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Austin's HCB Health Acquires Topin & Associates, Expanding Client Offerings and Establishing a Presence in Important Midwest Market
[March 03, 2015]

Austin's HCB Health Acquires Topin & Associates, Expanding Client Offerings and Establishing a Presence in Important Midwest Market


Austin-based HCB Health, an independent, full-service healthcare communications agency with one of the world's leading practices in medical device marketing, has acquired Chicago-based Topin & Associates, a full-service agency with more than three decades of experience delivering impactful campaigns for pharmaceutical and consumer healthcare clients. Purchase price and terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

The acquisition gives HCB a strong foothold in the midwest, the "second hub" of the U.S. pharmaceutical industry. Chicago is home to several global pharmaceutical companies, a growing biotech industry, and some of the country's leading research and medical institutions.

Of greater importance, the acquisition combines the talent and resources of two well-established leaders, allowing HCB to significantly expand and diversify its offerings while giving clients access to new best-in-class thinking, creativity and business expertise.

"Making Topin part of the HCB family positions us to deliver integrated solutions to clients in all areas of the life sciences," said Kerry Hilton, partner and chief executive officer of HCB Health. "Together, we truly serve the full healthcare spectrum, offering the knowledge, experience and capabilities to help clients in all categories of healthcare achieve their goals."

HCB and Topin began a relationship in 2013, when the agencies formed a strategic alliance to pursue new business opportunities. The venture proved successful, both in winning new assignments and in demonstrating the compatibility of the two agencies.

"We see eye-to-eye in all the important ways," said Nancy Beesley, partner and chief marketing officer of HCB. "We share common values, we both have the spirit of innovation and collaboration in our DNA, and we've found that the work ethic of the southwest and midwest are very similar."

Al Topin, president and founder of Topin & Associates, believe "our challenger mindset" is another shared trait. "It's about attitude and approach," he said. "We both have a challenger mindset that inspires the courage to question convention, take calculated risks, and change the conversation. It helps us see new possibilities for our clients and build and multiply the value of their brands."



Under the terms of the acquisition, Topin & Associates will become part of the HCB Health family, with Topin serving as president of the Chicago office. He will also become a shareholder of HCB and a member of the agency's board of directors. Hilton and Beesley will lead the combined business under their current titles of partner/CEO and partner/CMO respectively.

The Chicago office will retain its current staff and office space and continue serving its clients with no interruption. "We have no client conflicts to address and there's a strong, seasoned team in place to ensure a smooth transition," Topin noted.


HCB has created an integration program to connect its 53 employees in Austin with the agency's 22 new members in Chicago, facilitating meetings via SKYPE, instant messaging and other electronic means. The agency also brought staffers from Chicago to meet everyone in the Austin office and take part in account reviews and staff meetings.

"We've created a culture that gives our staff professional opportunities, but we also make it a priority to keep HCB a great place to work on a personal level," Hilton said. "We're an open-door shop that wants every employee to feel like a valued partner, so everyone gives their best to serving our clients."

About HCB Health

Founded in Austin, Tex. in 2001, HCB Health is an independent, full-service healthcare communications agency with one of the world's leading practices in medical device marketing. Among the first agencies to integrate digital technology into its offerings, HCB serves the entire healthcare sector, including companies in the medical device, pharmaceutical and biotech industries as well as a wide range of healthcare organizations, hospitals, specialized practices and payers. In early 2015, HCB acquired Chicago-based Topin & Associates, expanding and diversifying the agency's client offerings while establishing a strong presence in the midwest.

To learn more about HCB, visit hcbhealth.com, follow us on Facebook (News - Alert) facebook.com/HCBhealth, and check out our blog hcbhealth.com/health-blog.

About Topin & Associates

Topin & Associates is a full-service, independent healthcare marketing communications agency founded in Chicago in 1982. The agency established itself as one of the country's top 100 agencies in healthcare advertising by providing strategic planning, global branding and positioning, creative development and tactical implementation to a broad range of healthcare clients. In early 2015, the agency was acquired by Austin-based HCB Health.


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