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Agency adds experience to Digital, Creative, Interactive, and Account Services teams
The Brand Leader, a brand-first creative agency specializing in strategy and design, headquartered in Greenville, South Carolina, recently completed its first phase of a three-year growth plan with the promotion and hiring of nearly a dozen team members in the Carolinas and Hong Kong.
The agency grew its digital leadership team, promoting Rich Hefty to Head of Copy, Karl Tremper to Digital Art Director, and hiring Evan Lyendecker as Digital Marketing Manager. Lyendecker brings over 15 years of experience in managing and directing award-winning marketing and content for the likes of Confluence Outdoor and Vail Resorts.
The digital content team also added Amanda Dempsey as Social Media Manager, Anna Chastain as Copywriter, and Matthew LaPenna as in-house Photographer and Videographer. Dempsey’s experience includes Director of Marketing for a regional automotive group and five years leading digital marketing in the agency industry. Chastain brings five years of digital and writing experience with municipalities and technology firms. LaPenna, who will lead the new TBL Studio, spent two years as Drum Creative’s Lead Videographer and Photographer.
“Our goal has always been to consistently and competently provide best-in-class service to our clients at scale, all while keeping the integrity of our agency as we grow."
“Our goal has always been to consistently and competently provide best-in-class service to our clients at scale, all while keeping the integrity of our agency as we grow,” said Kyle Duford, Executive Creative Director, referring to TBL’s recognition as a “Best Place to Work in South Carolina,” and by Outside magazine for the same. “By adding these key roles,” he continued, “we’re able to expand our capabilities for national and global brands while staying true to our values.”
The Brand Leader also expanded its client services team, hiring Kelsey Semones and Mary Katelyn Shanks as Account Managers and Katlyn Searcy as Project Manager. Semones, a former educator in Washington DC, spent several years as an associate with a Manhattan-based agency. Shanks has a master’s degree in Behavioral Economics, and her agency account experience includes a stint at St. John & Partners, where she worked with The Brand Leader’s Accounts Director Ashley Galloway. Searcy resides in Asheville, NC, and is a former Senior Project Manager for Tangible Strategies.
“First and foremost, we strive to maintain excellence with our work by always keeping our clients in mind,” said Galloway. “These new additions only help to better serve that goal.”
The agency’s creative department added key leadership under longtime Creative Director Chris Heuvel: Amy Miller joined the team as Senior Art Director, Adrienne Boone as Art Director, Briggitta Daswani as Brand Designer, and Anthony Reese as Senior Web Developer. Miller brings two decades of design leadership, including eight as Creative Director for Bethel Media, while Boone’s decade of experience includes seven in a senior design with EP & Co. Daswani is an American Advertising Federation Gold ADDY Award-winning designer based in Hong Kong, and Reese co-founded the agency Tangible Strategies where he spent a decade as creative and interactive director.
The Brand Leader recently became the agency of record for Panzura, Gale Healthcare, Tapcheck, In Good Taste, Megmeister, and Erem Footwear.
