Political, consulting veterans join forces

Alumni of Austin's Public Strategies and a former adviser to Bush create public affairs firm called ViaNovo.

Austin-American Statesman
AMERICAN STATESMAN STAFF
Thursday, May 26, 2005

Matthew Dowd, James Taylor and Blaine Bull, who once worked together in Texas politics and at Public Strategies Inc., the Austin public affairs firm, are getting back together.

Starting today, they're launching an Austin-based consulting firm, joined by Tucker Eskew, former communications adviser to President Bush.

The firm, ViaNovo, also will have offices in Washington and Monterrey, Nuevo León.

"We're in business starting today," Dowd said Wednesday.

He, Bull and Taylor helped start Public Strategies in 1989, then later went their own ways.

On their own, "we were all very successful," he said. But the four decided to join forces for personal as well as business reasons.

"We all like each other and have similar priorities of putting our family first and not taking ourselves too seriously," he said. "It's much more fun to work with friends with similar goals."

Although their new venture doesn't involve politics, Dowd, Taylor and Bull have high-profile campaign experience - Dowd for candidates in both parties.

Dowd once worked for former U.S. Sen. Lloyd Bentsen, D-Texas, and provided campaign advice for Lt. Gov. Bob Bullock, in his time one of the state's most powerful Democrats. Dowd later switched parties and ran the polling operations when Bush first ran for president in 2000. He was chief strategist for the 2004 campaign.

Bull and Taylor helped re-elect Bentsen in 1988, before going on to help start Public Strategies.

As Bush's deputy assistant for global communications, Eskew's job was to figure out ways to communicate U.S. foreign policy. He also was a strategist for the 2004 campaign.

Dowd said ViaNovo's clients will include corporations, business associations and nonprofit organizations. The partners will provide communications, media relations and strategy advice.

Dowd and Bull will work from Austin. Taylor, who grew up in Mexico and has advised business and political leaders there, will work in Austin and Monterrey. Eskew will run the office in Alexandria, Va.