Harmelin Media, which celebrates its 35th anniversary this week, proves some unconventional truths in the media services industry. An agency can grow, remain independent, be headquartered off-the-beaten track and be run by a woman for three-and-a-half decades.
When Joanne Harmelin founded the shop in Bala Cynwyd, PA, on Oct. 18, 1982, it was just on the cusp of the hyper expansion -- and hyper-fragmentation -- of the media industry.
Thirty-five years later, Harmelin remains CEO, though she has turned day-to-day operations over to President Mary Meder, one of the first employees of the media shop. Today, it boasts more than 200 employees, as many accounts and more than $500 million in annualized billings.
Its mission remains the same as it did when Harmelin founded it: “to exceed our clients’ expectations by providing unmatched customer service and expertise in an increasingly complex media world.”
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