SUV Owners Group a Front for Industry

"The Sport Utility Vehicle Owners of America, a grassroots [read: industry front] group started in 1999, is in the midst of a major membership push and revamping of its website as it seeks to become a source of pro-SUV information that the media can turn to," PR Week writes. Stratacomm, a PR firm that counts Detroit's big three auto makers as well as transportation and alcohol industry trade groups and associations as clients, has so far contacted about 120 journalists about the organization. PR Week writes: "Stratacomm plans to relaunch the association's website this month, and seeks to expand membership to 50,000 by the end of this year. The group, founded by SUV owner Bill Brouse, now has only a few hundred members." The group's board of directors includes Stratacomm's Jason Vines, who services as the board president, and representatives from the Recreational Vehicle Industry Association and the Marine Retailers Association of America.