• by Steve McClellan  @mp_mcclellan, November 18, 2020

Novus Media has promoted Melony Rios to CEO, the local media specialist agency confirmed today. She succeeds David Murphy who is stepping into the role of executive chairman after a decade in the CEO post. 

Rios is a 20-year veteran of the agency, most recently serving as president of its U.S. operations. She’s worked closely with the agency’s ad holding company clients as well as marketer clients like Dell, Home Depot and Walmart. 

Separately the firm announced that Dawn Lamm has joined the firm as Chief Financial Officer. Rob Davis continues as President and Chief Marketing Officer, overseeing the recently launched multimedia division Novus Next, and Debbie Drutz continues as President of NOVUS Canada. 

Lamm joins the agency from space150, an independent brand agency network with offices in New York, California and Minnesota where she was also CFO. Before joining space150, she held various positions at Publicis Groupe’s Fallon Group including CFO from 2008-2018. 

“These moves are the culmination of two years of strategic planning, talent acquisitions, and technology investments to give our clients competitive advantage through the innovative use of data-driven local media,” stated Murphy. 

The agency has been productive on the business development front this year, including winning a multimedia co-op business assignment for Wendy’s in partnership with Ansira. It was also awarded search and media planning and buying duties for Holiday Retirement communities, as well as the print AOR for AARP. And it recently picked up TV and radio assignments for a commercial real estate company and a regional jeweler.