Grapevine Communications Marks Milestone with 15th Year of Business

SARASOTA, Fla. - Jan. 5, 2017 - PRLog -- Grapevine Communications – the area's leading full-service advertising, marketing and public relations firm – is proud to celebrate its fifteenth year of business in Sarasota. Accompanying this anniversary milestone, Grapevine earned the Tampa Bay Business Journal's 2016 Corporate Philanthropy Award for "Nearly Big" companies – the firm's second recognition for its widespread philanthropic efforts in 2016.

Grapevine Communications was originally founded by Angela Massaro-Fain in Montreal in 1988, where it operated as a full-service advertising agency until 1998. The agency served a number of high-profile clients, such as Honeywell, Johnson & Johnson, Intertape Polymer Group (IPG) and L'Oreal. In 1998, Grapevine Communications was acquired by IPG. After relocating to the IPG executive offices in Sarasota, Florida, Massaro-Fain served as the company's Advertising and Investor Relations Manager, heading up its in-house advertising agency for three years.

In 2002, Massaro-Fain partnered with her husband, John Fain, to re-establish Grapevine Communications in the Sarasota-Manatee area. Since then, the company has grown to a team of 16 creative professionals and provides award-winning advertising, marketing and public relations services for more than 65 clients from a range of industries and professions.

"From the day we opened our doors, our focus has been on developing brand experiences and marketing strategies that drive growth, performance and optimal exposure, while giving back to our community whenever possible," said Massaro-Fain. "To celebrate our fifteenth year is a true testament to our approach to achieving superior results, which has always been client-focused, highly collaborative and with an eye on the future."

In addition to delivering exceptional work, Grapevine fosters an environment that encourages its employees to volunteer, hold board memberships and assist in the leadership of various nonprofits by serving on committees. The company has averaged between $150,000 and $200,000 each year for the last 14 years in corporate giving – donating more than $1.7 million to area nonprofits since 2002. In response to this culture of giving back, the firm has earned an array of philanthropic awards, including the Tampa Bay Business Journal's 2016 Corporate Philanthropy Awards. Earlier this year, the firm's principals, Massaro-Fain and Fain, were named 2017 recipients of the C. John A. Clarke Humanitarian Award. The couple will be formally recognized on March 8, 2017, at the Lakewood Ranch Community Fund's annual gala.

The Tampa Bay Business Journal's 2016 Corporate Philanthropy Awards spotlight the many corporate sanctioned giving and volunteer programs that stand out in our community. All nominated companies were divided into four categories based on number of employees, ranging from one to over 500. Awards were given to one company in each category in the following areas that represent the type of nonprofits in which companies focus their giving: Arts, Education, Health, Human Services and Environment.

Grapevine representatives Gabriele Vest, Vice President of Business Development, and Shelby Isaacson, Social Media & Public Relations Manager, received the honor for the "Nearly Big" category at a presentation ceremony held on Friday, December 9, 2016, at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg.

Grapevine Communications provides full-service advertising, marketing and public relations services to clients nationwide. The firm is the most award-winning advertising agency in Sarasota, Florida, and the surrounding areas. Recent accolades include the 2016, 2015 & 2014 Best Marketing/PR Agency by SRQ Magazine readers; the 2016 "Top 25 Public Relations Firms of Southwest Florida" by Tampa Bay Business Journal; the 2015 Greater Good Philanthropy Award – Small Business by Biz(941) Magazine; the 2014 Small Business of the Year by the Manatee Chamber of Commerce; and the 2010 Small Business of the Year by the Sarasota Chamber of Commerce. For more information on Grapevine Communications, contact Shelby Isaacson (Shelby@grapeinc.com) at 941-351-0024 or visit the website at www.grapeinc.com