HensleyFontana is a full-service public relations and marketing agency founded in 1985 in Charlotte, North Carolina, and headed by owners Bruce and Jill Hensley.  We have more than eight decades of combined communications experience, and every client enjoys our personal involvement on their account.

We deliberately remain a boutique agency, offering hands-on account management while delving as needed into a diverse cadre of freelance talent, which enables us to provide the best specialized results for our array of clients and still maintain reasonable costs.

In our role as publicists, we employ journalistic backgrounds and attitudes to afford our clients impeccable communications skills and a thorough understanding of, and professional relationship with, the media.

We are also the owner and turnkey operator and promoter of Queen’s Feast: Charlotte Restaurant Week®, a semi-annual, highly successful promotion founded in 2008 that has grown to include over 140 restaurants in 10 counties around the metro area.

Bruce Hensley

Since graduating from Appalachian State University in 1979 with a self-designed degree in Public Relations, Hensley's writing, photography, creativity, and promotional abilities have helped clients in many different industries achieve and maintain successful marketing programs.

Bruce's extensive experience includes print and broadcast journalism; account executive at Hensley Associates Public Relations Agency; and account supervisor at Cohn & Wolfe-Charlotte, a division of Burson-Marsteller, the world's largest public relations firm at the time. He formed Hensley Communications in June 1985, affiliating with Fontana Communications of Nashville in 1990 and rebranding as HensleyFontana Public Relations & Marketing.

Hensley's knowledge and accomplishments in the travel and tourism industry, including his experience planning and hosting well-coordinated and effective journalist familiarization trips, are widely known and respected.  He was creator and co-executive producer of NASCAR Adventures, a sports-oriented travel television show that aired on and was subsequently sold to ESPN.  Since 1980, he has handled grand opening activities, publicity, and promotions for more than 50 restaurants of all types. His professional voice talent work includes television and radio spots for the North Carolina Education Lottery and Queen’s Feast: Charlotte Restaurant Week®.

Bruce has served as an officer of the Skål Club of Charlotte for hospitality and tourism professionals, as well as a board member of the Greater Charlotte Hospitality & Tourism Alliance; Festival in the Park; and The Light Factory photographic arts center, among others.

Jill Hensley

With more than 30 years of marketing experience, Jill brings a public relations and journalism background to the table, highlighted by her impeccable writing, editing, organizational, and project management skills.

Jill's client work includes publicity, event planning, web and social media content, collateral development, internal communications, and advertising creative and content. During her career, she has handled publicity, marketing, and grand opening activities for more than 40 restaurants, and is the co-founder, developer, and ongoing administrator of Queen's Feast: Charlotte Restaurant Week®.

As a published writer, she produced local, regional, and trade industry articles for numerous clients, as well as bylined travel stories and restaurant editorials for local magazines.

A graduate of King’s College, Jill’s non-profit contributions include planning and publicity for projects of the Junior League of Charlotte, Arthritis Foundation, and Share Our Strength’s Taste of the Nation.