People on the Move
Tuesday, September 23, 2014
  • Nikki Velez, Patty Halabuk, Ralph Peng and Melissa Deang
    SK+G
    SK+G hired four new employees throughout its media, CRM and interactive divisions. Nikki Velez is the newest member of the media team, tapped as digital media manager. She will oversee digital content for the Baha Mar, Belmond Hotel, Lake of the Torches and Ride Genie accounts. Velez joins SK+G after seven years at MGM Resorts International where she oversaw digital content for several properties. Ralph Peng joined the SK+G team as SEM specialist. Prior to joining the agency, Peng served as a caseworker volunteer for the American Red Cross. In his current role, Peng will work with the Baha Mar, Ride Genie, The Grand Del Mar, Mount Airy Casino Resort and Lake of the Torches accounts. Melissa Deang joins the agency as media coordinator. In her new role, Deang will coordinate outdoor advertisements for the Mount Airy Casino Resort, Maryland Live! and Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa accounts. Lastly, Patty Halabuk was named account executive in the company's CRM division, Trialogue Direct.
  • Tara Greer
    Deutsch LA
    Deutsch LA hired Tara Greer as executive vice president/executive creative director, platform. Since January 2013, Greer has served as executive creative director of R/GA's LA Office. She helped launched the office and grew the team to forty-five employees in a year and a half, building the creative group that crafted award-winning work for Beats by Dre's Pills and Hear What You Want integrated campaigns along with winning several new business pitches. Greer has lead teams to produce well-known products and services like the Nike+ Fuelband, One Nike+, NIKEiD, NikeTeam and the Converse Sampler App. "Over the last few years, we've made digital product development a priority," said Winston Binch, Chief Digital Officer of Deutsch LA. "Our ambition is to invent more, get deeper into ecommerce, and do it better than anyone else. To get there, we need people like Tara. She's one of the most respected and accomplished digital product designers and leaders in marketing. Her work on breakthrough marketing applications like Nike+ Fuelband has made a big impact on the industry."
  • Michael Canning
    72andSunny
    Michael Canning joined the creative leadership team at 72andSunny as group director. Canning comes to Los Angeles after four years as managing partner, executive creative director at Leo Burnett New York. A native of Sydney Australia, Canning began his career when he won a scholarship to Central Saint Martins University of the Arts, London. He then joined Lowe Hunt Sydney, where his work for Unilever, "Lynx Jet," won the Cannes Media Grand Prix. Canning then joined Leo Burnett's Sydney office, working on Canon, Diageo and World Wildlife Fund. Leo Burnett then invited Canning to launch a new office for the network in New York. He left Sydney in 2011 and relocated to the USA as a founding member of Leo Burnett New York. While there, the agency grew to 40 employees, working for brands including the Village Voice, United Nations, Kellogg's, Samsung Digital Appliances, Chobani and FiLIP Technologies. "Launching an agency in New York was an invaluable learning experience for me but I'm really excited to move on to the next chapter in my career," said Canning. "LA has emerged as the new epicenter of branded content, tech and entertainment, and 72andSunny is right in the middle of that. I feel a genuine optimism here that we can make great things and take the industry to exciting new places."
  • Ryan Stoner
    Publicis Seattle
    Publicis Seattle hired Ryan Stoner as strategy director, a new position. He will lead strategic development for pieces of the T-Mobile account, including retail, device relationships, B2B, sponsorship business segments and the brand's digital/mobile experiences. Stoner will report to Britt Fero, chief strategy officer of Publicis Seattle. Most recently, Stoner was the founder of two startups: MoPix, where he served as CEO; and Switchcam, where he worked as vice president of business strategy and new business. Prior to that, he worked on the agency side at B-Reel, Omelet and Publicis on brands such HP, Microsoft, Google, Facebook, Activision and InBev. "After founding several startups, I was eager to return to a creative agency environment where I can push an agency in new ways based upon my startup experience," said Stoner. "I am excited for the opportunity to help build a strategy group that understands and incorporates the speed and nature of today's lean startup culture and business. To me, that means being able to react quicker to anticipate new platforms, new services, new businesses and new forms of interaction."
  • Haley Greenwald-Gonella
    Giant Spoon
    Giant Spoon hired Haley Greenwald-Gonella as marketing manager, based in the agency's New York office. Greenwald-Gonella most recently served as producer and project manager for Horizon Media's Treehouse, the agency's creative media services and innovation platform, working with clients including GEICO, Burger King, WhiteWave, A&E Networks and Kipling. At Giant Spoon, she will focus her efforts on the recently-awarded Keek account, leading strategy, idea generation and activation. Prior to Horizon Media, Greenwald-Gonella served as social media account and project manager for Lush Life Productions. "When we met Haley, we knew she had the DNA that we look for in a client lead," said Trevor Guthrie, co-founder of Giant Spoon. "Her passion is to challenge brands to move at the speed of consumers, or innovate even faster. We are thrilled to welcome her to the agency."
  • Various employees
    Starcom
    Starcom promoted Jackie Kulesza to executive vice president; Beth Bradley to senior vice president; Maureen E. Glure to senior vice president; Adam Kruse to senior vice president; Bryan Simkins to senior vice president; Roberto Brillembourg to vice president; Emily Dunsmore to vice president; Lauren Young Fitzgerald to vice president; Osman Kubilay Gursel to vice president; Preeti Nadgar to vice president; Mercedes Ritcheyn to vice president; Jason Shalaveyus to vice president; and Ashley Mays to vice president.
  • Rob Morgan
    The Marketing Store
    The Marketing Store has hired Rob Morgan in a global role as a senior vice president, Global Consumer and Data Analytics. He was previously chief marketing officer at Cogensia.
  • Shaun Killeen, Lindsay DelMedico, Allison Shaffron, Kate Galecki and Stephen Paez
    Spark
    Spark promoted Shaun Killeen to senior vice president; Lindsay DelMedico to vice president; Allison Shaffron to vice president; Kate Galecki to vice president; and Stephen Paez to vice president.
  • Hugh Boyle
    TracyLocke
    TracyLocke hired Hugh Boyle as chief executive officer. Prior to joining TracyLocke, he served as global chief digital officer of Geometry Global in London and most recently, Chicago.
  • Michael Speciale
    Quillin Advertising, Public Relations & Social Media
    Michael Speciale was named media buyer at Las Vegas-based marketing agency, Quillin Advertising, Public Relations & Social Media.
  • Dave Johnson and Christine Bensen
    iCrossing
    iCrossing promoted Dave Johnson to chief client officer and Christine Bensen to senior vice president, media and head of its media practice.
  • Jason Jordan
    Bellator MMA
    Jason Jordan was named chief operating officer for Bellator MMA.
  • Jeff Walter and Andrea Bonney
    Rhea + Kaiser
    Rhea + Kaiser promoted Jeff Walter to senior vice president, executive director, account management + planning and hired Andrea Bonney as vice president, group account director.
  • Jonathan LaConti and Jim Dowdle
    Scripps Networks Interactive
    Scripps Networks Interactive promoted Jonathan LaConti  to senior vice president of eastern region ad sales for Travel Channel and Great American Country. In addition, Jim Dowdle was elevated to senior vice president of Midwest and Mid-Central region ad sales for Food Network and Cooking Channel.
  • Woody Carlisle
    Create Digital
    Create Digital hired Woody Carlisle as chief technology officer.
  • Ari Osur
    Simulmedia
    Simulmedia hired Ari Osur as vice president, product marketing.
  • Lucas Borras, Bo Krabbe, Daniel Reisinger, Vanessa Marzaroli and Clement Oberto
    Motion Theory
    Motion Theory added five new filmmakers to its roster: Lucas Borras, Bo Krabbe, Daniel Reisinger, Vanessa Marzaroli and Clement Oberto.
  • Meagan Lopez
    Adaptly
    Adaptly London hired Meagan Lopez as client strategy director, EMEA.
  • Fran McGivern
    B-Reel
    B-Reel added Fran McGivern as executive producer for commercials.
  • Laura Rodnitzky and Sana Ansari
    3Q Digital
    3Q Digital hired Laura Rodnitzky as vice president of people and Sana Ansari as vice president of media operations.
  • Shnoosee Bailey
    HeyHuman
    HeyHuman hired Shnoosee Bailey as creative director.
  • Jeff Kelosky
    Tapad
    Tapad named Jeff Kelosky as senior director of sales, Detroit.
  • Celia Wu and Tim Faircliff
    The 614 Group
    The 614 Group, a global digital management consultancy, hired Celia Wu as practice chair, content monetization and Tim Faircliff as a partner in the United Kingdom.
  • Will Lee
    PEOPLE
    Time Inc.'s PEOPLE has named Will Lee editor of PEOPLE.com.
  • Bryan Van Dyke
    Frequency540
    Frequency540, an independent Chicago-based agency, hired Bryan Van Dyke as director of client service.
  • Rebecca Wilmoth
    Localist
    Localist hired Rebecca Wilmoth as marketing director.
  • Phuc Truong
    Drizly
    Drizly named Phuc Truong as senior vice president of strategic ad solutions.
  • Suejin Yang
    Time Inc.
    Time Inc. added Suejin Yang as vice president/general manager, digital entertainment of PEOPLE and Entertainment Weekly.
  • Preetma Singh
    NYLON
    NYLON has named Preetma Singh as market director.