors, City of Northfield, Custom Glass & Mirror, First National Bank of Northfield, Jennifer Wolcott, Keith Pumper Plumbing & Heating, Inc., Koktavy & Daleiden Painting, LLC, Lamperts Yards, Inc., Lars Stromayer, Nerstrand Custom Cabinets, Northfield Construction Company, Northfield Economic Development Authority, Schulz Electric, Inc., ServiceMaster by Ayotte, SMSQ Architects and Southern Minnesota Woodcraft. Northfield Construction Company served as the general contractor and Krech, O’Brien, Mueller & Associates was the principal architect of the renovation.

Neuger Communications Group serves clients in a wide array of industries, providing strategic communications solutions tailored to each client’s unique needs. Employing a complete range of tools and techniques, Neuger Communications Group is focused on integrating communications for all aspects of a client’s business. The company delivers extraordinary value to its clients through high-quality, results-oriented solutions that blend mainstreet values with innovative and traditional methods to generate results for its clients – from brochures to websites and traditional media relations to social media. For more information about Neuger Communications Group, visit www.neuger.com or call 507.664.0700.

David Neuger, president and CEO of Neuger Communications Group, said, “It’s difficult to fully convey our excitement about the new space. Not only is this a great location in the heart of downtown, it will allow for greater internal collaboration – a benefit to our clients and the professional development of each and every employee.”

To date, the company has focused its renovation efforts exclusively on the building located at 25 Bridge Square. Once a tenant is identified, the neighboring building, 19 Bridge Square, will undergo renovations appropriate to the historical significance of the building, according to Neuger. He went on to say that the entire process has gone extraordinarily smoothly. “From First National Bank of Northfield and Northfield Construction Company and its many subcontractors, to the City of Northfield and the EDA, we’ve had a great team of Northfield-focused organizations to help us get to this point.”

Neuger Communications Group is a full-service, strategic communications firm, specializing in marketing and public relations. It serves clients in a wide array of industries, providing strategic communications solutions tailored to each client’s unique needs. Employing a complete range of tools and techniques, Neuger Communications Group is focused on integrating communications for all aspects of a client’s business. The company delivers extraordinary value to its clients through high-quality, results-oriented solutions that blend main street values with innovative and traditional methods to generate results for its clients – from brochures to websites and traditional media relations to social media.

For more information about Neuger Communications Group, visit www.neuger.com or call 507.664.0700.

First National Bank Chief Executive Officer Dave Shumway said, “We are delighted to be working with Neuger Communications Group on this agreement. They have been good corporate citizens for this community for nearly a decade and we are enthused about helping to retain them in the core of downtown Northfield.”

The building will undergo a minimum of $350,000 in improvements over the next several months and the site is expected to be occupied by September 2011, according to David Neuger, president and CEO of Neuger Communications Group, a 12-person marketing and communications consulting firm based in Northfield. “We are hoping to double our size in the next two to three years,” said Neuger. “This location provides us with an ideal facility in which to grow and thrive.”

Situated on one of the premier intersections in Northfield, the Bridge Square site has been empty since July 2010. Shumway said, “We see this agreement as a win for all involved. The bank takes a non-earning asset and turns it into an earning asset. Neuger Communications Group is lined up to acquire one of the most desirable sites in Northfield. And the Northfield community wins by retaining a thriving business – positioned for growth – that will remain active and a leader in the Northfield business community.”

Neuger said, “Northfield is a fantastic community and we have demonstrated a keen ability to attract high-caliber talent here. We have called Northfield home since our inception and this move will give us the facilities to continue serving our clients throughout the country with exceptional service from this terrific community.”

The letter of intent calls for the deal to be closed by March 1, 2011. “First National Bank of Northfield has been wonderful to work with,” Neuger commented. “They took the time to understand our needs and business circumstances and then worked with us to develop a solution that created a winning scenario for us, with an eye toward what would be good for the downtown community.”

Neuger Communications Group is a full-service, strategic communications firm, specializing in marketing and public relations. It serves clients in a wide array of industries, providing strategic communications solutions tailored to each client’s unique needs. Employing a complete range of tools and techniques, Neuger Communications Group is focused on integrating communications for all aspects of a client’s business. The company delivers extraordinary value to its clients through high-quality, results-oriented solutions that blend main street values with innovative and traditional methods to generate results for its clients – from brochures to websites and traditional media relations to social media.

For more information about Neuger Communications Group, visit www.neuger.com or call 507.664.0700.

For more than 10 years, the International Academy of the Visual Arts has hosted a competition awarding Communicator Awards to honor exceptional creative work in advertising, corporate communications, public relations and identity work for print, video, interactive and audio. Judging is conducted by field professionals and this year’s competition featured more than 7,000 entries from around the world.

David Neuger, president and CEO of Neuger Communications Group, said, “The recognition received from the International Academy of the Visual Arts is a nice honor. It underscores my assertion that our staff and clients are the best you will find anywhere, anytime. We are very pleased with the recognition.”

Founded in 2002, Neuger Communications Group serves clients in a wide array of industries across the nation, including financial services, construction and agriculture, non-profit, education and healthcare.

Each year the Association of Marketing & Communication Professionals hosts the international MarCom award competition in which agencies submit work samples for independent review. Judging is conducted by senior-level, experienced professionals and the most recent competition featured more than 5,000 entries from across the United States and several foreign countries.

David Neuger, president and CEO of Neuger Communications Group, said, “We are delighted to accept these awards. Recognition from the MarCom committee serves to reinforce the emphasis our team places on developing results-oriented solutions.”

While the MarCom awards acknowledge the firm’s accomplishments in the field of higher education marketing, Neuger Communications Group serves clients in a wide array of industries across the nation, including financial services, construction and agriculture, non-profit and healthcare.

President and CEO of Neuger Communications Group David Neuger said, “We are delighted to team up with Rick Esse and Esse Advertising. I have a lot of respect for Rick and the business that he has built over the years, and I’m thrilled that we can bring our two companies together. Neuger Communications Group’s core values of integrity, excellence and success are evident in the way Rick has conducted his business, and together we share a truly extraordinary commitment to producing results-oriented communications solutions that delight our clients.”

Esse Advertising, which was founded in 1993, has served a wide range of local and regional clients in a number of industries including healthcare, financial services, construction, nonprofit and education. Esse Advertising helped clients develop print and web communications, but is best known for its strength in the development of comprehensive advertising campaigns.

Neuger continued, “Rick’s extensive knowledge of the communications field and his strength in developing creative advertising campaigns that generate results complement our firm well. He has a great reputation and an extensive client network across the region. There’s no doubt in my mind that he’ll be an excellent addition to our team, bringing valuable insight to a wide range of projects.”

In his role as a senior communications counselor, Esse will counsel a number of local and regional clients, managing both the creative and strategic communications processes. He will also be responsible for fostering relationships with prospective clients.

Esse said, “I’m pleased to be a part of the Neuger team. Our client service and creative philosophies are similar – we’re both dedicated to delivering communications programs that yield tangible rewards for our clients. The clients I’ve worked with will now have access to additional communications resources that may have been unavailable to them in the past, and I’m eager to add my advertising and creative background to what the Neuger team can offer.”

A graduate of St. Olaf College, Esse began his communications career as the director of advertising for the Northfield News where he was responsible for establishing and meeting sales goals, developing specialty publications and generating advertising. After a successful tenure at the Northfield News, Esse launched his own business – Esse Advertising – allowing him to broaden the communications solutions he could offer clients. Across a span of 15 years, Esse Advertising served more than 70 clients in Northfield and the surrounding communities, developing advertising campaigns and print communications solutions. Altogether Esse brings more than 25 years of communications experience to his role at Neuger Communications Group.

Esse lives in Northfield, Minn., with his wife, Pam, and their college-age son, Alex.

As a part of Neuger Communications Group’s senior leadership team, Hillemann counsels several of the firm’s local and regional accounts – developing communications solutions for clients in a variety of industries including healthcare, nonprofit and green building – while fostering relationships with prospective clients and helping to set the strategic direction of the firm.

President and CEO David Neuger said, “Penny has brought tremendous value to our team. Over the years, her responsibilities have steadily grown and she has proven to be a thoughtful and accomplished leader. The success she has helped her clients achieve and her everyday work truly reflect the firm’s values of integrity, excellence and success. We couldn’t be more pleased to have a person of her caliber representing the firm and serving clients on a daily basis.”

A graduate of Brown University in Providence, R.I., Hillemann holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology and received her J.D. from the University of Wisconsin Law School. Having served as a lawyer in Milwaukee and a web manager and communications associate at 89.3 WCAL, Hillemann brings more than 20 years of communications and related experience to her role at Neuger Communications Group.

Hillemann said, “Neuger Communications Group brings together such a wonderful fusion of talented, dedicated, nice people. It’s hard to imagine having colleagues who could be more rewarding or more fun to work with, and because of the variety of clients we serve, there is always a new challenge to keep things interesting. I’m looking forward to taking on new responsibilities, continuing to grow professionally and working hard to be successful for our clients.”

Hillemann lives in Northfield, Minn., and shares her life with her husband, David Keyes, and her three children. In addition to her work with Neuger Communications Group, Hillemann is a member of the Northfield Healthy Community Initiative board. In her free time she enjoys gardening, bird watching and choral singing. She is a strong advocate for sustainability and an avid reader.