Need strategic marketing? Get Frank.
Ellicott City-based Frank Strategic Marketing was founded by CEO Gerry Frank in 1995. He was working out of his basement until a client-increase forced him to hire new employees and expand into a new space. His wife, MarjorieValin, joined the company in 2000 as president.
“He?s always worked on the creative side, where I?m more on the public relations and strategy side,” Valin said.
She was working in D.C. when they decided to join forces to enlarge the agency?s capacity. With 11 employees and 15 clients in Baltimore and Washington, including U.S. Foodservice, Magellan Health Services and Sodexho School Services, the agency is going strong after 10 years.
“The agency is probably 60 to 70 percent business to business, and we are starting to get a few consumer accounts,” Valin said, adding that in the past year, Frank was approved by the General Services Administration, which means they are pre-qualified for government contracting.
Valin stressed that the firm?s main goal is to “do the best work to make our clients accessible. They are in business for a reason and we are there to support their business goals and anything that detracts from that is unnecessary.”
Frank created a marketing campaign for U.S. Foodservice in the first quarter of 2005. The food giant has stayed with the firm since. Kim Brown, ethics and corporate responsibility vice president for U.S. Foodservice, said Frank spends a lot of time working to meet their needs.
“Frank came up with some really clever strategies and tools, things that were really memorable,” she said. “It may take a couple of iterations, but when they produce the product, it?s dynamic, it?s memorable and reflective of where we want to be as a company.”
About the company
Frank Strategic Marketing
8320 Main St., Ellicott City
Phone: 410-203-1228
Web site: www.frankbiz.com
