• by Joe Mandese  @mp_joemandese, February 19, 2007

Mike Drexler, a long-time media executive who has held a few top jobs during a storied career on Madison Avenue, now wants to help others find theirs. Drexler, who retired as an active media director when he stepped down as CEO of Publicis' Optimedia unit last summer, is hanging out a new shingle as the founder of a new executive search and recruiting firm specializing in advertising and media.

Teaming with Rochelle Geller, a long-time Madison Avenue human resources executive who most recently was senior vice president-human resources and administration at ZenithOptimedia, the two have founded DrexlerGellerAssociates, a search firm with offices in New York and San Francisco.

The firm plans to specialize in searches for candidates in media, marketing, advertising, and content positions, with an emphasis on both traditional anew new media.

During his 46-year career, Drexler was regarded as a pioneer in the development of new media, especially cable TV, and early forms of digital media that laid the foundation for the Internet. At a relatively young age, Drexler was named head of Doyle Dane Bernbach (now DDB) during its heyday and was regarded as a wunderkind. He later went on to head the media operations at Bozell, Jacobs, Kenyon & Eckhardt and TN Media when Bozell merged its operations with Foote, Cone & Belding's, until they were merged into Interpublic's Initiative Media.