
HOME	TEAM	EXPERTISE	REPUTATION	OUR WORK	PR TIPS	GOVERNMENT RELATIONS	POLITICS	CONTACT

Government Relations
Business leaders routinely try to apply a business template to their dealings with political bodies and local communities. That is a recipe for disaster. Government bodies and local communities operate under their own unique systems. Understanding those systems and playing well within them is the path to success.

Brian Kirwin

Government Relations

Political Consultant

Brian Kirwin is a Natural Born

World Shaker.

He is the agency's Government Relations expert and Political Consultant extraordinaire.

In June 2011, the national magazine Campaigns & Elections named Brian one of Virginia’s most influential political players among Republican influencers.

Brian consults on local, state and federal campaigns throughout Virginia. He is frequently quoted by national-level political reporters, and is a political columnist for the Daily Press.

After graduating with Honors from Virginia Wesleyan College in 1991 with a Mass Communication degree, Brian honed his skills at a major international publishing firm, advertising agency, and the Muscular Dystrophy Association where he helped promote special events in Hampton Roads that raised more than $1 million dollars annually for three consecutive years.

His outstanding relationships with the media are key to his success, as well as the uncanny ability to take complex subjects and situations and sum them up in three brilliant sentences or less.

Brian's love and understanding of government relations and politics can be traced to his upbringing. His father's parents were Republican organizers while his mother's parents were Democratic officials. As soon as he could walk, Brian was handing out literature.

By 13, he was studying what emotionally moved people. Today he has more than 27 political campaigns under his belt at the local and state level and serves as a political consultant to some of the area's most powerful elected officials and business leaders.

Want to know which way the wind is blowing in Hampton Roads? Brian is your man.

Affiliations

•	Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce
•	Central Business District Association
•	Commissioner, Virginia Beach Arts and Humanities Commission
•	BRAC Citizens Advisory Committee
•	Past-Treasurer - Delegate Robert F. McDonnell (Virginia's current Governor)
•	Virginia Beach Performing Arts Center Advisory Committee - Public Awareness Chairman
•	Superintendent's Blue Ribbon Commission - Teacher Recruitment and Retention
•	Virginia Beach Council of Civic Organization - past Vice-President, past Director
•	Virginia Beach Jaycees

Also see Brian's Political Leaders Profile from The Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership Blog.

About Rourk Public Relations
The Rourk Public Relations agency is expert at media relations, branding, marketing, government relations, political consulting, SEO, web marketing, and web design. It contributes effective PR and Marketing work to a wide range of clients in Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Hampton, Newport News, Hampton Roads, and throughout Virginia.

For a no-cost phone consultation, feel free to call Brian Kirwin at (757) 718-3225.

Marketing Virginia Beach

Rourk Public Relations
4548 Bob Jones Drive
Virginia Beach, VA 23462
Tel: (757) 718-3225
brian@rourkpr.com

-----------------------------

Election Success

Brian Kirwin consulted 4 victorious campaigns for the November 2012 elections in Virginia Beach. Through polling, media buys, issue advocacy and debate prep, Kirwin helped keep Virginia Beach leadership in the right hands.

City Council

Rosemary Wilson

Won 65% - 35%

City Council

Glenn Davis

Won 57% -43%

School Board

Leonard Tengco

Won 55% - 45%

School Board

Bobby Melatti

Won 57% to 43%

School Board

Joel McDonald
Won 60% - 40%

Brian Kirwin managed one political campaign in November 2011, a General Assembly race. He provided a wide range of services that included Election Strategy, Issue Development, Opposition Research, collateral materials and media buys.

His winning candidate was:

Del. David Yancey
General Assembly
94th District
Defeated challenger
60% - 40%

Brian Kirwin played a major role in the November 2010 Virginia Beach local elections. He provided a wide range of services that included Election Strategy, Issue Development, Opposition Research, collateral materials and media buys.

His winning candidates were:

Vice Mayor Louis Jones
City Council

Defeated challenger

64.7% - 35.3%

Jim Wood

City Council

Defeated challenger

68.3% - 31.7%

Rita Sweet Bellitto

City Council (At Large)

Defeated 5 challengers

Carolyn Weems

School Board

Defeated challenger

69.4% - 30.6%

Ashley McLeod

School Board

Defeated challenger

71.7% - 28.3%

Brian Kirwin managed two political campaigns in November 2009, both General Assembly races. He provided a wide range of services that included Election Strategy, Issue Development, Opposition Research, collateral materials and media buys.

His winning candidates were:

Del. Glenn Oder

General Assembly

94th District

Defeated challenger

68% - 32%

Ron Villanueva

General Assembly

Defeated incumbent

49.9% - 49.8%

Moves from Virginia Beach City Council to General Assembly.

Brian Kirwin played a major role in the November 2008 Virginia Beach local elections providing a wide range of services that included Election Strategy, Issue Development, Opposition Research, collateral materials and media buys.

His winning candidates were:

Glenn Davis

City Council
Defeated 28-year incumbent

53% - 47%

Rosemary Wilson

City Council
Defeated challengers

44% - 34%

Dan Edwards

School Board (chairman)
Defeated challenger

81% - 18%

Patrick Salyer

School Board
Defeated challenger

25% - 18%

Bill Brunke

School Board
Appointed to fill a vacant seat and re-elected in November.

Brian Kirwin played a major role in the May 2006 Virginia Beach local elections providing a wide range of services that included Election Strategy, Issue Development, Opposition Research, collateral materials and media buys.

His winning candidates were:

John Uhrin
City Council

Defeated incumbent

16,760 to 13,554

Jim Wood

City Council
Defeated challenger

21,921 to 13,586

Vice Mayor Louis Jones

City Council
Unopposed.

Lyndon Remias
School Board

Defeated incumbent

19,396 to 15,363

First Asian-American elected to School Board in Virginia's history.