Madam President

116 & West recently announced that Partner Carolyn Lodge has been promoted from Chief Operating Officer to President.

Lodge joined the agency in 2005 as a media buyer, when it operated as Marketing Media Group. Over the past two decades, she has guided growth through acquisitions, departmental development, expanded service offerings, and geographic expansion.

“Carolyn has been with our agency for 21 of our 27 years in business; she’s been my partner for the last 14,” said Edward Moore, founder of 116 & West. “The experience she’s gained as our Chief Operating Officer and the tenacity with which she’s worked since day one indicate to me she’s ready to lead 116 & West.”

Kallee Mendonca, Director of Client Services, VP, echoed a similar sentiment. “She has an exceptional ability to anticipate where the industry is headed while holding our work to the highest standards of craft and creativity. Just as importantly, she is deeply invested in her people and committed to mentoring, supporting, and helping each of us grow. There is truly no one better to learn from or work for, and our agency’s continued growth is a direct result of her leadership.”

More details about Lodge’s promotion can be found on 116 & West’s website.

As an aside, Carolyn has been a professional colleague and friend for many years. This promotion is well deserved, and I absolutely expect to see continued greatness as a result.

Congratulations Carolyn.

Saddling up for another round

Back in September we caught word that Paul Carew exited BrandCraft, followed shortly by the launch of The Trust Department.

He shared the announcement of the launch on LinkedIn.

This marks Carew’s second stint as a founder and agency owner. He previously founded Carew Co. in 2007, which operated until its merger with BrandCraft in 2021.

News from the North

Advantage Advertising in Lewiston has a new owner.

The Lewiston Tribune recently reported that Michelle Ralston purchased the agency from Charles Christopher.

Ralston, who was previously the agency’s Media Director, will now serve as the agency’s main point of client contact and manage the agency’s accounts. Christopher will remain with the firm.

Advantage Advertising was founded in 1986 by Charles Christopher and Frank Bruneel, of Bruneel Tire Factory, with Christopher taking full ownership in 1987.

The transaction closed on January 1st.

Congratulations to Michelle, and everyone at Advantage Advertising.

Double digit growth

Over the past few months Drake Cooper has seen notable staff growth, with sixteen recent additions to their team, including:

Kelsie Clegg, Creative Director
Tyler Penner, Designer
Gabe Silva Trevino, Senior Integrated Producer
Lauren Nopar, Project Manager
Nari Bowie, Human Resources Generalist
Dee Marunde, Production Artist
Kara Boonstra, Account Supervisor
Jamie Levey, Senior Copywriter
Mario Bibian, Senior Art Director
Harry Orton, Creative Director
Ginny Guzmán, Creative Resource Manager
Mandy Waldorf Graham, Executive Director of Strategy & Analytics
Amanda Yoon, Senior Strategist
Ben Ducey, Media Buyer
Corina Luna, Account Supervisor
Alyssa Hiller, Designer

New Drake Cooper employees

Mindy Stomp, CEO of Drake Cooper, said about the recent hires, “When I look at these new hires, the diversity of experience excites me. By rough count, these new employees bring experience at 18 recognizable agencies, 32 recognizable brands, and education from eight universities previously not represented at Drake Cooper.”

Congratulations to all.

Foerstel is now Foerstel+Piper+Martin

Today, the agency formerly known as Foerstel Design revealed their new name and identity: Foerstel+Piper+Martin.

Led by Co-CEOs Laura Martin and Claudia Piper, Foerstel+Piper+Martin is “a colorful mix of creative visionaries, explorers, and strategists! When the sun’s up, we’re crafting brilliance for our amazing clients, hustling to make their brands the next big thing.”

Here’s a sampling of the announcements they’ve shared online today:

Congratulations to Laura, Claudia, and everyone at Foerstel+Piper+Martin.

Looking forward to seeing what’s next.