Southwest Media Group, a top-tier Dallas-based media and marketing services company, has hired former FOX Sports Southwest VP/General Sales Manager John Burnett to serve as the agency’s executive director of marketing and promoted Kim Kohler to Chief Relationship Officer after a national search to fill the posts.
Kohler previously served as group planning director at SMG. In his new role, he will oversee client management and further develop the agency’s longstanding commitment to client service excellence.
In the newly created executive director of marketing position, Burnett, a 20-year veteran of sales and marketing at major media outlets including ESPN Regional Sports, will help elevate Southwest Media Group onto a broader regional and national stage.
In addition, Chief Strategy Officer Steve Thomas’ role has evolved to focus not only on the strategic direction of the agency’s media product and research management, but also to direct external communication for the agency. Thomas leads the agency’s successful “Immersion” experiential digital summits created to educate and guide clients through the rapidly changing media landscape, a project the agency is continuing to build and grow as an added-value event for clients and friends of the agency. The event has grown from a small in-house program into a two-day emerging media and new technology conference attended by industry thought leaders throughout the country.
Thomas has been instrumental in recent wins for the agency, including Omni Hotels, Summer Adventures in Fair Park and the social media management assignment for Dave & Buster’s.
“These changes strengthen the agency’s executive team to prepare the agency and our resources to meet the new challenges ahead and position us for national growth. We will not only enhance our commitment to clients and substantially build on our collaborative and discovery-focused culture, but also give those qualities a wider regional and national reach.”Bob Nichol, Southwest Media Group founder and CEO
About Southwest Media Group
Award-winning Southwest Media Group is a unique media and marketing communications solutions company and one of the region’s leading media service agencies, providing strategic planning, buying, digital and marketing services to a growing list of clients. The top-ranking agency named in The Dallas Morning News’ annual “Top 100 Places to Work 2012” special section, Southwest Media Group will place nearly $200 million in media in 2013 for clients including Dillard’s, Dave and Buster’s, Michaels, Texas Health Resources, Visit Orlando and Whataburger, among others.