Van Dyke Horn Public Relations is honored as one of 2019’s Michigan 50 Companies to Watch

DETROIT – Van Dyke Horn, Michigan’s largest minority-owned public relations firm, has been recognized as one of the 2019 Michigan 50 Companies to Watch, an awards program presented by Michigan Celebrates Small Business. The firm was chosen out of nearly 600 award nominations from across the state, which surpassed the last year’s record of 425.

Van Dyke Horn will be honored at an awards ceremony during the 15th annual Michigan Celebrates Small Business gala event, to be held May 8 in Lansing, Mich.

Van Dyke Horn is headquartered in Detroit with an office in Lansing, and provides strategic communications solutions for more than 50 clients a year, from global corporations to local nonprofits. Formerly Berg Muirhead and Associates, Peter Van Dyke and Marilyn Horn acquired the 21-year-old company from founders Bob Berg and Georgella Muirhead in 2016. In the last three years, Horn and Van Dyke have more than doubled the firm’s revenue and staff, as well as embarked on the agency’s first expansion by opening a Lansing office last year.

“It is an incredible honor to be identified by Michigan Celebrates Small Business for this coveted award,” said Horn, the agency’s president. “What’s most rewarding is the opportunity this recognition provides our firm to network with our fellow second-state businesses and work collaboratively to continue growing our companies in the great state of Michigan.”

Companies who are selected for Michigan 50 Companies to Watch are a remarkable group of second-stage companies. Defined as having six to 99 full-time-equivalent employees and generating $750,000 to $50 million in annual revenue or working capital from investors or grants, these companies form the backbone of Michigan’s economy. Representing all regions of the state and a diverse range of industries, companies such as Van Dyke Horn are known for their exceptional entrepreneurial leadership, creation of innovation or use of innovation in creative ways, and their sustainable competitive advantage.

“We at the Michigan Celebrates Small Business organization are proud to recognize these exceptional companies,” said J.D. Collins, state director of the Michigan Small Business Development Center and a member of the Michigan Celebrates Small Business Board of Directors. “They are a tremendous part of Michigan’s success and we are excited to see what the future holds for them.”

Winners were selected by Michigan-based judges from the banking, economic and entrepreneurship development, and venture capital communities. The selected companies also go through a rigorous due diligence process.

About the award

Michigan 50 Companies to Watch is presented by Michigan Celebrates Small Business.

Michigan Celebrates Small Business (MCSB) is a collaboration of trusted statewide founding organizations who offer resources for small businesses. Since 2005, the Michigan Celebrates Small Business awards gala has placed a spotlight on how small businesses positively impact our communities and state. The MCSB organization is focused on supporting, promoting and celebrating small businesses in Michigan.

The Michigan Small Business Development Center is the managing partner of Michigan Celebrates Small Business in 2019. Michigan Celebrates Small Business was founded by the Michigan Small Business Development Center, Michigan Economic Development Corporation, U.S. Small Business Administration-Michigan, the Edward Lowe Foundation, Michigan Business Network, and the Small Business Association of Michigan.

Founding sponsors are the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, PNC Bank, AF Group, and Dynamic Edge Inc.

Information about Michigan Celebrates Small Business can be found at www.MichiganCelebrates.org.