Founded April 6, 1986 in Livingston, NJ — four decades of growth and reinvention through every major shift in communications. One promise kept.
To mark forty years, we're walking through the six distinct eras of the agency's history — each defined by the communications forces of its time, told through the perspectives of founders, leadership, clients, and team.
Building the agency and earning trust the old-fashioned way — entrepreneurial grit, founding relationships, traditional advertising and PR built on reputation and results.
Healthcare, technology, and the early internet reshape the agency. The web emerges, the healthcare practice begins, and major AOR relationships take hold.
PR becomes strategic. Search, blogs, and online media change how audiences get information. R&J Group emerges; the photo & imaging practice expands; the business model resets.
Lonsdorf & Marioni open R&J Public Relations. Tiffany Miller joins in 2006. Crisis comms, healthcare advocacy, and early social media become central to the work.
Fifth Room Creative joins, the agency rebrands to R&J Strategic Communications, RWJBH expands as a flagship client, and a new generation of leadership steps up.
COVID, remote work, platform fragmentation, the rise of generative AI — and a leadership transition that keeps the founding mindset moving forward.
Scroll through four decades — one era at a time. Each chapter reshaped how we work, and who we work for.
Building the agency and earning trust the old-fashioned way — entrepreneurial grit, founding relationships, traditional advertising and PR built on reputation and results.
Healthcare, technology, and the early internet reshape the agency. The web emerges, the healthcare practice begins, and major AOR relationships take hold.
PR becomes strategic. Search, blogs, and online media change how audiences get information. R&J Group emerges; the photo & imaging practice expands; the business model resets.
Lonsdorf & Marioni open R&J Public Relations. Tiffany Miller joins in 2006. Crisis comms, healthcare advocacy, and early social media become central to the work.
Fifth Room Creative joins, the agency rebrands to R&J Strategic Communications, RWJBH expands as a flagship client, and a new generation of leadership steps up.
COVID, remote work, platform fragmentation, the rise of generative AI — and a leadership transition that keeps the founding mindset moving forward.
From the beginning, we built this agency around one idea: help clients communicate in a way that actually connects with people. The tools and platforms have changed more than we ever could have imagined in 1986, but that principle has stayed the same. What makes me most proud is not just the work we've done, but the team that has carried that mindset forward and continues to adapt as the industry evolves.
Every major shift in communications has forced us to rethink how we help our clients reach and engage the audiences that matter most to them. From the rise of search and social to today's AI-driven landscape, we have made a conscious decision to evolve with purpose, not react to change. That mindset has allowed us to grow alongside our clients and position them for what's next, not just what's now.
Reaching this milestone is a reflection of the relationships that have shaped this organization — from our clients and partners to the team members who bring our work to life every day. We are grateful for the trust that has allowed us to grow over the past 40 years. As we look ahead, our responsibility is to build on that foundation, lead with purpose, and continue making a difference for our clients, our team, and the communities we serve.
