Jon Damiano appointed Manager, Agency Relations at AgencyFinder

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

P&G veteran will be responsible for the continued growth and development of the largest online database of agency information in the advertising and marketing profession, worldwide.

Richmond, VA, May 4,, 2009 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) – Charles Meyst, Chairman and CEO of AgencyFinder, announced the appointment of Jon Damiano as the search and selection service’s new Manager of Agency Relations. Mr. Damiano’s primary responsibility will be the continued expansion of the AgencyFinder database of US-based ad agencies, PR firms and marketing consultancies. The AgencyFinder database currently includes information on over 5,000 agency offices operating in over 45 countries. The majority of those offices are located in the United States.

“Even in these rough economic times, we’re seeing clients come to AgencyFinder to find new and additional marketing service agencies to help them through,” said Mr. Meyst. “Jon’s primary responsibility will be to make sure we’re recruiting and retaining the best agencies in America to be part of the online portfolio we make available to clients at no charge.”

The firm’s offices – based in Richmond (VA) and London – has continued to see vigorous search and business development activities through their respective web sites from both clients and agencies, but the personal interaction with the AgencyFinder staff seems to make the difference. “There is a lot of ‘tire-kicking’ going on right now,” explained Mr. Meyst. “And that’s pretty easy to do online, that’s why we insist on personal interactions with every client. It’s imperative the agencies who subscribe to our service understand that.”

“There may not be many people better equipped to do that than Jon Damiano,” continued Mr. Meyst. According to the AgencyFinder Chairman, it was Mr. Damiano’s experience in the consumer-products word at global marketing powerhouse Procter & Gamble and Reynolds that made him a top contender for the agency-relations position.

“I think I bring an important voice the agency needs to hear when they’re considering the service AgencyFinder provides,” explained Mr. Damiano. “I’ve been on the client side and I’ve worked with agencies. I’ve seen agencies that were a good fit from the start and I’ve seen some disasters. It will be my job to make sure agency new business people will see how AgencyFinder can help reduce the risk of a total failure to connect during the pursuit of a new account.”

“AgencyFinder reduces that risk by making sure the right agencies are in the running for the right accounts,” said Mr. Damiano. “That’s why we ask agencies and clients to complete detailed questionnaires and provide comprehensive information about their capabilities (from agencies) and the nature of the assignment (from clients).

Mr. Damiano’s professional background includes over fifteen years of marketing and business-building experience with some of America’s best known brands while at P&G and Reynolds Consumer Products. He also has a long history of successfully managing the agency-client relationship from the client’s side of the desk in marketing planning and agency performance evaluations.

AgencyFinder assisted in the placement of over $278 million in new business with advertising agencies and PR firms in the US and UK last year. The average account size was in excess of $1 million.

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About AgencyFinder – AgencyFinder and its companion web site, agencyfinder.com, is a service of Business Partnering, Int. (BPI), a Virginia corporation founded in February of 1997. The service is unique in its match-making process for pairing advertising, public relations and marketing agencies with clients and is intended for use by companies seeking agency support for projects, campaigns or long-term relationships. Searching is free to marketers and supported with complimentary search consulting advice (telephone and on-site consultations) provided by BPI’s executive staff. Advertising agencies and public relations firms (right-sized for budgets less than $100,000 to more than $100 million) pay an annual registration fee to be in the on line database and to be eligible to participate in reviews.

Contact: Mike Bawden

Principal – Bawden & Lareau Public Relations

563-359-8654 – phone

563-343-0411 – mobile