New Boutique Firm to Provide Communications Support to Businesses of All Sizes Across a Diverse Range of Industries and Offering

Seasoned communications professional, Michael Arcaro has launched MLA Communications, LLC. The new, full-service, strategic communications firm will help organizations by managing and supporting a wide range of media relations activities, crisis issues, executive communications, thought leadership and marketing campaigns, social media strategies, and overall communications planning and execution. Of special interest to Arcaro will be helping small businesses build and enhance their brand and presence through sensible, cost-effective communications strategies.

Arcaro is embarking on his new journey, following more than 25 years spent in the corporate communications industry. During more than two decades, Arcaro worked as a sports writer at The Daily Record, before transitioning to various communications roles as his career progressed beginning at Prudential Financial, American International Group (AIG), AXA Equitable and Lincoln Financial Group.

“Launching MLA Communications at this point in my life is the culmination of my professional career,” Arcaro said. “I have the opportunity to kick-start a humble venture I may call my own, and I get to do it while bringing with me an array of both, experiences collected at some of the most influential companies in the world, and learnings from leaders and colleagues that help shape the work I do each day.”

Arcaro most recently spent more than six years at Lincoln Financial. During a tenure that began in April 2012, he served as vice president, responsible for all corporate external communications. In his role, Arcaro developed and managed robust corporate center plans while, at the same time, partnered closely with the business lines, to create a holistic, companywide external communications plan, complete with clear, measurable goals designed to help position Lincoln Financial as an industry leader.

In April 2018, Arcaro stepped away from his profession, following the diagnosis of a rare autoimmune disease.  

“What I have faced for the past 20 months is something I never imagined I would have to battle,” Arcaro said. “But with support from and grace of family and friends, I have managed it as best I can, and I am now at a point where I want to return to the work I love. I will do so with an even deeper passion and respect for how important it is to connect with people in ways that help them accomplish their goals, regardless of whether those goals are personal, professional, financial or otherwise.”

Prior to joining Lincoln Financial in 2012, Arcaro served as vice president of External Affairs at AXA Equitable. During his tenure, he was responsible for a team that managed external communications for the U.S. subsidiary of the French-owned parent company, AXA Group. Earlier in his career, he served in numerous internal and external communications roles at AIG and Prudential Financial.

In 2014, Arcaro was named a member of the prestigious Arthur W. Page Society, an organization consisting of top communicators from Fortune 500 corporations. More recently, he was named a member of Wisemen, the oldest Public Relations leadership group in New York City.