Tricom Associates @TricomPR

To most in public relations, “spin” refers to how a story is marketed. At Tricom, it’s the dizzying experience of witnessing how many original ideas Scott Treibitz can generate in minutes to communicate key messages for our clients. This knack is rooted in his upbringing and has been cultivated by his close-knit family.

Scott’s ability to identify the message and find the right mix of tools to tell the story, for example, has been honed since his father, a Democratic Central Committeeman, first got him working in politics as a 6-year-old doing door-to-door canvassing for Hubert H. Humphrey’s presidential run in 1968. After that experience, he was hooked. While his childhood dream to become governor of New Jersey has subsided over the years, he has never stopped wanting to make a difference in the world.

His mother, a stage actress and nightclub performer, taught him that to connect with an audience, he will need to make people see the human side of the story. People must relate what you are saying and doing to their own lives. At the same time, Scott's dad taught him that to be a good communicator, you have to be a great listener and have a bold passion for the cause. While the first is a skill Scott continues to work on every day, the passion is something that comes naturally. These guiding principles from his parents are the focus of all his work.

Growing up in the ’60s, Scott was greatly affected by the progressive leaders of the times. They helped frame his political thought of equality, social justice, environmental awareness and the rights of all people who work. The causes he was passionate about as a kid carry over into his work today. Even as a 'tween, Scott had a love for the media and news, studied how stories were told and watched how the public responded.

A policy geek, something he developed as a high school and college debate team member, Scott’s extensive understanding of history, politics, media and issues – and his unfailing instinct for what moves audiences and wins arguments – has been the backbone of successful media, marketing and public affairs campaigns throughout his career.

Scott heads the team at the firm he founded some 17 years ago, but is not just a figurehead. He still gets down and dirty in all projects, even if it means building media lists, hanging banners or stuffing envelopes. Over the years he has developed a solid reputation for hard work, honesty and proven results. He draws on his 25 years of Washington, D.C., experience to provide insightful strategic counsel and public relations plans aligned to clients’ goals. He works directly with clients to target audiences, develop effective messages and implement outreach strategies. Scott is widely regarded as an innovative professional, hailed by many of his friends and colleagues for his ability to apply new technologies to accomplish complex tasks.

A teacher and mentor, Scott has been committed to educating the next generation of leaders and communication professionals though his 20-year involvement with The Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars. During that time, he has provided guest lectures for classes on a variety of topics and has brought into his work more than 80 interns, exposing them firsthand to real-life work in a fast-paced public policy environment. Most of those interns are successfully involved in the communications business he helped teach them.

Scott started his professional life in the Public Affairs Department of the American Federation of Teachers, where he was part of the communications team that helped position the union as a progressive leader in education reform and its president, Albert Shanker, as an education statesman. Scott traveled extensively with Shanker during the heyday of education reform, helping to develop innovative public policy strategies and implementation tactics, while also generating high-intensity media coverage.

Scott was communications director of the International Union of Electronic Workers from 1991-1993, positioning a sleepy, unknown union as the key voice in the political battle over international trade issues, job training and outsourcing. He propelled the union's president, William Bywater, into national limelight during the debate on NAFTA as the go-to spokesperson for news and talking head shows.

He served as the Ohio press secretary for Dukakis/Bentsen during the 1988 presidential election, as an organizer on the 1984 Mondale presidential campaign, and has worked on dozens of other local, state and federal campaigns.

In the 1980s, Scott was a media outreach specialist for the consumer group, Bankcard Holders of America, in early battles over high interest rates and high credit card fees. His work in generating targeted saturation media by congressional district helped move legislation to protect consumers, also helping Scott develop a clear understanding of the link between media and lobbying.

Scott's most important work, however, isn't Tricom or his clients. It's working with his wife to raise his three daughters, ages 9, 7 and 4. Scott coaches a team of 9-year-old girls in Little League Softball, and previously coached Little League and Babe Ruth baseball for 16 years. A big Nationals baseball fan, you can find him at the park often when the team is in town.