Rudd resources: The Comms Firm Making Waves for a Decade

Rudd Resources started as a modest consultancy and quickly evolved into a dynamic, full-service communications firm. Along the way, the agency tackled diverse projects, forged lasting partnerships, and consistently advanced ideas. The timeline captures thoughtful moments, compelling achievements, and key milestones that define its path. Join Rudd Resources in celebrating the growth, resilience, and impact that have made Rudd Resources a trusted name in strategic communications.

(Photo of current and alumni rudders -- staff, consultants and associates -- taken June 21, 2024)

Our Ten years

2014

Kimberley Rudd began her career in public relations and marketing, working at a PR firm, a City of Chicago agency and two national nonprofit organizations. She later embraced her entrepreneurial spirit, launching two small businesses – one catering to expectant moms and, years later, one that operated two brick-and-mortar fitness centers. By 2014, she had returned to communications, freelancing as a consultant to a small but growing roster of clients. Rudd Resources – the communications firm – was launched.

2015

During its first year, Rudd Resources took on assignments from organizations such as Jewish Child & Family Services, Lawrence Hall Youth Services, the Chicago Community Loan Fund, the KWOE Hope Foundation and Marj Halperin Consulting—many of the early projects stemmed from established professional relationships.

Kim quickly desired bolder projects that would allow her to challenge traditional communication approaches. She tapped into her experience running community-based businesses to initiate projects that transcend the conventional focus on "marginalized people," aiming for broader and more inclusive community impact. She sought to shift perspectives, placing historically underrepresented and diverse groups at the forefront, fostering a radically inclusive and transformative approach to community engagement and leadership. This required a shift for the agency, too: graphic designer Dennis Hicks created a new logo for Rudd Resources to reflect the steady, intentional and clear guidance this firm would give its clients. The “rudder” was born.

2016

Rudd Resources was hired by African American Legacy (AAL), an initiative of The Chicago Community Trust, to create a website, video and brochure for the Trust’s “Voices Not Violence” initiative led by Prof. Mary Pattillo, an AAL board member. For the agency’s first branding project, Kim assembled the “resources” she needed, collaborating with Art on the Loose for website production, Alaric Martin of EMDG for video editing, Lo Harris for videography and Jason Jones for photography. The project was a success, sparking a relationship with the Trust that continues today.

2017

This year began with an assignment from the Chicago Community Trust to handle branding, communications and event support for the centennial celebration of poet Gwendolyn Brooks. That February event resulted in more than 1,000 individuals braving a winter night to hear works read by five Black Pulitzer Prize-winning poets. (Shout out to agency friends Daniel Ash, Jean Westrick and Fabi Ramirez, with whom we worked on this project.) That spring, Rudd Resources handled our first On the Table assignment for the Trust. By fall, the agency was hired by Elevated Chicago to develop its brand kit and organize its inaugural symposium on equitable transit-oriented development. The project was supported by consultants Sonya Moore Lewis, Raquel Venado, Kahlia Evans, Jasmine Browley, and Catherine Lange Designs. This successful collaboration resulted in Rudd Resources hiring its first two full-time employees, Lindsey Wright and Raquel Venado, a former consultant.

2018

Rudd Resources, at four years old, was busy. For a second year, it helped plan the Chicago Community Trust’s On the Table initiative. It pursued new assignments and got them from the likes of Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago, Resurrection University and the Chicago Urban League. Kim welcomed a great, new consultant named David Rudd (her husband and co-owner), who shifted from quiet partner to active team member. Meghan Haynes (a former an AAL client contact), Lili Silva and James Guyton joined the consulting team, and Terri Sharpp consulted on agency HR and operations. By early fall, Rudd Resources secured its first agency-of-record designation from The Chicago Community Trust. David led the agency's initial corporate new business pitches, setting the stage for future successes. The four-person agency operated from a 1,000-square-foot building known as the "Dock" in Auburn Gresham.

2019

In the year that Chicago elected its first Black woman mayor, Rudd Resources was selected to fully manage The Chicago Community Trust's On the Table community engagement initiative, a project that later won industry awards. By mid-year, the agency won a two-year assignment from the Cook County Land Bank Authority and began supporting the Pritzker Traubert Foundation's inaugural Chicago Prize competition. Kamaca Champion joined as the agency’s first project manager and graphic designer. Rudd Resources welcomed its first corporate client, Golub & Co., and secured a new client and new office space with St. Bernard Hospital. All told, the agency served 31 clients.

2020

The pandemic and racial injustices were the world’s shared backdrop and like many small businesses, Rudd Resources began the year with a great deal of uncertainty. Contracts were put on hold and events were canceled. Still, the agency persevered thanks to assignments from the Lawyers Trust Fund of Illinois, CARPLS, the Pritzker Traubert Foundation, the Robert McCormick Foundation and the Illinois Department of Human Services. Additionally, Rudd Resources provided crucial support to St. Bernard Hospital during the pandemic, communicating safety protocols to surrounding communities. By year’s end, the staff size doubled from five to 10 professionals, adding Amelia Aldred, Lili Silva, Daynah Parker, Jesse Daniels and Jessica Bee, along with consultants Simon Cotton, Vincent Williams and April McFadden.

2021

Recognizing its virtues as a place where young PR professionals of color can learn and flourish, Rudd Resources hosted the second cohort of the “Associates” program, which gives recent college grads or rising seniors a three-month tenure at the agency. Geo Lawrence was hired by the agency, making him the first Associate to transition to a full-time role. Other team members hired this year were Simon Cotton, Vincent Williams, Melah Miller, Briana Gipson, Lilliane Webb and Nicole Akoukou Thompson; Lisa Ewell became the HR consultant. The agency secured a major assignment with global public relations firm Golin to support its client Discover Financial Services in preparing to open a new call center on Chicago’s South Side.

2022

As the pandemic restrictions eased, Rudd Resources went on the road. Amelia Aldred managed the Illinois statewide campaign for suicide prevention for veterans, service members and their families. Raquel Venado traveled to five U.S. cities to produce videos for SPARCC, funded by LIFF (Low-Income Investment Fund), Jessica and Amelia participated in the IPREX Americas conference in Phoenix. Kim helped produce SPARCC’s final convening of its six-city cohort in New Orleans. The agency also secured an assignment from the Chicago Transit Authority to manage communications for its Ventra payment system with the technology firm Cubic Transportation Inc. Kourtnie Nunley, Sophia Simon, Kimberly Jones, Alan Oviedo and Joy Kayode joined the agency, and Cynthia Holloway became a consultant. Rudd Resources’ achievements were recognized nationally as the agency was named one of the nation’s fastest-growing inner-city companies (by revenue) by the Initiative for a Competitive Inner-City, ranking seventh on the list.

2023

Rudd Resources moved into its new offices in Bronzeville’s Rosenwald Courts, saying goodbye to offices in Auburn Gresham and Englewood and hello to walkable access to the CTA’s Red and Green Line stations on 47th Street. The historic building gives the firm office and collaborative space for the growing team. Besides the expansion of physical space, the team also grew: Saryah Harris, Sam Perry, Alexia Diamond and Malik Joseph joined the agency. The agency managed its third statewide communications campaign – Healing Illinois, for the Field Foundation of Illinois and the Illinois Department of Human Services.

2024!!!

On June 3, Rudd Resources marked its first decade of advancing people, communities and ideas. Highlights (so far) include hosting the IPREX Leadership Development Conference for two dozen communication professionals from the U.S. and other countries and agency leaders being recognized with the 2024 Patricia A. Tobin Media Professional Award from the National Association of Black Journalists. Brandon Patterson, Jelani McEwen and David Driver joined the agency. The sixth cohort of Associates, and the agency’s first Hope Chicago intern, occurs this summer. Most notably, on Friday, June 21, the agency celebrated its 10-year anniversary with staff, clients, family members and friends.