Expanding its national reach and expertise, award-winning communications firm Sachs Media Group today announced it is opening a new office in Washington, D.C. Media relations expert and former journalist Mark Pankowski will head the office.

The announcement marks an important milestone for Sachs Media Group, a Florida-based agency established in 1996 that has grown rapidly into one of the nation’s leading communications and marketing firms.

“We’re excited to assert an important presence in our nation’s capital with the very talented Mark Pankowski at the helm,” said Ron Sachs, founder and CEO of Sachs Media Group. “Mark brings more than 25 years of experience as a communications specialist and an award-winning journalist. He’s a great friend who is renowned for effective crisis management and innovative media campaigns that far exceed expectations, and we are delighted to have him in the Sachs family.”

Sachs Media Group, which also has offices in Tallahassee and Orlando, is one of America’s top issues and marketing firms. The agency specializes in media relations, public affairs support, social media outreach, crisis management, video and multimedia production, and advertising and design development. Its clients include national associations and Fortune 500 companies.

Joining Sachs Media Group is a bit of a homecoming for Pankowski.

After graduating from Notre Dame, Pankowski spent a decade as a reporter, news editor and business editor at the Tallahassee Democrat and Orlando Sentinel newspapers. He then joined the Sachs firm – at the time known as Ron Sachs Communications – as a senior vice president leading communications efforts for a variety of high-profile clients. In his new role, he will be lead executive representing the National League of Cities, among other clients and projects.

After Pankowski left Tallahassee, he joined a D.C.-based crisis communications firm as senior vice president. He led that firm’s media efforts for major associations and corporations in the chemical, plastics, pharmaceutical and food-ingredient industries.

Pankowski, who is married with five children, has worked in the nation’s capital for more than 15 years.