Jon Harmon Joins Virtas Partners as Director

Jon Harmon has joined Virtas Partners as Director, leading the firm’s strategic communications services. Virtas Partners is an advisory firm helping clients successfully navigate key transitions, including acquisitions, divestitures, IPOs, carve-outs, accounting investigations & restatements, corporate restructurings, turnarounds and capital placements.

“We are excited to bring Jon into the firm to develop our strategic communications capabilities, complementing the work we do to support our clients through their most challenging transitions,” said co-founder and Managing Partner Tim Czmiel. “Clear and strategic communications are critical in every M&A transaction, accounting investigation and turnaround. Jon’s exceptional experience in crisis communications and reputation management will be especially valuable to our clients during these times of great social, business and economic uncertainty.”

Harmon joins Virtas Partners with more than 30 years of corporate communications experience at global companies and as a consultant. At executive search and leadership development firm Heidrick & Struggles, he led global communications as Vice President. Previously, Harmon served as Vice President—Communications at Navistar-International, helping the commercial and military truck and engine manufacturer recover from a financial reporting crisis that had led to its delisting from the New York Stock Exchange.

Earlier, Harmon served in a variety of roles over more than 20 years at Ford Motor Company, including senior positions in corporate issues management, communications strategy and product and brand public relations. As the head of Communications for Ford Truck, Harmon led crisis media relations during the Ford-Firestone tire crisis of 2000-01. He is the author of FEEDING FRENZY: Trial lawyers, the media, politicians and corporate adversaries—Inside the Ford-Firestone Crisis.

“Jon is a leader in strategic and crisis communications, with skills that apply to every client situation we encounter,” said co-founder and Managing Partner Neal McNamara. “Having Jon on the team allows us to expand the valuable solutions that we provide to clients. Additionally, Jon has played an integral role in the development of the Virtas brand and culture and we couldn’t be happier that he can continue to do that in a more direct way with this expansion of our services.”

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Virtas Partners is an advisory firm preparing companies for their most critical transitions