Creative agency mono named Steve Lynch to the newly created director of communications strategy at its Minneapolis office. Connection strategy is a new area of expertise at mono designed to help the agency "translate our creative ideas into inspiring communications plans & consumer experiences," with Lynch helping to build its capabilities, grow its expertise, and expand its channel-planning practice. Lynch joins mono from Olson, where he led the company's connections strategy discipline and worked with clients such as General Mills' yogurt division, McDonald's, Belize Tourism and Bissell. Before Olson, he spent six years at Mithun working with such clients as …

Rauxa named John Avery as executive creative director based in its Southern California headquarters.

Rhea + Kaiser promoted Justin Kenny to senior account manager, public relations and Cindy Sanders to media buyer. Jason Fuerst rejoins R+K as creative services manager.

Elite SEM, a digital agency specializing in performance marketing, launched a new division and promoted Evan Kirkpatrick to shopping and feed team lead.

MBMG Media hired Kym Mason as a senior buyer. Mason will be buying local broadcast for clients including El Pollo Loco, General Auto Insurance, California Tobacco Control Program, Scan Health and Prestige Brands. She has been in the business for more than 15 years and previously worked at Initiative.

Sawyer Studios has expanded to Los Angeles, establishing its first West Coast presence with the addition of Kailey Peterson as strategic account director, joining from Alchemy where she was director of digital marketing.

Bank of America Merrill Lynch named Scott Olmsted as head of the Tech, Media & Entertainment Group in global commercial banking.

Campus Media Group promoted Joel Eisfelder to director of account services.

Havas London named Gabrielle Lott as PR and communications director to head up all press and communications for Havas London and Havas helia. After a six-month contract at performance agency, iProspect UK, Lott has officially now returned to the UK after two and a half years in Asia. Originally moving to Hong Kong to launch the APAC office of trade publication, Little Black Book, Lott  spent the next year in Singapore regionally running marketing for media agency, MediaCom.

Rob Jonas was named senior vice president of revenue for Factual.