Daniel Bates

Director of Communications
The HFW Companies

What I do:

Since October 2021, I have served as a creative steward of the CRANSTON brand and mission, an ambassador of the firm’s corporate and cultural narrative, and chief strategic communicator to our key constituents, including employees, clients, recruits, the media, and the communities we serve. While I continue to serve in that capacity from CRANSTON’s Augusta, Ga.-based headquarters, I now lead those efforts as the director of communications for The HFW Companies, CRANSTON’s parent company since 2022.

My professional experience:

A native of Pittsburgh, Pa., I spent the first half of my career as a writer and editor for business-focused newspapers and magazines before leveraging those skills to become a marketing communications strategist, brand and innovation ambassador, storyteller, educator, event planner, and business development professional.

My communications experience includes 16 years serving higher-education institutions, where I fostered innovation, entrepreneurship, student enrollment, alumni engagement, economic development, and student media education. I also spent nearly 3 years working with a global engineering firm to develop a new corporate narrative, executive messaging, and an award-winning quarterly magazine for clients and more than 3,000 employees.

Prior to joining CRANSTON, I spent almost 4 years running my own freelance creative business, providing communications strategy, writing, editing, corporate narrative development, and media education for clients in higher education, health care, engineering, legal services, economic development, non-profit, and business media.

My education:

  • Master of Public Policy and Management degree, University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public and International Affairs
  • Bachelor of Arts degree in English Writing/Journalism, University of Pittsburgh

Why “empowering communities to thrive” is so important to me:

Life is short, so I want to make sure I’m doing my part to make a positive difference in the lives of others and in the communities I serve. Helping communities develop and maintain infrastructure that improves the quality of life – basically empowering them to thrive — ignites in me a passion to keep serving.

Email: dbates@cranstonengineering.com