New York, NY May 10, 2013 — Mercury, a leading national, bipartisan public strategy firm, announces the addition of renowned journalist Ben Feller to its New York office. Feller, who most recently served as the chief White House correspondent for The Associated Press, has joined as a Managing Director leading media strategy efforts for the firm’s public affairs division.

“The addition of Ben Feller brings incredible talent and leadership to the burgeoning media strategy arm of Mercury,” said Hon. Vin Weber, Partner and Co-Chairman of Mercury’s Washington, D.C. headquarters. “Ben’s knowledge and expertise of all things Washington, politics, and policy is second to none. He brings unique and significant strengths to our world-class public affairs operation.”

“After 20 years in journalism, I am eager to shape strategy and solve problems at the highest level, and Mercury provides exactly the right fit,” Feller said. “This place is loaded with creative leaders and competitive drive, and the culture is all about smart thinking. Every conversation with Mercury showed why this company is so clearly on the move. The opportunity is thrilling.”

Feller served as the chief White House correspondent for The Associated Press—a premier role in journalism—during which he became a trusted leader of the Washington press corps. In more than six years of covering the administrations of President Barack Obama and President George W. Bush, Feller was twice honored for his excellence in reporting on the presidency.

Most recently, Feller covered all facets of Obama’s domestic, foreign and political agenda from his base at the AP booth in the White House, where he managed a reporting team. He traveled aboard Air Force One across the United States and to more than 25 foreign countries to cover and interview presidents since 2006, with his stories and analyses published around the globe.

In total, Feller worked for the AP’s Washington office for a decade, first serving as the national education writer from 2003-2006.

In 2010, the year he became the AP’s chief White House correspondent, Feller won the Gerald R. Ford Prize for Distinguished Reporting on the Presidency for the body of his work. Feller also won the Merriman Smith Award for presidential reporting for his coverage of Obama’s tribute to soldiers returning from war in flag-draped caskets at Dover Air Force Base.

Feller’s full-time career began in 1993 as a reporter for the Centre Daily Times in State College, Pa. He also wrote for the News & Record in Greensboro, N.C. and The Tampa Tribune in Tampa, Fla., before joining the AP in 2003.

A native of Pennsylvania, Feller, graduated from Penn State in 1992.