STIR is excited to announce that marketing agency veteran and entrepreneur Rick Stoner has been named President and the new owner of the agency, effective January 5. He succeeds current President Brian Bennett, who founded the agency in 2000. Brian will continue with the agency as a strategic planner and advisor during a transition period.
In his role, Rick will lead STIR’s team and guide the agency’s next phase of growth, shaping its long-term vision while strengthening its fully integrated B2B and consumer marketing capabilities. In addition to a commitment to serving long-standing client relationships, he looks forward to growing the agency’s approach to new business development. He will also create innovative partnerships to expand the company’s service capabilities, industry reach and presence within the Milwaukee community’s culture.
Rick brings over 20 years of B2B and consumer marketing experience with executive leadership and practitioner roles at full-service, digital and experiential marketing agencies in Milwaukee and Chicago, including eight-year tenures at Bader Rutter and Derse, Inc. He brings a breadth of entrepreneurial leadership experience, business management expertise, and a broad range of marketing skills, including strategic and brand development, public relations, as well as digital, social media, and event marketing. He is an alumnus of the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a seven-year member of the alumni board Communication Arts Partners (CAPS).
“I’ve always admired STIR’s ability to put together custom, integrated marketing solutions that achieve challenging client objectives with a nimble team of experts who excel at their craft,” says the new President and Owner. “My goals are to stabilize what got us this far, grow by innovating our approach to revenue through organic, new and acquired new business development, and ensure STIR remains a trusted, integrated marketing agency for years to come.”
“I’m incredibly proud of the work we’ve done at STIR and excited for the future of the company, our staff and clients,” Brian added.
Rick, as founder of the acquisition investment partnership Glancey Holdings, has acquired the agency, which will continue to operate under the STIR name. Joining Rick in acquiring the agency are six minority investors, who were each approached with the opportunity based on the value of their business and marketing acumen in growing STIR.
The minority investors are Kelly Kahl, television and film executive and former President of CBS Entertainment, Kyle Nakatusji, CEO & Co-Founder of insurtech company Clearcover, Dr. Moira Kyweluk, PhD, MPH and Founder of Third Space Research, a research firm serving the healthcare and life sciences industries, Dru Korab, Principal of Best Efforts Inc, a multi-media production company and Rebecca Cenni-Leventhal, Founder & CEO and Bernie Caputo, President, both of Atrium Global, a global workforce solutions provider with deep experience serving marketing agencies.
