Winner: Courtney Hill, Hill & Knowlton
In less than three years, Hill has moved from an account coordinator to the youngest manager in the history of the agency. While an assistant account executive, he independently researched and developed a 70-page business plan for a new unit at Hill & Knowlton. After pitching the idea to senior managers, Hill took the idea to global CEO Paul Taaffe for approval.
The result was a successful new business division called Hill & Knowlton Small Business, designed to give small businesses, fast growth companies, and nonprofits the same scope and quality of PR services that were once only available to larger companies due to financial constraints. Since the division's test launch in January 2005, it has won six major small business and nonprofit accounts. In short, this division has helped to drum up $2 million worth of new business in less than a year, something that thoroughly impressed the judges.
"What separates good from great is the ability not just to do the work, but actually develop new ideas that create opportunity for work with clients," noted one judge. "That is what Courtney did."
Hill also supervises the Illinois Lottery account, one of the Chicago office's biggest and most visible. When the communications director for the Illinois Lottery resigned, Hill had been lead on the account for only two months. Yet he managed to guide the account through a 30th anniversary celebration event and a series of crises. Eventually he was tasked with the communications director's role and conducted daily interviews with such major publications as Crain's Chicago Business, The Chicago Tribune, and The Chicago Sun-Times. Judges were impressed that he was able to keep a major client happy while simultaneously launching a new business division.
Hill has also established a small business division with sister advertising agency JWT, which is partnering with H&K SMB to provide multifaceted advertising solutions to small businesses. The partnership yielded three new clients in its first few months of development.
In addition to his current duties, Hill also spends time representing H&K on various diversity panels and at career fairs across the nation. He also provides pro bono PR services to the Chicago Minority Business Development Council.
"Courtney is clearly not just a standout as a PR professional, but is also exactly the kind of innovative entrepreneurial individual our industry needs," said one judge.
Honorable Mention: Vijay Chattha, VSC Consulting
This 28-year-old CEO started his San Francisco-based firm, VSC Consulting, just over three years ago with no formal PR training or experience. Since then, the firm has become a popular choice for South Asian-American clients, such as the National South Asian Bar Association and The Sikh Heritage Foundation. It has also become a player in the tech PR business, representing such gaming clients as Sony Metreon's "Walk of Game." Chattha has also brought his firm into the wireless industry, representing mobile marketing firm Ipsh from its time as a basement startup to its recent acquisition by Omnicom after a bidding war with WPP. "The ability to start your own company and succeed is a remarkable feat," noted one judge. "Ingenuity, drive, guts, and creativity all describe this entrant."
Finalists:
Sarah Bresee
OutCast Communications
Vijay Chattha
VSC Consulting
Courtney Hill
Hill & Knowlton
Melissa Shapiro
OutCast Communications
Sara White
The NewsMarket
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