Jamaine Dickens announced the formation of Compass Strategies LLC, a public affairs firm that recently moved into in the historic Murphy Telegraph Building in downtown Detroit’s financial district.
The firm’s services include government relations, political consulting, message development, communications strategy and media relations, crisis management, community engagement, data analytics, radio and video production, graphic design, campaign management, and call center operations.
“Rooted in the success of every major endeavor is the ability to collect and analyze data, develop and communicate a clear message, leverage relationships with government officials, and engage the community at-large,” says Dickens. “And we pride ourselves on a team of passionate professionals who are uniquely qualified to do just that.”
Dickens’s firm was instrumental in the establishment and rebranding of the new Detroit Regional Convention Facility Authority, which made way for its $300 million renovation; served as public affairs consultant for the $1 billion MGM Grand Detroit property, and led negotiations with the city of Detroit for the $2.2 billion expansion of Marathon Petroleum Co.’s Detroit refinery.
Last year, Compass Strategies led the effort to secure $15 an hour for Detroit janitors on behalf of Service Employees International Union Local 1 and led outreach for the Macomb County Community College operating mileage campaign as well as for the Promote The Vote ballot initiative. They also performed communication outreach for the Voters Not Politicians ballot initiative and produced and purchased urban radio for the successful campaign to elect Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. Compass provided communications, government relations, and community outreach that made way for the Detroit Pistons to return to downtown Detroit. They are currently leading communications for the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department.
Before Compass Strategies, Dickens served as spokesperson for the Detroit mayor’s office and the communications director for the House Democrats of the Michigan Legislature. He has led various strategic communication efforts for political candidates in Michigan such as U.S. senators Gary Peters and Debbie Stabenow as well as presidential candidates such as U.S. Senator John Kerry, former President Barack Obama, and former Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm.
Kim Trent is the senior vice president for corporate and civic engagement for the team. Trent is a former city hall reporter and has held key executive leadership roles with U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow and former Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm. Trent has served as a policy associate for Michigan Future Inc., a think tank devoted to boosting economic prosperity in the state, and is chair of the Wayne State University Board of Governors.
AJ Ganik is vice president for strategy and analytics. Ganik has provided professional polling and data analytics for heads of state on six continents, as well as for Fortune 500 companies including Microsoft, Ford, Dell, Coca Cola and McDonalds. He also served as deputy state director for data and analytics for Hilary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign in Michigan.
