City of Millbrae Calls on Tripepi Smith

“Help our residents better understand and connect with the work of the City.” That was the directive given to Tripepi Smith when it agreed to a communications support contract with the City of Millbrae this past May. Through the contract, Tripepi Smith, a technology-focused public affairs firm, provides ongoing media relations, strategic messaging, social media management and other communications-related advisory services to the City.

“Tripepi Smith has made a great impact on our community engagement and media outreach efforts. When the City lost our community center to a fire and the media was swarming with questions, the team at Tripepi Smith managed the communications so my team could focus on the other issues the fire created. It’s clear that the Tripepi Smith team understands how local government works, and how to use traditional and digital media to ensure our residents know what’s going on,” said Marcia Raines, City Manager of the City of Millbrae. “They have proven to be a highly valuable partner in our strategy to engage with the people of Millbrae.”

In addition, Tripepi Smith has worked on special projects like community outreach on special topics and local events such as the State of City.

“Trent and the team at Tripepi Smith are a Swiss Army knife of communications. They are easy to work with, excellent listeners, and quick to understand the nuances of our community. I am thankful they are on our team,” said Mayor Anne Oliva. “Transparency and public engagement are a critical part of delivering for the residents of Millbrae. We made the right choice by investing in Tripepi Smith to fulfill the Council’s commitment in these areas.”

Tripepi Smith has worked aggressively since being engaged by the City to expand its relationships with local journalists, community associations, residents, and other stakeholders. Meanwhile, the City agreed to an expanded Facebook presence, and now includes advertising campaigns and boosted Posts, two tactics that have more than quadrupled its reach. The mix of traditional media engagement with digital platforms represents Tripepi Smith’s sweet spot in helping cities communicate effectively with their residents and stakeholders.

“Millbrae is a great community that is positioned to do even more amazing things in the coming years. Every project we partner on reaffirms that the Council and staff are working hard to improve the daily lives of Millbrae residents,” said Ryder Todd Smith, President of Tripepi Smith. “Communications work isn’t always glamorous, but it’s extremely important and helps lay the foundation for trusting and confident residents.”

The work for Millbrae is headed up by Senior Business Analyst, Trent Sunahara. Before coming to Tripepi Smith, Trent advanced his experiences for more than a decade in public affairs, with both federal and state legislative communications work under his belt. Trent applied that experience to quickly learn and appreciate the details of the people and places that define Millbrae.

“Working with Mayor Oliva, the other council members, and the City’s staff has been a great experience, professionally and personally. Their drive to serve the City’s residents and business community fuels my drive to be the best I can for them,” said Trent. “I am proud of the progress we have made working together in the past three months, and it’s only getting better. As more residents start to engage with the City and understand their community better, I know they will come to appreciate the City’s efforts and progress.”

Founded in 1948, the City of Millbrae is a bustling bedroom community to more than 22,000 people who call the City home. Centrally located next to SFO, the Millbrae Intermodal Station and Interstate 280, Millbrae provides Bay Area commuters and visitors with easy access San Francisco, the Easy Bay, and the Silicon Valley. Millbrae is governed by a five-person city council, with an annually rotating member holding the position of mayor. To learn more about the City of Millbrae, please visit www.ci.millbrae.ca.us.

Tripepi Smith is a marketing, technology and public affairs firm located in Orange County, CA. Its clients include for-profit, non-profit and public agencies throughout the state of California. Its unique mix of marketing and technology prowess provide a competitive advantage for organizations seeking to leverage the Internet to achieve their communication goals. The firm also provides full content creation services, including: ghost writing, collateral development, photography, video production, search engine marketing, search engine optimization, email marketing campaigns and website design and execution. To learn more, please visit www.tripepismith.com.