Archer Malmo Memphis

TOTAL NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES
Office Employees	101-200
Total US	201-500
Total Worldwide	201-500

BIOS

Russ Williams, CEO

Since joining Archer Malmo in 2000 and shepherding a management buyout of the agency in 2001, Russ has led Archer Malmo’s growth from 80 staff in 2001 to 210 staff in 2017. While he has advised clients across a wide range of industries, his focus at the agency is corporate strategy, acquisitions, agency culture and senior management recruiting. His Talent First philosophy has contributed to the agency's exceptional track record of growth and reputation for talent and client retention.

Since 2005, Russ has led four agency acquisitions, including Ringger Interactive - the leading mid-south digital firm at the time - TMB Marketing Group - a retail marketing specialist, Tocquigny - an Austin-based digital firm - and Combustion - a Memphis-based creative boutique. All these acquisitions have been successfully integrated under the Archer Malmo umbrella with an unrelenting commitment to brand, data and technology talent serving the agency's clients. Prior to joining Archer Malmo, Russ spent fifteen years in sales, marketing and strategic planning positions with large corporations, primarily Kraft Foods. He holds an MBA from The Darden School at The University of Virginia.

Gary Backaus, Chief Creative and Strategy Officer

Gary has more than 30 years of experience in design, advertising and brand strategy, creating award-winning work for a variety of national consumer and B2B clients. Raised as a designer and art director, he now heads both creative and strategy, having developed the agency’s framework for brand planning and communications planning. Category experience includes CPG, retail, agriculture, pet care, higher education, gaming, real estate, home services and nonprofits. Gary holds a bachelor of fine arts degree with an emphasis in advertising design from The Memphis College of Art, where he currently serves on the Board of Trustees.

Ken Rohman, Chief Digital Officer

Ken is a 20+ year marketing veteran, with the past 15 years spent deep in the trenches of the digital world. He helped found boats.com and YachtWorld.com in late 1999 and managed a partnership with eBay Motors for both before returning to client-side CRM and digital strategy roles at Bass Pro Shops and Brunswick Corporation.

Ken’s agency experience includes a wide variety of companies and industries, including durable goods, consumables, CPG, hospitality, luxury goods, and motor vehicles with brands ranging from Nutro Pet Foods to Vespa Scooters. While much of his digital work has been focused on strategy, analytics and CRM, Ken also works closely on tactical elements ranging from website development, UX/UI consultancy, digital media (display, search & social), digital communication (eCRM, eMail & Mobile) and back end analysis associated with each function.

Prior to joining the working world, Ken earned an MBA in Finance from Tulane University.

Tom Barzizza, President, Archer Malmo Retail

Leading Archer Malmo’s retail practice, Tom has spent 30 years entrenched in retail on all sides: agency, client, and owner. Specializing in multi-unit franchise-based retail and food service, he spent 18 years as SVP of Marketing for a Blockbuster franchisee, helping to grow that group into the largest franchisee in the system. He also became a franchisee for Palm Beach Tan, Inc, developing multiple locations in Memphis and Atlanta.

Tom's agency experience includes working with franchise and corporate clients such as McDonald's, Massage Envy, Blockbuster Video, Palm Beach Tan, and Gold's Gym Express, as well as other QSR chains, fitness, personal services, home services, and more. He believes in planning from the location up: maximizing the potential of every location and trade area that make up the brand. From full-blown brand and identity development to in-store promotion and POS, to cross-media creative and communication planning, Tom has a strong track record of driving business results for his clients.

Naomi Bata, SVP, Chief PR Officer

Naomi has nearly 20 years of PR and marketing experience across consumer, technology, health care and B2B sectors. She has represented clients in a variety of industries, including financial services, insurance, nutritional supplements, restaurants and hospitality, healthcare, fitness, retail, pharmaceutical, animal health and agricultural, tourism, and economic development.

In addition to leading Archer Malmo's PR department, Naomi is a mentor for early stage startups for Memphis-based accelerator Start Co. She is also a board member and training chair for PRSA Memphis, sits on the communications committee for the Ronald McDonald House of Memphis and on the Junior League of Memphis Community Advisory Board.

Prior to joining Archer Malmo, Naomi worked at Cohn & Wolfe, GCI Group, Golin, JB Chicago, and Edelman. She holds a B.S. in Advertising from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign College of Communications and is an MBA candidate at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign College of Business.

Mary Lynn Gratzer, SVP, Director of Client Services

Mary Lynn’s 25+ years of experience in brand development contributes to Archer Malmo’s success at intuitively meeting the needs of our clients. Prior to her time here, Mary Lynn worked in brand management and strategic planning at Saatchi & Saatchi for over 15 years on a range of global brands including DuPont, Lycra, Teflon, Tyvek and Bausch & Lomb. Her consumer and business-to-business experience spans several categories, from food, fashion, and interiors to medical devices, animal health and more. Mary Lynn is recognized for her ability to cultivate effective talent and resources to make a significant impact on our client’s businesses and brands.

Arlene Goldner, SVP, Director of Media Services

Arlene has more than 30 years of experience developing media strategy. A native New Yorker, Arlene began her advertising career at BBDO NY working on packaged goods (Scott Paper, Gillette) and later at BBDO Atlanta on travel accounts (Delta and Alamo). She also experienced life on the client side at Pizza Hut, Inc. In addition, she has worked on a wide-variety of other consumer and BtoB client categories including financial, ethnic hair care, franchise-based retail, QSR, food, soft drinks, decor, education, agriculture, veterinary, automotive aftermarket, electrical components/parts, direct response, and nonprofit. Arlene is a strong advocate for integrated communications planning developed through collaboration among media, digital, and public relations strategists.