Beth Rilee-Kelley, chief operating officer, has been named president of The Martin Agency while retaining her COO duties and title. Rilee-Kelley is a 33-year veteran of the company. As president, she will report to CEO Matt Williams and take on an expanded role partnering with clients and participating in the agency’s business development initiatives. The Martin Agency was named SHOOT’s Agency of the Year in 2015.
“If I had to pick one person who personifies The Martin Agency when we are at our best, it would be Beth,” said Williams. “She has been a strong leader and a tireless mentor both in our company, with our clients, and in our industry. She is smart, witty, decisive and kind. I know she will excel as our new president.”
Beth is one of three managing partners that lead the company’s governing body, the executive committee, along with Williams and Joe Alexander, the company’s chief creative officer. Combined, the three have 83 years of tenure at The Martin Agency.
“The last president of the agency was the late Mike Hughes. It’s fitting that Beth is his successor,” said Alexander. “Like Mike, Beth is an intuitive leader, an incredible listener, and a great partner to our clients and our employees.”
Rilee-Kelley joined the agency in 1983 as an account executive on the Barnett Bank of Florida account and was responsible for opening and managing the agency’s first satellite office in Jacksonville, Florida. She moved to Martin’s Richmond headquarters in 1986 and managed the Kings Dominion and Virginia Tourism accounts. During her time in account management, she also worked on Healthtex, Kindercare, Men’s Health Magazine and Remy Martin. In 1997, she took on the role of director of creative services and was responsible for the management of the creative department.
She was named partner in 2005 and went on to become COO in 2011.
“I’m so honored to be named the president of The Martin Agency,” said Rilee-Kelley. “The feeling I have right now is pretty similar to how I felt 33 years ago. I had finally landed a junior account executive position here. I was the 60th employee on the payroll and was thrilled. And now, to be president of a company you love, working with people you love, does it get any better than this?”
Rilee-Kelley has been a panelist at the 3% Conference and a speaker for the American Advertising Federation and the Advertising Educational Foundation. She also serves on the 4A’s Finance Committee, Virginia Film Festival Advisory Board and, in January, was named chairperson of the advisory board for Virginia Commonwealth University’s Robertson School of Media and Culture.
