Broad Ripple-based PR firm Blastmedia acquired by Boston firm

Broad Ripple-based BLASTmedia was established in 2005.

Broad Ripple-based public relations firm Blastmedia, whose client list includes a roster of well-known local tech companies, has been acquired by Boston-based PAN Communications.

Blastmedia is now doing business as PANBlast, a division of PAN Communications. All 40 Blastmedia employees have remained with the company, PAN announced Thursday.

Financial terms were not disclosed.

Blastmedia was not represented in IBJ’s 2024 list of largest advertising, marketing and pubic relations firms in the Indianapolis area, but it would have tied for eighth on the list with 40 full-time employees. On IBJ’s 2023 list, Blastmedia ranked third with 64 full-time employees.

Former CEO Mendy Werne is now PANBlast’s managing director. Lindsey Groepper, who had been Blastmedia’s president, is now executive vice president of PANBlast business development and marketing.

Kelly Hendricks, who founded Blastmedia nearly 20 years ago, will serve the firm in an advisory role through the end of the year.

Blastmedia is a specialty firm, serving high-growth and emerging tech companies in the business-to-business software-as-a-service industry. Its local clients include  Fishers-based Vibenomics Inc. and First Internet Bank; Zionsville-based 120Water Inc.; Indianapolis-based Elevate Ventures, Authenticx, Zylo Inc., and Studio Science; among others.

Founded in 1995, PAN is a marketing and public relations agency that represents business-to-business technology and health care clients. The firm has about 170 employees, not counting the 40 employees from Blastmedia. In addition to its Boston headquarters, PAN also has offices in Chicago, San Francisco, New York City, Austin, Texas; London; and now, Indianapolis.

“This is a significant strategic milestone for our firm,” PAN CEO Philip A. Nardone said in a prepared statement. “PANBlast bolsters our existing presence in the business-to-business tech market and allows us to provide dedicated business-to-business SaaS PR services to emerging and high-growth brands, ultimately benefiting both our existing and new clients. We eagerly anticipate collaborating with our talented new teammates to serve clients at any stage of their journey and grow together into the future.”

“Our shared values and commitment to employees is what attracted us to Phil and the PAN team, and there is no doubt that they are the perfect partner to take Blastmedia to the next level,” Hendricks said in a prepared statement. “We are excited to complement our service offerings with PAN’s integrated marketing and PR capabilities, additional resources, and scale.”