Haven Tower Group Continues Buildout of Senior Team with Addition of Former MetLife Marketing Communications Leader, Advisor Group SVP of Corporate Communications and Chicago Tribune Business Reporter

By PR Newswire Last updated Sep 12, 2022

Katherine Paulson Named Partner & Head of Digital Marketing Strategies; Kevin Danaher Appointed Principal, Content Strategies; Lorene Yue Named Principal

Financial Services-Focused PR and Marketing Communications Firm Adds New Capabilities While Reinforcing Award-Winning Solutions for Clients

Launched in October 2011 as Four-Person Boutique Agency, Haven Tower Grows to 17 Professionals Across Los Angeles, Seattle, Chicago, New York

Haven Tower Group LLC, an award-winning, full-service public relations and marketing communications agency focused on the financial services sector, announced the addition of three senior professionals: Katherine Paulson as Partner & Head of Digital Marketing Strategies; Kevin Danaher, Principal, Content Strategies; and Lorene Yue, Principal.

The continued buildout of Haven Tower’s team – which now includes 17 professionals nationwide – aligns with the firm’s commitment to continuously enhancing its capabilities and talent base to benefit its clients. It also reflects Haven Tower’s consistent year-over-year growth since its launch

Joseph Kuo, a veteran of LPL Financial and Kekst & Company (now Kekst CNC), started the firm in October 2011 as a four-person boutique. David Kronfeld, a fellow former Partner of Kekst, was Haven Tower’s first hire.

The announcement follows the promotions earlier this year of Michael Dugan to President & Managing Partner; Mitch Manning to Partner & Head of National Media; Donald Cutler to Principal; and Eric Clapp to Principal, Operations & Administration.

Mr. Kuo, Founder & CEO of Haven Tower, said, “Bringing aboard Katherine Paulson, Lorene Yue and Kevin Danaher represents the culmination of careful planning over the past 12 months, with an emphasis on evolving our senior talent base to continue delivering the best possible client service experience. Lorene’s track record as a PR strategist and business journalist is impressive, while Katherine and Kevin are both seasoned wealth management industry executives whom we have known and worked closely with for years.

“The organizational enhancements we have executed on from late last year through to completion this month fully round out our client support capabilities, while underscoring the best features of our client-driven culture: a commitment to seamless collaboration between our professionals, a team-driven approach in how we support each client relationship, and a passion for continuously embracing new ways to articulate and amplify our clients’ stories.”

Seasoned Experts Augment Haven Tower’s Award-Winning Team

Ms. Paulson previously worked as an outsourced Chief Marketing Officer and independent brand and strategy consultant. She has more than 24 years of financial services experience, with expertise in the marketing and distribution of financial products, including mutual funds, private funds, alternative funds and fintech asset management solutions.

Earlier in her career, Ms. Paulson was Assistant Vice President and Director of Marketing Communications at MetLife, where she led the creative and digital marketing teams for their U.S. retail annuities business. During her tenure at MetLife, Ms. Paulson helped grow the company’s variable annuity sales from $6 billion to $28 billion. She also served as Director of Marketing Communications at Altegris, where she led the marketing team for the wirehouse, independent and private client channels.

Ms. Paulson also has experience in developing and executing strategic marketing programs across all digital platforms for wealth management firms serving a distributed field force, as well as independent financial advisor businesses, asset managers, financial advisor recruiting firms, mortgage brokers and insurance enterprises.

Regarding her new role at Haven Tower, Ms. Paulson said, “I’m excited to join one of the most experienced, dynamic and culturally diverse teams of PR and marketing communications professionals that exists in the financial services industry today. Over the past 10-plus years, Haven Tower has distinguished itself as the agency of record for many of the most successful and fastest-growing wealth management businesses across the country. In large part, this is due to the firm’s penchant for intellectual rigor, combined with a bias for action, a culture that I find very appealing.”

Mr. Danaher most recently worked as a Senior Vice President with Advisor Group, where he led the firm’s advisor communications, executive messaging and media relations functions. Mr. Danaher had oversight of corporate communications during the firm’s spinoff from AIG to a private equity firm, and its subsequent sale.

Prior to joining Haven Tower, Ms. Yue was director of media relations for the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, a non-profit media organization best known for managing the Doomsday Clock. She was also the voice of the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) as the director of communications in charge of writing executive communications, marketing content, press releases and annual reports.

Previously, Ms. Yue was an award-winning business journalist who covered personal finance, banking, retail and consumer goods at publications including the Chicago Tribune, Detroit Free Press and Crain’s Chicago Business.

Looking Forward

Michael Dugan, President & Managing Partner of Haven Tower, said, “We could not be more thrilled to welcome Katherine, Lorene and Kevin to the Haven Tower team. Their additions reflect our commitment to bringing aboard talent that can adjust to the fast-evolving PR and marketing communications landscape in a way that prioritizes thinking strategically and working together to capture opportunities and solve complex problems for our clients.”

Mr. Dugan concluded, “I believe all successful businesses share many of the same traits. At the top of the list are respect, hard work and a constant focus on client service. In Katherine, Lorene and Kevin, I am confident that we have added senior professionals who understand and embrace our approach, and I look forward to partnering closely with them as we reinforce our distinctive culture and, most of all, continue to deliver great service to our clients.”

Mr. Kronfeld, Partner Emeritus at Haven Tower, said, “I had the privilege of helping to create an exciting agency growth story when I became Haven Tower’s first hire more than a decade ago. What makes the firm distinctive is our ability to bridge the best elements of our past with a clear vision for the future. We accomplish this by hiring, retaining and continuously inspiring talented people who are passionate about deepening our culture and providing a boutique service experience to our many clients. I look forward to seeing what the firm can accomplish in the years to come.”