Advertising

Marie Casey – 2014

Marie Casey left a full-time job as editor of St. Louis Construction News and Review in 1983 to start her own public relations agency, operating out of her house in the beginning. Throughout her career, she served major clients in construction-related industries, trade groups, and educational institutions whose leaders sought her counsel long before “going public” with a project or a problem. Casey also established a local niche in developing corporate histories and “leadership legacies” for her clients, and she did extensive volunteer work with her alma mater, the University of Missouri – St. Louis’ Fine Arts/Communications school, the St. Louis Mercantile Library and Missouri History Museum. Casey was honored in 2009 with the Distinguished Service Award for Campus-Wide Service by the University of Missouri-St. Louis (UMSL), and recognized in 2004 as an Influential Business Woman by the St. Louis Business Journal.  She received UMSL’s Distinguished Alumni Award in 1991. .

Tom Townsend – 2014

Tom Townsend was co-founder of the Rodgers-Townsend agency. With Tim Rodgers, they grew the agency into an advertising powerhouse representing many sought-after regional and national clients. Townsend, was considered the creative force behind the agency’s top campaigns. After retiring from the advertising business, he founded a nonprofit organization, Pianos for People, that gives pianos to underprivileged kids, and a music and art festival in Savannah, GA, the “A-Town Get Down,”

Michael Roarty – 2007

Serving as vice president of marketing at Anheuser-Busch from 1977-1990, Michael Roarty was highly regarded throughout the nation’s advertising community and was a fixture in St. Louis because of his interest in sports and community involvement. He is also credited with the brewery’s “Know When to Say When” campaign. A-B’s market share went from 22-44% under his guidance, and overall sales more than doubled. Roarty was deeply involved in the brewery’s iconic campaigns, overseeing ad development and positioning of the various beer brands. Michael Roarty retired from Anheuser-Busch in 1994 and was inducted into the AAF Hall of Fame.

Tim Rodgers – 2014

Considered one of the leading advertising strategists in the region, Tim Rodgers had a notable, twenty-year career at DMB&B, after which he co-founded Rodgers Townsend with Tom Townsend in 1996, leading the company into becoming one of the most successful, award-winning agencies in the Midwest. In addition to winning every major international creative award, the agency was recognized as an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year, and was presented the Mayor’s “Spirit of St. Louis Award” for their ongoing commitment to providing pro bono advertising and marketing assistance to worthwhile charitable and community organizations. The agency was also regularly listed among St. Louis’ “Best Places to Work.” cited for its egalitarian culture. In 2006, the company was acquired by Omnicom.

Del Schwinke – 2012

Del Schwinke had an extensive career as an advertising executive with the St. Louis Globe-Democrat and the St. Louis Post-Dispatch for 22 years, finding the creative means to generate revenue for the newspapers until he left in 2000.

He then went to work for Geile-Leon Marketing Communications, and also served as an adjunct Professor at Washington University, where he enjoyed teaching the next generation of advertising and marketing executives. Del was very active in many local professional organizations throughout his career and was also a major supporter of our foundation.

Steve Bunyard – 2015

Steve Bunyard joined Gardner Advertising in 1973, working in media on various Ralston and Anheuser-Busch brands over four years.  In 1977, he was named VP/Media at Kenrick Advertising, leaving 2 1/2 years later to form the Clayton Webster Corporation, a startup national radio syndication entity that would later evolve into the Olympia Networks.

Over the next 24 years, St. Louis-based CWC/Olympia created and syndicated 18 national radio programs to over 1600 radio stations each week.

Then in 1989, what would later become Pacific Broadcasting was formed by Bunyard to acquire middle market “turnaround” radio station across the country. Through 2014, 13 radio stations were bought and later sold various major broadcast groups.