Sean Lackey has joined McCann North America as chief growth officer, a new regional position.
Lackey most recently was head of business development at Droga5 where he was key to driving significant growth across new clients and capabilities resulting in $120MM+ in new business revenue over the last four years. Prior to joining Droga5 in 2013, he held both business development and client management roles on a wide variety of accounts at BBDO for five years. He had also previously worked in account management at Interpublic Group’s Gotham, Inc.
“Sean has an infectious energy and a great track record of attracting clients and delivering business growth,” said Chris Macdonald, president of McCann Worldgroup North America. “We are delighted that he is joining us as we further develop our North American network and offerings for clients.”
“I have always believed that creativity is a business driver for our client partners,” said Lackey. “The McCann agencies across the region and beyond are unified by this purpose, delivering at the top of their game both creatively and strategically.”
Creatively, McCann North America this year repeated for the second straight year as the most awarded North American agency at the Cannes Lions festival. while McCann New York also moved up 12 spots to become the No. 1 agency at the 2017 North American Effies. McCann was named North America’s “Regional Agency of the Year” at the New York Festivals International Advertising Awards, and McCann New York this year was named “Agency of the Year” at multiple awards shows, including the Clios, the One Show, the ANDYs, and the ADC (Art Directors Club). At the same time, McCann over the last few years has added major client assignments in North America, including from HomeGoods, MGM Resorts, Bombardier, Verizon, Reckitt Benckiser, Coca-Cola, Mastercard, and Chevrolet.
Utah Leaders and Locals Rally To Keep Sundance Film Festival In The State
With the 2025 Sundance Film Festival underway, Utah leaders, locals and longtime attendees are making a final push — one that could include paying millions of dollars — to keep the world-renowned film festival as its directors consider uprooting.
Thousands of festivalgoers affixed bright yellow stickers to their winter coats that read "Keep Sundance in Utah" in a last-ditch effort to convince festival leadership and state officials to keep it in Park City, its home of 41 years.
Gov. Spencer Cox said previously that Utah would not throw as much money at the festival as other states hoping to lure it away. Now his office is urging the Legislature to carve out $3 million for Sundance in the state budget, weeks before the independent film festival is expected to pick a home for the next decade.
It could retain a small presence in picturesque Park City and center itself in nearby Salt Lake City, or move to another finalist — Cincinnati, Ohio, or Boulder, Colorado — beginning in 2027.
"Sundance is Utah, and Utah is Sundance. You can't really separate those two," Cox said. "This is your home, and we desperately hope it will be your home forever."
Last year's festival generated about $132 million for the state of Utah, according to Sundance's 2024 economic impact report.
Festival Director Eugene Hernandez told reporters last week that they had not made a final decision. An announcement is expected this year by early spring.
Colorado is trying to further sweeten its offer. The state is considering legislation giving up to $34 million in tax incentives to film festivals like Sundance through 2036 — on top of the $1.5 million in funds already approved to lure the Utah festival to its neighboring... Read More