Rich Franklin hires former UFC head of PR- Jen Wenk
For Immediate Release:
June 14, 2011
JEN WENK, APR, SIGNS UFC® LEGEND AND FORMER CHAMPION RICH “ACE” FRANKLIN
Las Vegas, Nev. – Jen Wenk, APR, today announced that her firm, StarPR Las Vegas™, has signed a deal to with UFC® legend Rich “Ace” Franklin to serve as his public relations representative and counsel. Franklin is a former UFC Middleweight Champion, and is one of the most popular UFC fighters in the history of the sport.
StarPR Las Vegas™ will provide public and media relations services for Franklin to further expand his presence in the sports industry, while developing media strategies to support his future endeavors and professional pursuits.
“Rich Franklin is a legend, a champion, an ambassador for the sport, and simply one of the most respected athletes in the business,” said Jen Wenk, President, StarPR Las Vegas. “Over the years, he has helped the UFC crossover into the mainstream and become the fastest growing sport in the world, and it is absolutely my honor to work with him.”
“I have worked with Jen Wenk since 2005, and I know her track record and what she accomplished for the UFC through public relations,” said Rich Franklin. “I am excited to have Jen on my team, and I look forward to a long and successful relationship with her and StarPR Las Vegas.”
Rich “Ace” Franklin (28-6-0-1) is one of the most competitive fighters to ever step into the Octagon™. He made his professional fight debut in 1999, running off an undefeated 12-0 streak before entering the UFC. In his first bout with the promotion at UFC 42, he vanquished the late Evan Tanner. After a 7-1 run, Franklin earned a middleweight title shot against Tanner, setting up an anticipated rematch between the two. “Ace” enjoyed arguably the crowning achievement of his career when he stopped the title-holder in the fourth round of their bout, becoming the new UFC Middleweight Champion.
During his time in the sport, Franklin has faced the virtual “who’s who” of top fighters, including Lyoto Machida, Anderson Silva, Dan Henderson, Wanderlei Silva, Vitor Belfort, Chuck Liddell, and Forrest Griffin. There is much more to “Ace” than what happens within the confines of the cage, however. He holds a bachelor’s degree in mathematics, as well as a master’s degree in education, and is a former high school math teacher. Franklin, along with associate Jeff Adler, created the Keep It In The Ring Foundation, a non-profit organization that advocates non-violence and builds character in youth. “Ace” also made his film debut when he starred in Cyborg Soldier in 2008. In addition, he has served as the spokesperson for the Disabled American Veterans organization since 2008.
In his next fight at UFC 133, Rich will face off against light heavyweight Antonio Rogerio Nogueira as the featured co-main event of the night.
Through StarPR’s existing client, Authentic Sports Management, Jen Wenk also represents “Suga” Rashad Evans, who competes in the main event of UFC 133 against Phil Davis. StarPR is excited to represent fighters in both the main and co-main events of UFC 133 taking place August 6th in Philadelphia. In addition to Rich Franklin and Authentic Sports Management, StarPR also represents the national mouthguard maker Jawzz, Inc. and “The FightDentists” Dr. Silva Battaglin and Dr. Adam Persky.
For more information on Rich Franklin, please visit his website at http://www.richfranklin.com/ or follow Rich on Twitter @FollowAce.
About StarPR Las Vegas™ LLC – Starprlasvegas.com
StarPR Las VegasÔ LLC was founded by Jen Wenk, APR, long-time public relations director for the Ultimate Fighting Championship® organization. After six years of record accomplishments with the fastest growing sport in the world, and 10 years of practicing public relations in New York, Wenk started her own firm in Las Vegas. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in English and History from Hunter College in New York City and an APR (Accreditation in Public Relations). Wenk is a member of the Public Relations Society of America and serves on the board for the Caring Place, a non-profit organization in Las Vegas committed to helping those with cancer or who are touched by cancer. She resides in Las Vegas with her son, Jalen. Follow Jen on Twitter @jenwenk.
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Press Contact:
Jen Wenk, APR
StarPR Las Vegas
702.635.0995 cell / text
@jenwenk
Evolve MMA-Singapore
Matt and I taught a seminar at Evolve MMA in Singapore. If you have a chance to visit, the facility is awesome and the talent of the trainers is unbelievable. Orono (the Thai instructor holding mitts in the photo with me) kicked me more times than I would like to admit. The Thai fight pics are pics at lumpinee stadium in Thailand. We did a little sight seeing on the river and saw the snake show before the fights.Singapore’s main industry is import/export. There is a great pic of the shipping yard. At anytime you can see nearly 100 cargo ships in the ocean. There is a pic of the only beach in Singapore, and it is man made…on an island.
Click here to see more pics!
Celebrity Waiter
Title: Celebrity Waiter
Location: The Palm- Nashville, TN
Description: Make a Wish Foundation is having a celebrity waiter charity event at the Palm in Nashville. Come be waited on by Rich, its for a good cause
Start Time: 17:00
Date: 2011-04-12
End Time: 22:00
JT Stewart – One of the Best and Hardest Working Managers In the Game
American Fighter has been in the mixed martial arts’ world for a number of years and one of the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s biggest stars, Rich “Ace” Franklin, is at the front of the company.
Franklin’s business manager, JT Stewart, has played a vital role in helping to build his career and the American Fighter brand. When the relationship first began between the three of them, Stewart was working with numerous professional athletes.
“In the beginning, I got hooked up with American Fighter and Rich was a little later in the mix,” Stewart said. “I was actually representing NFL players and Nascar drivers at the time, when someone told me that American Fighter wanted to sponsor a Nasser truck and I happened to representing a kid who was a truck driver. So, I sat down with Jeff (Adler) and he told me all about American Fighter and then we talked about how to market American Fighter. I told them why don’t you retain me, we talked about it, I threw a number out and after they checked my references they said okay we want to work with you and that’s how it how started.”
From then to now, Stewart, American Fighter President Jeff Adler, and Franklin have grown to be like family and according to Stewart his biggest enjoyment comes from working day-to-day with them.
“The funnest stuff from day-to-day is interacting with Rich and Jeff, these guys have become like brothers to me.”
Franklin, who has had one of the most successful mixed martial arts’ careers of anyone in the sport, has also found success in other avenues such as the movie industry. A part of his career outside the Octagon that he feels Stewart has greatly supported him in.
“Quite honestly, at times JT has had more faith in me than I have had in myself when it comes to other avenues of business,” Franklin said. “With that being said, I would love for things to happen in such a manner where he ends up making really good money based off the things he and I do together. I’d like to see that happen and like I said, he definitely had more faith in me than I had in myself when it came to the movie process and that type of stuff.”
A major building block for any successful relationship, whether it is personal, business, or both is trust and that is what Stewart has formed with Franklin and Adler through the years.
“He (Rich), Jeff, and I work together well and we make things happen,” Stewart explained. “The thing that really makes this whole thing work is trust.”
Of course, each gentleman has their own duties and Stewart’s schedule is far from relaxing as he spent in excess of 100,000 miles in the air in 2010 and clocks a full schedule throughout the day when home in Cincinnati.
“Everything runs through me, that way Rich doesn’t have to deal with any of it,” Stewart explained. “For example, I travel with Rich when he does appearances and he never has to go by himself. I did 120,000 miles last year flying just on appearances and we probably did 50 appearances easy. When I’m home, in the morning I see what’s important and pertinent and respond to my emails, try to go to the gym, and come back home. It’s all day long, my phone is glued to my ear and it’s all making sure that Rich is taken care of.”
Stewart’s hard work and passion for his career and the careers around him has paid huge dividends and with a professional of his caliber involved the sky is the limit.
For additional information on Stewart and more follow him on Twitter.
Rich Franklin’s Tattoo
My “Henna” Tattoo..Ok, nobody said it had to be REAL:-) Oh, and Forrest said he would pay for the removal so he owes me a bar of soap!
