The Saint Consulting Group
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Management consulting |
| Founded | 1983 |
| Founder | P. Michael Saint |
| Headquarters | Hingham, Massachusetts , United States |
Area served | United States, United Kingdom, Canada |
Key people | P. Michael Saint, Patrick Fox, Robert J. Flavell |
| Products | Land use advisory services, political strategy, media consulting, legal expertise |
Number of employees | 90 (2008) |
The Saint Consulting Group (TSCG) operated as a private management consulting firm headquartered in Hingham, Massachusetts. Concentrating on land use advisory services, TSCG assisted organizations in obtaining approvals from local authorities by fostering community backing. The company reportedly generated annual revenues near $30 million by offering clients—including casinos, universities, retail corporations, healthcare providers, utility companies, and heavy industry—with political strategists, media consultants, and legal experts.
Saint utilized campaign-style methods such as petition campaigns, telephone outreach, door-to-door canvassing, and dedicated websites to shape public opinion on contentious developments like oil refineries, retail complexes, quarries, and waste disposal sites.
By 2008, the firm maintained a team of approximately 90 land use specialists distributed among 10 offices across the United States and an international branch located in London, England. In 2007, Consulting Magazine acknowledged Saint Consulting as one of its "7 Small Jewels," a distinction reserved for outstanding firms with fewer than 250 employees.
History
P. Michael Saint, the company's founder, earned a political science degree from College of the Holy Cross and completed an MBA at the Owen Graduate School of Management at Vanderbilt University. Originally from Boston, Saint’s career began in journalism before he became press officer for former Massachusetts lieutenant governor Thomas P. O'Neill III.
Saint launched Saint Consulting in 1983 as a solo enterprise focused on public relations and political consulting. During the mid-1990s, he transitioned the business toward land use consulting and formed a partnership with Patrick Fox, an experienced political campaign manager from Massachusetts.
Business
The Wall Street Journal reports that Saint Consulting has overseen roughly 1,500 campaigns throughout 44 states, with about 500 dedicated to opposing development projects. Many of these opposition efforts operate discreetly and often target new Walmart locations by supporting local resistance groups. These initiatives are generally funded by Walmart’s competitors or labor unions contesting Walmart’s non-union policies, with significant financial backing from rival grocery chains.
By 2009, Saint Consulting was managing around 135 projects across the U.S., UK, and Canada. The firm employed approximately 55 personnel by 2006, primarily experts in grassroots political organizing.
In 2009, Mike Saint, Robert J. Flavell, and Patrick F. Fox of Saint Consulting co-authored Nimby Wars, sharing their professional experiences within the sector.