4A's Names Alison Fahey as Its First CMO

NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwired - Feb 10, 2014) - Nancy Hill, President-CEO of the 4A's, the leading trade association representing the advertising agency business, announced today that industry veteran Alison Fahey will join in March 2014 as the association's first Chief Marketing Officer. She will be based in the 4A's headquarters in New York and report to Hill. This is the second major announcement by the 4A's in the past two months as Hill continues to position the association as a forward-thinking go-to resource for the industry. Former MediaVest CEO Bill Tucker was named Executive Vice President, Media Relations in December.

In her new post, Fahey will oversee all content creation, including working with members on branded content initiatives. Additional responsibilities will include spearheading the association's digital publishing efforts, and working in tandem with Mike Donahue, EVP, Strategic Partnerships to form key relationships on behalf of the association. This new position comes as the 4A's evolves its offering to provide more content-driven resources for members, and create valuable partnerships with the business community.

"We have many great stories to tell about the 4A's and, we need someone who can help tell them," said Hill. "I can't think of anyone more qualified than Alison to be our first CMO; her storytelling abilities are second to none in this industry, and her digital publishing experience will be indispensable as we move toward a more digitally-centric and mobile-first organization."

A longtime journalist, Fahey reported on and worked with the advertising, media and agency business for more than 20 years as a writer, editor and publisher. Between 2010 and 2013, she was Adweek's Executive Director of Content, collaborating with advertisers and agencies on content marketing solutions. From 2008 to 2010 she was Publisher and Editorial Director. Prior to that, she spent 10 years as the high-profile Editor-in-Chief of the trade publication, helping to bring the media brand to the forefront of digital publishing with the launches of Adweek.com and AdFreak. She joined Adweek as an agency reporter in 1992. Before that, she was a reporter at Advertising Age. Since leaving Adweek in February 2013, Fahey has been consulting with the Paley Center for Media and Havas PR, and has also served as an advisor to agencies.

"I'm excited to be charged with elevating the conversation about the 4A's and the role it plays in the industry and look forward to communicating its value in new and interesting ways," said Fahey. "After covering agencies as a reporter and editor for many years and, more recently, counseling them on business strategy, now is the perfect time to leverage those relationships on behalf of the 4A's and the industry at large."

Fahey is on the board of directors of TORCH, a non-profit organization dedicated to transforming the lives of underserved New York City public high school students by providing intensive exposure, career training and opportunities in advertising, communications and the arts while increasing diversity in the workforce. She is also on the board of Transitions Global, a non-profit that strives to heal and empower young girls rescued from sex trafficking. Fahey has also served on advertising industry boards including AEF (Advertising Educational Foundation) and AAF (American Advertising Federation). She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Communication from Villanova University.

About the 4A's
The 4A's is the national trade association of the advertising agency business. Its membership comprises virtually all of the large, multinational agencies and hundreds of small and mid-sized agencies from across the country that employ some 65,000 people. More than 1,200 member agency offices representing some 750 agency brands who offer a wide range of marketing communications services and place 80 percent of all national advertising are served by the 4A's. The management-oriented association, founded in 1917, helps its members build their businesses, and acts as the industry's spokesperson with government, media, and the public sector. For more information, visit the 4A's Web site at www.aaaa.org.