Kearley & Company Inc. Strategic Services

Daniel Buenger Promoted to agency Vice President

Director of retail merchandising and lead agency designer, Daniel Buenger has been promoted to agency Vice President, said Kearley & Company President, Elisa Rode.

Buenger joined Kearley in 2004, and has served as lead designer since 2005 and director of retail merchandising since 2006.

Rode said she believes the promotion of Buenger to Vice President will mean good things for the future of Kearley & Company.

“Daniel’s approach to our clients and to his work is a natural fit with our long-standing history of service and creative excellence,” she said. “I look forward to working in partnership with Daniel on the growth and development of the agency as well as our creative team.”

Buenger will continue his work as director of retail merchandising, Rode said, but his responsibilities will expand to also include business and creative development.

Buenger said that he is honored to accept this promotion, and will do his best with the new opportunity it presents.

“I’ve always had a strong sense of pride in my work and work ethic,” he said. “I learned from an early age, if you give 100 percent all the time, it’ll pay off. That statement couldn’t be more fitting to the creative and enthusiastic team I surround myself with.”

Before he joined Kearley, Buenger worked as a designer for Center Concepts, the web production manager for Michaels Stores, Inc., and the advertising/production manager of Magnolia Media.

AAF-Fort Worth Announces Ruth Ann Kearley as the 2010 Silver Medal Award Winner.

The American Advertising Federation of Fort Worth has selected Ruth Ann Kearley, founder and former president of Kearley & Company, Inc., as the recipient for the 2010 Silver Medal Award, according to an AAF-Fort Worth President Jason Parker.

The club will honor Kearley with the Silver Medal at their monthly luncheon event on Wednesday, July 21 at 11:45 a.m. at Joe T. Garcia’s restaurant. The event is open to the public, and tickets can be purchased through adclubfw.org.

Kearley said she was both surprised and flattered by the honor.

“I am so thrilled about the Silver Medal award,” Kearley said. “It’s something I’ve always thought was a wonderful testament to folks who have done so much for Fort Worth and for the local advertising community. I never dreamed I would be included in such impressive company - it’s truly an honor.”

Kearley, an area native, is a former Miss Teenage Fort Worth and a Paschal High School alumna. Recognized nationally as a leader in the credit union industry, she started one of the first marketing departments for a credit union in the state of Texas while she was working for Educational Employees Credit Union in Fort Worth during the early 1970s. She left EECU as vice president of marketing in 1981 to start Kearley & Company, Inc.

She is currently serving as special advisor to the board for Kearley & Company, Inc.

In addition to her commitment to Kearley & Company, she is very involved in numerous civic organizations.

Through the years, she has served as President of the Northside Chamber of Commerce, Executive Committee member for the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, President of the Board for the Lighthouse for the Blind, Executive Committee member for Jubilee Theatre, and has been an active member of AAF-Fort Worth. Currently, she serves on the Executive Board for the Lighthouse for the Blind.

In 2007, the Business Press honored Kearley as one of Fort Worth’s Great Woman of Texas. Kearley was also the 2008 honoree for her work at Jubilee Theatre.

About the Silver Medal Award The Silver Medal Award recognizes a man or woman who has made contributions to the advertising industry that have helped to raise industry standards of creative excellence and social responsibility. According to AAF—Fort Worth, Kearley was chosen based on her contributions to her company, the credit union industry, the advertising community, and to the community of Fort Worth.

Kearley completes name change/re-brand project for former EDS Credit Union.

Fort Worth, Texas—Kearley and Company, Inc. announced completion and the roll-out of the rebrand/name change project for EDS Credit Union. Effective Tuesday, February 16, 2010, the credit union originally chartered to serve the employees of Electronic Data Systems Corp (EDS), officially changed its name to InTouch Credit Union.

Elisa Rode, president of Kearley, said the agency was charged with developing a name that would not only reflect the current and future growth of the credit union, but would also maintain ties to the credit union’s original brand identity.
“The credit union wanted to stay closely associated with their roots in information technology industry, while also reflecting the personalized service the brand has come to stand for,“ Rode said. “InTouch includes the ‘I.T.,’ while also making a statement about the credit union’s approach to its members.”

The credit union has said in public statements that the name change would broaden their scope of membership while defining their commitment to members and affiliated sponsor companies.

In addition to a new name, Kearley developed a new logo, all support collateral, and in-office retail merchandising for InTouch Credit Union. Daniel Buenger, senior designer at Kearley, developed the new logo for InTouch, which features an explanation point in place of a capital “I.”
“I wanted to keep with EDS Credit Union’s existing brand, while also incorporating more active, engaging elements,” Büenger said.

InTouch Credit Union was not the first credit union for which Kearley has been chosen as the agency of record to assist with a new brand initiative. Other projects include A-Plus FCU in Austin, TX; Central Star Credit Union in Wichita, KS.; UT Federal Credit Union in Knoxville, TN.; and Enrichment FCU in Oakridge, TN.

In 2009, Kearley partnered with Fort Worth City Credit Union in an award-winning re-branding initiative.The project received five first place awards and two second place awards at the Lone Star Awards competition hosted by the Texas Credit Union League in Galveston, Texas during November 2009.

First place was awarded to Fort Worth City Credit Union’s new logo, youth program, annual report, retail merchandising, and teen website. Second place was awarded to the credit union’s newsletter and main website.Kearley and Company chosen to partner with EDS Credit Union through upcoming name change.

Kearley Chosen as partner for EDS Credit Union through their name-change/re-brand project.

Kearley and Company, Inc., an advertising agency specializing in Credit Union marketing, has been chosen as the agency of record to help EDS Credit Union change its name to InTouch Credit Union.

Shortly after EDS corporate was purchased by HP, the HP corporation requested that the use of the EDS name cease. In public statements, EDS Credit Union has said that they anticipated this request, and they were in the process of evaluating various name options when they received word from HP.

According to Elisa Rode, president of Kearley, the agency was tasked with coming up with a name that would align with the existing EDS Credit Union brand, while also being general enough to reflect the current and future growth of the credit union.

"The credit union wanted to stay closely associated with their roots in information technology industry while also reflecting the personalized service the brand has come to stand for," Rode explained. "We came up with ’InTouch’ in an effort to include the ’I.T.’ while also making a statement about the credit union’s relationship with its members."

After the name was developed and approved by the Board, Kearley then worked to design the Credit Union’s new logo, develop support collateral, and produce in-office retail merchandising. Kearley is overseeing the roll-out for the Credit Union, which is scheduled to take place on February 16, 2010.

The name change/re-brand project for EDS Credit Union is not a new kind of project for Kearley. Over the last decade the agency has helped numerous credit unions across the country with new brand/re-brand initiatives including A-Plus FCU in Austin, Texas; Central Star Credit Union in Wichita, KS; Meridian Trust in Cheyenne, WY; UT Federal Credit Union in Knoxville, TN; and Enrichment FCU in Oakridge, TN.

BIG WINS For Kearley Clients! 2009 TCUL Conference Winners

Kearley and Company, Inc. is pleased to announce that several of their clients won awards at the 2009 Texas Credit Union League (TCUL) Marketing and Business Development Conference held in November in Galveston, Texas. The following is a breakdown of the individual categories and the winning entries that Kearley designed in each:

Web/Interactive
Asset size $75-$150M, Fort Worth City Credit Union took home a Gold (1st place) for the CUvarsity.org website for teen members ages 13-18. The Credit Union also won a Silver (2nd place) for the Credit Union’s main website fwccu.org.

Retail Merchandising
Kearley’s clients won Gold in three different asset categories for retail merchandising. For the under $75M asset category, Family 1st of Texas Credit Union won a Gold for their in-branch retail merchandising. Fort Worth City Credit Union also won a Gold for their in-branch retail merchandising. And EECU won a Gold for their 75th Anniversary in-office POP.

Annual Reports
Asset size $75-$150M, Fort Worth City Credit Union won a Gold, and America’s Credit Union won a Silver. In the $250-$500M asset category, Houston Federal Credit Union also took home the Gold.

Logos
Asset size $75-$150M, Fort Worth City Credit Union won a Gold for their new FWCCU logo, and America’s Credit Union won a Silver for their 75th Anniversary logo.

Newsletters
Asset size $75-$150M, Fort Worth City Credit Union won a Silver for their new general member newsletter.

Youth / Senior Marketing
Asset size $75-$150M, Fort Worth City Credit Union won a Gold for their Super Saver Kids Club.

Print Advertising / Calendars
Asset size more than $500M, EECU won a Gold for their teachers’ 2009-2010 Academic Calendar.

In all, Kearley’s clients took home 13 awards at the conference, consisting of 9 Gold Medals (1st place) and 4 Silver Medals (2nd place). "We are thrilled with the success of our clients as evidenced at the TCUL Conference," Elisa Rode, Vice President said. "The fact that our work for our clients has resulted in such wide-spread recognition speaks to the talent of the Kearley Team as well as the successful partnership and collaboration we are able to achieve with our clients."

Staying Connected Announcing the birth of The Kearley Blog

We make it our job to stay on top of current trends in the marketplace while also staying in touch with client needs.

We’re proud to announce the launch of our new blog as a place for clients and marketeers to share ideas and information - and hopefully help to bridge current trends and practical applications. We hope you’ll subscribe and take part in this forum for sharing ideas and info.

Check us out at http://kearleyandcompany.blogspot.com/.

The Big Office Move Working our magic in new digs

After 17 years in Fort Worth’s Museum District, we moved into a new office space the end of March 2008. We’re very excited about the move, and the new location which is in a newly-revitalized area of town and a hot-spot for new shops, restaurants, and offices.

Our new address is:
1227 West Magnolia Avenue, Suite LL100
Fort Worth, Texas 76104

Aside from our physical address, all of our contact information will stay the same. If you’re in the area, stop by for a tour of our new facility. We’d enjoy showing off our new place!

Great Women of Texas 2006 Kearley president honored

For years, the Fort Worth Business Press has been honoring women in the area for their contributions and successes in business and in the community.

On January 18, 2007, Ruth Ann Kearley was honored as one of the area’s Great Women of Texas at a special dinner at the Fort Worth Club, which was hosted by the Fort Worth Business Press.

An area native and former Miss Teen Fort Worth, Ruth Ann started one of the first marketing departments for a credit union in the state of Texas in the early 1970’s while working for EECU. She left the Credit Union as Vice President of Marketing in 1981 to start Kearley & Company, Inc. -- an Advertising and Public Relations agency.

Throughout it’s 29-year history, the Company has developed into a full-service Advertising, Public Relations, Branding, and Retail Merchandising firm based in Fort Worth, Texas. Today, the Company serves a diverse list of clients in a variety of markets across the United States.

Under Ruth Ann’s leadership and guidance, the Company’s work has been recognized with numerous Addy Awards, Credit Union Executive Society’s Golden Mirror Awards, and Credit Union National Association’s Diamond Awards.

In addition to her commitment to Kearley & Company, Ruth Ann is very involved in civic organizations. Through the years, she has served as President of the Northside Chamber of Commerce, President of the Board for the Lighthouse for the Blind, and been an active member of the Fort Worth Advertising Club and the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce.

Currently, Ruth Ann serves on the Executive Board for the Lighthouse for the Blind and is the Treasurer for the Board of Jubilee Theatre.

Ruth Ann and husband Tom reside in West Fort Worth and will celebrate 42 years of marriage this year. Congratuations, Ruth Ann!