Our History

The Beginning

Peritus’ origins go back to the 1990’s, as The Commonwealth Group, a Kentucky lobbying and political consulting firm.

Expansion

As the Commonwealth Group grew, clients began asking for a broader range of communications services. Capitalizing on this opportunity, we turned our focus to public relations and public affairs. In 2005, the firm unveiled the new name, Peritus (per-i-tuhs) Public Relations, Latin for “experienced, skilled, expert” – words which exemplify the work and people of the agency. The firm began with six employees between its two offices in Louisville and Frankfort. Shortly after the firm’s name changed to Peritus PR, the partners hired communications expert Gary Gerdemann to direct the firm’s public relations campaigns. Gary quickly rose through the ranks and in 2008, was named the firm’s first Senior Vice President.

It was not long before Peritus Public Relations began to expand across the region, hiring Lauren Reed as the Director of the firm’s new office in Nashville. The growth of the agency did not stop there. In July of 2007, Peritus Public Relations launched a Creative Services Department. Peritus Public Relations also welcomed Scott Jennings, former Special Assistant to President George W. Bush and Deputy Director, Office of White House Political Affairs. In 2008, the firm once again expanded its leadership team as well as its geographic reach. Tim’s brother, Mark Mulloy joined the firm as partner and Peritus opened its third office in Lexington.

Evolution

By 2009, Peritus Public Relations had established itself as one of the fastest growing full-service communications firms in the nation. In an effort to better communicate the firm’s services, the words ‘Public Relations’ were officially dropped from the name and the firm became Peritus. Not long after the name change, a new office was opened in Indianapolis and a fifth office in Columbus, Ohio. To help grow their client base in the Southeast, Peritus expanded once again and opened its sixth office in Birmingham, Alabama. Jim Bakken, a top-level communications professional, was named as Senior Director to spearhead the opening of the new office.

Currently, the firm has 24 employees across its six offices in Louisville, Ky., Nashville, Tenn., Lexington, Ky., Indianapolis, Ind., Columbus Ohio, and Birmingham, Ala. As the preferred communications firm in the region, Peritus plans to keep on growing. O’Dwyer’s, the PR industry’s leading ranking source, named Peritus as the 61st largest PR firm in the nation. The publication also ranked Peritus as the 5th largest PR firm in the Southeast region and the 10th largest public affairs firm in the nation.