I'm excited to unveil the 2010 Resch Strategies holiday cartoon.  Once again, thanks to Roy Delgado for his great art and thanks to Michigan Governor-elect Rick Snyder for supplying the political issue of the year.*

Thanks also to our clients, friends and families for making 2010 a great year.

Wishing you a blessed holiday season and a Happy New Year.

* "Rick Snyder, who launched from political obscurity with his "one tough nerd" campaign, was elected Michigan's 48th governor Tuesday on the crest of a Republican tidal wave that swept all statewide offices and might give the GOP a lock on political power in Michigan for the next decade."

Detroit Free Press, Nov. 3, 2010

Today, with college football starting, the Lions two weeks away and the baseball playoffs approaching, we are introducing a new feature of HSTS dedicated to the sports fans among us.  Watch this.

HINT:  Click the full screen view in the bottom right hand corner for the best look.

As we explained when rolling out HeSheTheySaid.com, it doesn't matter if you love Twitter or hate it, there is information on it that you want to know.  And, when it comes to your sports teams, it's information you NEED to know.

Check out The Sports Page.  Join our page on Facebook and share the site with you friends.  And of course, for you political junkies, HeSheTheySaid.com remains the one site to bring all the latest on Michigan politics, news and commentary to you in real time.

Welcome!

For Immediate Release
Aug. 25, 2010

De Leeuw Joins Resch Strategies

LANSING, MI – Resch Strategies today announced that Nick De Leeuw is joining the public relations and communications firm as Director of Communications.  De Leeuw is a veteran of numerous statewide campaigns, has worked with the media on behalf of Michigan’s Attorney General and members of the state legislature and is at the top of the list of Michigan professionals in the development and implementation of new media tools and strategy.

“Nick brings significant experience and expertise in communications, new and social media and effective message delivery to Resch Strategies,” said Matt Resch, president of Resch Strategies.  “His talents will be an immediate benefit to our current and future clients, and I am thrilled to have him on board.”

A Grand Rapids native and graduate of Grand Valley State University, De Leeuw began his career in 2003 at the Michigan Republican Party where he was responsible for planning and executing events ranging from Presidential visits to state nominating conventions.  De Leeuw transitioned to communications in 2005 when he joined the staff of the state Speaker of the House and directed public and media relations efforts for a half-dozen legislators from across west Michigan.

After a two-year stint as Director of Advance with a campaign for Michigan governor, De Leeuw began consulting statewide on the effective use of new media.  Through extensive writing, use of social media, community development and the creation of online video and multi-media content, De Leeuw broke ground in establishing one of the very first online homes for commentators on Michigan news and politics.

Resch Strategies is a Lansing-based communications, public relations and issue management firm. Our mission: deliver results for our clients by combining an unmatched portfolio of experience with individual attention and a solid belief in message development, strategic planning and sound execution.  

Hint: Click on the "full screen" button in the bottom right hand corner for the best view.

So, what's the point of He/She/They Said.com?  Well, a couple things.  First, while Twitter is growing, there are still Twitter-phobes out there who, while not anxious to tweet or be tweeted at, still have an interest in the news and campaign chatter.  For them, the site is a place to stay in the loop without having sign up or use Twitter yourself.  In other words, eavesdrop away but don't worry about getting trapped in a bad conversation.

And second, for the Twitter users in our midst, the site provides a compilation of quality information sources so you can find, follow and interact with them yourself.

It's not a complex idea, but one I had not seen put to use for Michigan news, politics and commentary.  So, here it is.

As the video says, check it out, "like" it on Facebook, share it with others on Facebook, Twitter and through email, bookmark the site, give us your feedback and come back often.

It was a good idea for an article, taking an inside look at the importance of campaign staff and who candidates for governor have chosen to surround themselves with.  Here's a sampling:

STAFF AN UNHERALDED, BUT CRITICAL, PIECE IN GOV. RACE

Their names may not be on the ballot, but when voters make their choice for governor this year, their choice in many ways is a referendum on the work done by the staff for each of the eight major candidates for governor.

With the deadline to file their signatures a week away, the campaigns have assembled their teams, which will manage the organizations charged with getting the candidates to victory in the August 3 primary, and then, the November general election. And this year, with the first open seat race for governor since 2002, there are many more opportunities to work on a gubernatorial campaign.

And,

Matt Resch of Resch Strategies and a veteran of Republican campaigns for more than a decade in Michigan, said a good staff should be able to take the distractions of a campaign away from the candidate, who can focus on getting out his or her message.

"(Candidates) have to watch every word and be prepared," he said. "And not have to worry about whether petition signatures are being gathered or whether a press release got out on time or making sure that donations are collected and recorded correctly."

Mr. Resch said there is no formula in assembling a good staff in terms of trusted longtime hands, new blood or hired guns. "It comes down to what formula allows the candidate to perform best," he said.

MIRS Capitol Capsule, Monday, January 25, 2010

QUOTE OF THE DAY
"You see, the House doesn't want the Senate to look good, and the Senate doesn't want the House to look good.  So, this way nobody looks good and everyone gets what they want."

- Political consultant Matt RESCH on why no government reforms proposed by the Legislature will go anywhere in 2010.

Dave Barry's Year in Review for 2009.

It's 4,316 words long.  4,312 of them are hilarious.  The other four are just very funny.

Happy New Year!