Beginning in 2008, Allyn Media served as media, public relations and public affairs advisors to T. Boone Pickens in his philanthropy and highly publicized Mesa Water project. To sell Mr. Pickens’ panhandle aquifer water, Mesa Water, we recast the project in the minds of regional decision-makers. We targeted, set and attended more than 50 face-to-face briefings with high-level community, business, political and water leaders to share the full story of the Mesa Water project and get their feedback on the project and the long-term water supply issue. We also handle comprehensive media relations including drafting Opinion Editorial, pitching stories and introducing writers and reporters to Mesa Water executives to make sure the Mesa Water story is being communicated accurately and often in the press.
Finally, to complete the comprehensive outreach campaign, we secured and created key sponsorship and event opportunities, like the Texas Municipal League Conference and speaking venues like the Dallas Assembly and the Greater Dallas Chamber of Commerce, to build positive public awareness of Mesa Water and create networking opportunities with the most important decision-makers in the city and state. The project achieved success in 2011 when Mesa Water was sold to a panhandle municipal water district.
Mr. Pickens was extremely committed to giving back to the communities in which he lived and worked. With this commitment in mind, we advised his foundation team on philanthropic opportunities in the Dallas area and handled public relations, event planning and media outreach for major gift announcements. Notable gifts included $6 million to the Jubilee Park neighborhood in December 2007, $10 million to Dallas’ Museum of Nature and Science in February 2008 and $5 million for the renovations to the downtown Dallas YMCA in October 2008. The T. Boone Pickens Foundation is one of the most well-regarded philanthropies in the country, consistently landing on The Chronicle of Philanthropy’s Top 10 list and garnering comprehensive local, state and national media coverage of their gifts.
