About
At Nuffer, Smith, Tucker, we’ve got our sights set on something big: redefining the public relations industry. This means helping others abandon the perception of PR as a wheel of propaganda, churning and burning self-serving, bias-driven news releases. Instead, we see PR as something bigger, greater and far more meaningful. We define public relations not by tactics or strategies, but rather by frameworks for strategic thinking, relationship building, creating connections, storytelling and producing results.
This new way of defining PR is not about abandoning what works – it’s about building on it, constantly growing our toolkit, looking for inspiration across disciplines, and giving all efforts modern and forward-thinking relevancy.
Our Values
At NST, our values are more than words on paper. They are our North Star guiding our decisions big and small, and we love it when we have the opportunity to partner with clients who share our commitment to:
- Push ourselves to explore.
- Commit to quality and add value every time.
- Be candid and kind.
- Take ownership and do the right thing.
- Balance hard work and fun while supporting one another.
- Seek out diverse perspectives.
- Get shit done.
Our Purpose
Not only do we help other organizations uncover their social purpose, we are also a purpose-driven company that believes in making a difference. At NST, our purpose is to better ourselves, our partners and the world around us. We live this purpose day in and day out through our commitment to exploration; client service; diversity, equity and inclusion; and initiatives like Make Things Better.
We Are NST
Our History
How It Started
The journey to modern-day Nuffer, Smith, Tucker began in 1974 when Dave Nuffer and Bob Smith opened a political campaign agency and special-projects division of San Diego-based advertising agency Phillips-Ramsey. Their first client was the Dairy Council of California, an organization the agency continues to support to this day.
The agency quickly grew, becoming deeply entrenched in the San Diego community. Kerry Tucker joined the team in 1980 and grew the agency’s reputation as a leader in the agri-food space. From 2000 to December 2016, the agency was led by Bill Trumpfheller, a champion of local nonprofit organizations, universities and businesses.
How It’s Going
In 2020, Teresa Siles, Mary Correia-Moreno and Price Adams — with a tenure at NST of more than 15 years each — acquired the firm, vowing a commitment to the agency’s values that made it successful in the past, while embracing a spirit of exploration, evolution and organizational agility. Since then, the trio has focused the agency on three strategic priorities: people, partners and promotion. Through these priorities, the agency’s leaders are taking aim on ensuring the team has the skills, training and resources it needs; providing value to our client partners; and telling the story of NST. As an extension of these efforts, the firm has introduced its Make Things Better initiative and diversity, equity and inclusion commitment.
Our Adventures
To celebrate International Women’s Day, NST hosted a high tea happy hour! We spilled the tea on all of our favorite things, built a puzzle featuring powerful women in history and celebrated our women-owned firm status.
#pragency #publicrelations #internationalwomensday
Last week, NST supported @mcdonalds in hosting a Shamrock Shake-a-Thon to celebrate the return of the fan-favorite menu item and the long-standing relationship with @rmhcsandiego . NST worked with San Diego Owner/Operator Christian Sandoval to create a fun-filled family event and raise funds for local Ronald McDonald Houses – with 25 cents from each Shamrock Shake purchased at participating restaurants being donated to the charity. 🍀💚
@cawalnuts has officially joined our client roster! NST is eager to serve as the lead agency overseeing domestic marketing and public relations strategies for California Walnuts, leveraging more than 50 years of experience serving agriculture and consumer packed goods (CPG) companies.
NSTers had all the feels at our Valentine’s Day Donut & Coffee Bar! There’s no better way to celebrate our appreciation for each other than with some sweet treats and team bonding (aka a brief yap session)! Love, NST 🧡💚🩵
#PRagency #ValentinesDay #Galentines
NST supported longtime client @wd40brand as they hosted a Cars and Coffee event to build relationships and create positive lasting memories with car enthusiasts and influencer partner @throtl. The team welcomed nearly 700 attendees and gave away coffee, donuts, free branded merchandise, product samples and one of Throtl’s subscribers a Dream Build 9 car. Let’s give a round of applause to another successful event!
#publicrelations #CarsAndCoffee
"Going viral” can either boost your business, or, it can have negative repercussions. When longtime client WD-40® Brand “went viral” after MSCHF’s launch of “Smells like WD-40" cologne, NST was there to manage the buzzworthy moment. Read more in our latest blog post.
Another day, another client win! NST spent the day supporting client @sdmts as they announced service increases for the Trolley. The team helped coordinate a media moment in the morning and a rider appreciation event in the evening at Old Town Trolley Station.
As PR professionals, there’s truly no better feeling than having your client approve your work with ✨ zero ✨ revisions.
As NST enters 2025, we’re excited to be expanding our talent!
🩵 Meet Account Executive Julia Nellis! Coming straight from Western Growers, an agricultural trade association, Julia is using her agricultural expertise to hit the ground running and support California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) programs like the Plant Health & Pest Prevention program and the Citrus Pest and Disease Prevention Division (CPDPP).
💚 Get to know Account Coordinator Camden Painton! Having worked for San Diego County and JPW Communications, Camden is bringing her public affairs and marketing communications experience to support clients like the California Cattle Council and the Food Allergy Institute.
🧡 Say hello to Luke Dane, our agency’s most recent intern turned account coordinator! As a part of the Glen M. Broom Center for Professional Development in Public Relations, Luke is eager to use what he’s learned and apply it to client accounts like California Walnuts and Capstone Advisors.
🩵 And last, but certainly not least, meet Brooke Dixon, our newest account coordinator! After recently moving from Arizona, Brooke brings experience in influencer management and is ready to get sh*t done and lend a helping hand.
