Michigan Retailers Association (MRA) today welcomes Andrea Bitely as its new Vice President of Marketing and Communications.
“Andrea will be a great asset to MRA’s membership with her experience in business, government, politics, crisis communications management and public affairs, and will assist our members whenever and wherever they need their voice heard,” said William J. Hallan, President and CEO of Michigan Retailers Association.
“Andrea has strong connections with media from across the state of Michigan, and she understands the power of having the voices of Michigan’s retailers being heard loud and clear by legislators in Lansing, and by community leaders across the state. I’m proud to welcome Andrea to the MRA team.”
Bitely, a Michigan native, joins MRA from Truscott Rossman (TR), a Detroit-based public relations firm. Bitely was the Senior Director of Strategy and Client Services at TR, serving clients in Michigan while nationally tackling crisis communications and public affairs. She worked with businesses and educational institutions large and small, and supported trade associations in the business and healthcare communities.
Bitely was named one of Lansing’s most effective public affairs professionals, and the leading woman, in the most recent survey by MIRS of Capitol insiders.
She previously served as the Director of Communications and Public Affairs for then-Attorney General Bill Schuette, as Director of Social Media for Washington, DC-based news outlet POLITICO, and as the Senior Manager of Digital Content for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation.
Bitely’s first day with MRA will be July 18, 2022.
