Stephanie Crockett has been named president and CEO of independent marketing communications agency Mower. Crockett assumes the CEO title from Eric Mower, who becomes executive chairman of the agency that he has guided since 1968.
Crockett joined the agency 18 years ago and was named president and chief operating officer of the company in June 2021. Crockett, 49, is active in a number of professional, business and community organizations. She is immediate past-chairperson of the United Way of Central New York Board of Directors, a member of the CenterState CEO Board of Directors, the Women Presidents Organization and the National Advertising Review Board. It was recently announced she will receive the Central New York Sales & Marketing Executives 2023 Crystal Ball Award, an honor that Eric Mower received in 1984. A graduate of SUNY Geneseo, prior to joining Mower she had marketing roles at agencies and on the client side.
In August 2022, Eric Mower sold the company to a newly established employee stock ownership plan (ESOP). This announcement marks the most recent point in a long-in-the-making ownership transition and succession plan that began nearly 10 years ago when Eric Mower first considered an ESOP as an alternative to an outside sale.
“Mower continues to build on a 55-year heritage as an independent strategic creative resource for our clients. Eric created something unique — an integrated communications firm producing award winning campaigns for an amazing list of clients,” Crockett said. “Our industry continues to evolve, and now as an ESOP, Mower is structured to flourish in this new environment. We have a spectacular team of professionals that produce results for the brands we represent.”
Mower is coming off of a very successful 2022. In recent months Mower was selected as the ANA Mid-Sized Agency of the Year.
“This announcement is further evidence of a carefully calculated transition for the agency. Stephanie Crockett is our time-tested and most evident candidate to head a group of strong and competent leaders at Mower for the future. She is a consummate professional that has my trust as well as the trust of our staff and our clients,” Eric Mower said.
The balance of the agency’s executive leadership team remains in place, including Doug Bean, vice chairman; Chris Steenstra, chief administrative officer; Cheryl Duggan, chief financial officer; Doug Kamp, chief creative officer; and Rick Lyke, EVP, managing director, public relations and public affairs.
