Public relations and crisis management firm. Principal Bruce Hicks has more than 45 years of news media and public relations experience and is recognized as an expert in crisis management. He has operated the Houston offices of The Alliant Group and its predecessor firm, Darcy Communications, since 1989, serving a wide range of international, national and local clients in travel and tourism, airlines, energy, commercial real estate development, legal, technical and manufacturing industries. His clients have included American Airlines, Delta Airlines, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, United Airlines, Virgin America, Aeromexico airlines, World Airways, AirTran Airways, Atlantic Southeast Airlines, Allstate Insurance, KPMG Peat Marwick, American Express Travel Related Services Company, Ethyl Corporation, Coastal Corporation, Crown Central Petroleum, Olympic Figure Skating Gold Medalist Tara Lipinski, Mexico City Tourism Board, Hawaiian Airlines, Mexicana Airlines, Midway Airlines and others. Hicks' crisis management with experience in labor (contract negotiations, strikes, lockouts, corporate campaigns, union organizing), financial (bankruptcy, takeovers), legal and regulatory (lawsuits, government investigations and hearings), and physical (airline crashes, office building fires) crises. His crisis work also includes developing crisis and emergency operating plans for clients. He has directed or supported communications during six major airline fatal accidents.