Trozzolo Communications Group continues to expand its national reach with the acquisition of Punch PR in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The deal between the two agencies officially closed on June 1.
Trozzolo first established a Milwaukee office in 2022 and continued to seek out strategic growth opportunities in recent years, leading to the combination with Punch PR. Punch, founded in 2009 and led by Lauren Grimm and David Racine, is an established and well-respected firm throughout Milwaukee and the Upper Midwest.
“In any acquisition, it’s about people and cultural fit first and foremost,” said Angelo Trozzolo, president and CEO of Trozzolo Communications Group. “In our very first meeting with Lauren [Grimm] and Dave [Racine], it was clear we share the same philosophies of how to treat people and how we approach work to solve our clients’ business problems, and a mindset of where our industry is heading and what it will take to thrive in the future.”
Grimm and Racine bring comprehensive industry leadership and established professional reputations in Milwaukee and the surrounding region. Punch has a strong track record of work for notable clients including Generac Power Systems, KEEN Utility Footwear, Fromm Family Pet Food, Royal Enfield Motorcycles, Ruffwear, American Camp Association, and Regal Ware.
This list adds to Trozzolo’s current Milwaukee-based roster, which includes Central Standard Craft Distillery, Anodyne Coffee Roasting Co., United States Navy and Marquette University.
“Punch PR is thrilled to join Trozzolo and have the strategic opportunity to expand our client services platform,” Grimm said. “We have a perfect alignment in our unique approach to PR and marketing work along with an unwavering commitment to a family-oriented culture.”
“We look forward to incorporating the obvious strengths of Trozzolo’s team into the offerings provided to clients,” Racine added. “This truly benefits the current work being done and creates momentum to enhance existing business relationships and seek out new ones in Milwaukee and beyond.”
“Milwaukee is very similar to Kansas City in terms of industries, business climate and genuinely good people; we know there is a tremendous opportunity there,” Trozzolo said. “Punch has built something special in Milwaukee, and Trozzolo is honored to partner with them to continue their great work and accelerate growth.”
Trozzolo continued: “Not only does it immediately make us a much bigger player in the Milwaukee market, it also strengthens our overall agency with the addition of top-drawer talent and best-in-class clients.”
Trozzolo has a strategy of growing in like-minded markets and doesn’t plan to stop with Milwaukee. The agency has spent a great deal of time focused on evolution and reinvention as core tenets of its business. This collaboration is the next step in shaping the agency of the future and maintaining control over its own destiny.
The acquisition of Punch PR builds on a history of strategic acquisitions that have served as key inflection points for Trozzolo, adding talent, new competencies and clients:
- Blades & Associates (2003)
- Prairie Dog and Corporate Communications Group (2008)
- Kuhn & Wittenborn Advertising (2015)
- Proventus Consulting (2017)
- Punch PR (2025)
Trozzolo has been fortunate to experience significant growth in its 36th year in business. The agency now has 11 associates in Milwaukee, contributing approximately 15% of overall revenue, with a total of 90+ associates across disciplines — creative, media, PR, digital and video.
Trozzolo’s national scope includes work for clients such as McDonald’s, Westlake Ace Hardware, Boulevard Brewing/Duvel Moortgat, Enterprise Bank, FairWave Specialty Coffee Collective, Prime Capital, Peerless Products, Cordish Co., EPR Properties, WireCo World Group and more. The firm’s Prairie Dog and Proventus groups also work for health systems and law firms, respectively, throughout the U.S.
Milwaukee is also home to Carl Collective, Trozzolo’s unique partnership with Marquette University, launched in 2022. The initiative gives students the opportunity to work alongside professionals and gain real-world experience in all communications disciplines. This one-of-a-kind “Alma Mater Marketing” program supports talent development for both Trozzolo and the broader communications industry.
“We’re excited to welcome Punch PR’s full team to our agency family,” Trozzolo added. “This partnership is about building stronger — in Milwaukee and beyond.”
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See coverage of the announcement in the Kansas City Business Journal here.
