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HCK2 Partners Earns City of Farmers Branch TAMIO Award

07.28.09

Farmers Branch and HCK2 honored with the Tech Services Award among 41 cities statewide

North Texas-based integrated marketing communications firm, HCK2 Partners, launched the new Web site for the City of Farmers Branch late last year. Recently, the city was honored at the 7th annual Texas Association of Municipal Information Officers (TAMIO) luncheon with the coveted “Tech Services Award” (Municipalities up to 70,000). 

“We believe this Web site created by HCK2 will successfully position the City of Farmers Branch for many years to come,” said Shanna Sims-Bradish, assistant city manager. “Our residents and businesses will all benefit from the strategic planning and diligent work of HCK2.”

To evoke the “City in a Park” aesthetic for Farmers Branch, HCK2’s creative and interactive team implemented a muted palette of blues and greens that complemented the natural elements incorporated into the Web design.

Additionally, the Web site is coded to modern W3C standards, which makes the site more stable, efficient, expandable and greatly improves search engine rankings. Aspects of these standardized performance tests can be experienced with the decreased load time of two seconds at minimum, and providing 100 percent data that is readily accessible through search engines and online readers under all circumstances. 

“We are proud of this Web site, and this TAMIO award confirms the work we developed for the City of Farmers Branch was precisely what they needed to progress,” said CEO and Creative Director of HCK2 Heather Capps. “It provides residents and business owners accessible information that is both visually and technologically enhanced and very secure. The site set a new standard for HCK2, as well as similar-sized municipalities across the state.”

With needs for an appealing design, heightened performance and maximum security, the Farmers Branch Web site is built on a Drupal content management system, which is the same platform that underpins the White House’s Recovery.gov site. The strategy seems to be working as when the old site was discontinued, monthly visits averaged at 19,000. Currently, more than 28,000 unique visitors visit the new Farmers Branch Web site monthly.

“One thing is for sure, those we have heard from in the affirmative have been thrilled,” said Tom Bryson, director of communications for the city. “We're thrilled with the product and, maybe even more than that, with the service we've had from your team both before and, especially, since the launch.”


About the City of Farmers Branch
Farmers Branch, Texas does not have much to do with farming anymore. In fact, it’s right in the middle of one of the most exciting metropolitan areas in the world – the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. Just ten minutes from D/FW International Airport, we’re conveniently located between LBJ Freeway (IH-635), Interstate 35, and the Dallas North Tollway. Addison Airport, the largest corporate airport in the United States, is just five minutes from our fine hotels. Farmers Branch has earned its reputation for excellence. It's an oasis of small-town life in the heart of big-city bustle. World-class arts, shopping and great schools, plus a big-business boom and lower business tax rates are just a few of the features that make Farmers Branch the ideal place to live, work and play. For more information, visit the city at www.farmersbranch.info.