MS&L Hires Joel Curran as Managing Director for Its Midwest Region

Appointment follows significant growth in agency’s North American offices

Manning Selvage & Lee (MS&L) today announced it has appointed Joel Curran as senior vice president and managing director of its Midwest region.  His appointment is effective May 27.

In this newly created role, Curran will be responsible for managing the agency’s Chicago office, driving new business growth and maximizing client development.  He will also be responsible for building MS&L’s already substantial capabilities in the Midwest region, including Detroit and a rapidly growing digital communications and influencer marketing practice in Ann Arbor, as well as capitalizing on new opportunities in neighboring geographies.  Nancy Brennan, a 20-year veteran of the firm and most recently managing director of the Chicago office, has taken on a new role as its senior vice president, director of operations.

Curran’s appointment follows several years of significant growth for MS&L’s North American offices, both in traditional and non-traditional public relations, including digital communications and influencer marketing.

”Joel’s proven track record in the Midwest market and his industry leadership in holistic marketing will be tremendously helpful to us as we continue to strengthen and build our capabilities in this region,” said Jim Tsokanos, MS&L’s North American president.

Curran, a 22-year communications veteran, was most recently managing director of CKPR, an independent public relations agency in the U.S. and a part of advertising agency Cramer-Krasselt, headquartered in Chicago with offices in New York, Milwaukee and Phoenix.  Under his leadership, CKPR grew to become one of the largest independent agencies in the U.S. and a thought leader in integrated communications.

Prior to joining CKPR, Curran was with the Walt Disney Company for 10 years as director of marketing synergy for Walt Disney Sports and Walt Disney Television, manager of marketing synergy for Walt Disney World and brand manager for Disney Studios theme park.  He was previously with Fleishman-Hillard in Los Angeles, where he worked on clients including Briggs & Stratton, ConAgra Foods, GlaxoSmithKline, HBO, Kohl’s, McDonald’s and Pioneer Electronics.

"MS&L’s reputation for innovative client work for top brands, combined with its leadership in digital and influencer marketing, made this role particularly appealing to me,” said Curran.  “We plan to bring an entirely new, holistic public relations offering to the Midwest marketplace.”

Curran is currently on the executive committee of the Council of PR Firms and the executive committee of PRSA’s Counselors Academy, and is a frequent contributor to industry and business publications.  He is a former board member of PRSA’s Chicago chapter and past adjutant instructor at the University of Chicago’s Graham School of Business. 

About Manning Selvage & Lee
MS&L is one of the world's leading global communications firms. Headquartered in New York, MS&L has 54 offices throughout North America, Latin America, EMEA and Asia-Pacific, as well as an extensive global affiliate network.  The agency meets the needs of global and local clients by providing best-in-class services in consumer marketing PR, healthcare PR, corporate communications and technology communications, as well as industry-leading work in digital communications.  In 2008, MS&L was named CRO’s #1 PR firm in Corporate Responsibility, won PRWeek’s Promotional Event of the Year award and the Holmes Report’s PR Product of the Year award for Innovation in Influencer Marketing. 

MS&L is a member of the Publicis Groupe (Euronext Paris: FR0000130577), the world’s fourth largest communications group, and a global leader in digital and online advertising, media consulting, and healthcare communications. With some 44,000 professionals in 104 countries, the Groupe's activities cover advertising through three global advertising networks:  Leo Burnett, Publicis, Saatchi & Saatchi, as well as through its two multi-hub networks Fallon Worldwide and 49%-owned Bartle Bogle Hegarty; media agencies with two worldwide networks ZenithOptimedia and Starcom MediaVest Group; and marketing services, including digital and interactive communications through Digitas, relationship and direct marketing, public and media relations, corporate and financial communications, multicultural communications, and event communications. The Groupe is also the world leader in healthcare communications. Web site: www.publicisgroupe.com.

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