JOSIAH IVEY HIRED AS INTERACTIVE DEVELOPER AT BALCOM AGENCY

Josiah Ivey has joined the Balcom Agency as interactive developer, bringing five years of professional experience to the agency’s creative services division.

Prior to joining Balcom Agency, Ivey worked as web application tester and developer for Sprint Nextel Corporation. In his role, Ivey designed and coded websites and managed company servers. As Interactive Creative Director Brian Blankenship noted, “Josiah’s broad range of experience in ASP, PHP, and Ruby on Rails elevates the Agency’s capabilities to another level. We’re thrilled he’s joined the B-team.” Brian’s colleague, Interactive Account Director Chip Hanna, echoes these sentiments, saying “Josiah’s experience in web development greatly expands the services Balcom can offer to our clients. His experience in enterprise-level development is an incredible asset to Balcom.”

GCG MARKETING PROMOTES STAFF, WELCOMES INTERNS

Fort Worth-based GCG Marketing today announces the recent promotion of Pat Gabriel to creative director and Kris Copeland to senior art director along with the addition of Alex Atkinson and Aaron Mullens as account services interns.

Gabriel has been promoted to creative director from associate creative director and plays a key role in shaping GCG’s creative process, from concept to completion. He oversees the creative department, ensuring quality and delivery of all design solutions. In addition to his management duties, Gabriel leads on design projects for multiple accounts, including Exxon Mobil Corporation and Tandy Brands. A self- taught graphic designer, Gabriel has been a member of the GCG team for more than 19 years.

Copeland advances to senior art director from art director. In the two years Copeland has been with GCG, his work has earned the agency significant recognition. His creative execution of the agency’s work for the Children’s Neuroblastoma Cancer Foundation received national awards in 2009 from Med Ad News and Medical Marketing & Media. His 2009 work for Lone Star Ag Credit also received a local gold ADDY award.

Atkinson is a recent graduate of the University of Arizona. Prior to joining GCG as an account services intern, she held a communications assistant position for the Clinical Trials Office of the Arizona Cancer Center in Tucson, AZ.

Also joining the agency as an account services intern, Mullens is currently a senior at Texas Christian University’s Neeley School of Business. He is an active member of Beta Upsilon Chi (Brothers Under Christ) fraternity and a member of the American Marketing Association.

STEPHANIE SCOTT HIRED AS SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER AT BALCOM AGENCY

Stephanie Scott has joined the Balcom Agency as social media manager, bringing four years of professional experience to the agency’s public relations division.

Prior to joining Balcom Agency, Scott lived in New York City and served as senior program manager for four years at Duke Corporate Education, the world’s leading customized executive education firm. In her role as program manager, Scott oversaw the design and implementation of creative learning experiences for Fortune 500 clients, among them Booz Allen Hamilton, PricewaterhouseCoopers, and Bloomberg. She is also a multi-published freelance writer.

Scott graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Duke University with bachelors degrees in psychology and Spanish studies.

Concussion Rides Away with DART

Concussion, a full-service marketing, advertising and design firm, has been chosen as agency of record for Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) announced Dennis Mochon, DART Assistant Vice President, Marketing and Advertising.

Concussion is also agency of record for the Fort Worth Transportation Authority (The T) and Denton County Transportation Authority (DCTA). When combined, Concussion’s transit clients make up one of the largest regional transit systems in the country.

Per the terms of the initial three-year contract, Concussion will provide a full range of marketing services including strategic planning, research, creative, media planning and placement, promotions development and interactive, among others.

According to Mochon, Concussion was selected during a rigorous agency review process based on the firm’s depth of transit industry experience and its unique approach to DART’s business. “Looking at their record with other transit properties and their plans for DART it’s clear Concussion understands us,” Mochon said. “They know how to talk to transit customers and how to engage potential riders.”

“This is not just another account win for us, it’s more of a mission” said Allen Wallach, CEO and partner of Concussion. “We believe in the power of mass transit to transform cities and make a positive impact on citizens’ lives. As the agency of record for all three of North Texas’ transit systems we plan to lead a cultural shift in how mass transit is viewed and used, and to be a part of a model regional transit marketing program for the entire nation.”

Priority projects for Concussion include promoting DART’s recently opened light rail Green Line and its subsequent phases, the Blue Line extension, the Orange Line that will run parallel with the Green Line through Downtown Dallas to Bachman Station in Northwest Dallas, and increasing system-wide bus ridership.

With the first section of the Green Line now open, plans of connecting communities far and wide are transforming into reality. This 28-mile, $1.8 billion project will bring public transportation to more people in more places. It is a clean air solution for the citizens of Pleasant Grove, Dallas, Farmers Branch and Carrollton that is expected to reduce pollutant emissions by more than 320 tons per year.

DART’s Green Line is also providing a boost to the local economy. Looking at the big picture, the DART Rail System is responsible for $7 billion in current, planned and projected transit-oriented development. The Green Line expansion plays a part in this and includes large and visible projects such as Ambrose at Baylor University Medical Center Station and Cityville at Southwestern Medical District/Parkland Station.

AAF-Fort Worth's Public Service Spotlight: WestAid

As part of AAF-Fort Worth’s public service efforts for 2010, we will be spotlighting a local non-profit every quarter and requesting that you bring a donation item to our monthly luncheons.

For February and March, we are collecting canned goods for WestAid, a non-profit organization that has been providing support to Fort Worth’s west side for 25 years. WestAid is located in the lower level of the JPS Viola Pitts Health Center in Fort Worth’s Como neighborhood and serves 4,762 families and nearly 14,000 people. The program is led by 75 volunteers and three staff members – two part-time employees and one full-time employee.

WestAid offers a variety of services to Fort Worth residents experiencing crises with the hope of improving their lives, including:

• Food assistance: Provided to more than 8,000 people per year, WestAid provides food to families and individuals experiencing job loss, theft of resources, illnesses or other short-term crises. Monthly food assistance is also provided to the elderly or disabled persons who are living on a low fixed-income.
• Financial aid
• Hygiene and school supplies
• Transportation
• Holiday meals

Due to today’s challenging economy, WestAid has seen significant growth in requests for support and, as a result, has had to curtail some of its efforts in order to break even with growing expenses. That’s where you come in. Please bring canned goods to AAF-Fort Worth’s February and March luncheons. If you are unable to attend, or if you forget to bring a donation, you may donate to WestAid here.

Dallas Ad League Hosts Second Annual Media Auction

72 Media Packages

$1,083,102 Fair Market Value

THE BIDDING BEGINS FEBRUARY 22nd AT 5:00PM AND LASTS UNTIL

FEBRUARY 23rd AT 5:00PM.

Register today so you can have a head start on viewing the packages in time for the auction! Didn't get everything you wanted for the holidays... especially in that 2010 media plan? Now you can! The 2010 DAL Media Auction is just around the corner! Below is a list of key media suppliers who have stepped up and are providing some INCREDIBLE media packages to kick-start any media plan. Package review is available now!

The Dallas Ad League’s Media Auction is a true win-win-win situation. If your media plan has dollars that aren’t allocated yet some of these 72 packages may fit what you are seeking. You will be able to buy them for pennies on the dollar and help the DREAM Fund and the DAL Foundation.