A shuffle in the executive suite at Chicago ad agency Euro RSCG Tatham has resulted in the departure of chairman-chief creative officer Bob Welke, and the hiring of Helayne Spivak, a prominent New York creative consultant, to assume some of his responsibilities on an interim basis.
Welke’s split stems from what were described as “irreconcilable differences” on a variety of issues at the agency.
Unfortunately, this term has been used so often, not only in the agency business but in Corporate America, that it often masks other problems.
Gary Epstein continues as president-chief executive officer of Tatham, whose clients include Alberto-Culver, Bayer Inc., ConAgra and Red Lobster, total billing topping $400 million.
Epstein couldn’t be reached for comment, but it’s believed Welke made a quick exit following a meeting Tuesday afternoon to address some of the issues, including direction of the agency. They had met a number of times previously.
Also not reachable was Welke, a seasoned creative leader who left Leo Burnett Co. after 19 years there to join Tatham in August 1996 in the posts he’s relinquishing.
The post of chairman at Tatham likely won’t be filled, and neither will the chief creative officer’s job, at least for now.
Spivak comes on board at Tatham on Monday, and she will be “acting chief creative partner,” working closely with Epstein in managing the agency’s creative operation to ensure continuity in servicing clients.
Spivak has worked as a consultant for Messner, Vetere, Berger, McNamee, Schmetterer, a Manhattan agency that’s the flagship U.S. unit of Euro RSCG Worldwide, also the parent of Euro RSCG Tatham. She has also held key creative posts for J. Walter Thompson USA, Y&R Advertising and Ammirati Puris Lintas (now Lowe Lintas Partners), all New York, all part of her 23-year career in the advertising business.
Spivak is expected to be at Tatham in Chicago for the next several months.
The agency is setting up what was described as a “creative leadership task force,” made up of 10 staffers, including at least two Welke hires from Burnett. Hopefully, meeting-itis won’t plague the task force.
Kemper review: Kemper Insurance Cos. in Long Grove is in the initial stages of a review of its $8 million to $10 million ad account, said a Kemper spokesman, who added that advertising-management consultant Jones-Lundin Associates had been retained. Kemper Lesnik Communications has been Kemper’s agency of record and it has contracted outside for some of the creative as well as for media buying. Kemper Insurance said the search was confined to the Midwest and that strategic development would be one of the areas to be addressed in picking a new shop or retaining the current agency.
– M&M/Mars, a Hackettstown, N.J.-based firm, picked Grey Advertising for the creative portion of the ad account of its Twix brand globally, the agency touting it as billing $45 million, though advertising in the U.S. has been around $15 million annually in recent years.
– Liane Adduci Urevig was promoted to senior VP-corporate communications at Chicago-based promotions firm Frankel & Co., which also elevated Michael Balousek to senior VP, director of marketing events. Frankel was recently acquired by Publicis S.A. in Paris. Separately, Cathy Calhoun became president of BSMG Worldwide Chicago, moving up from chief operating officer, and Janet Cabot was named deputy manager of the same office. Calhoun continues to report to Barbara Molotsky, formerly president, who in November was named a vice chairman of the parent, a Manhattan-based communications unit of True North Communications.
Strictly Personal: Birthday greetings to Brett Shevack, 50 (Partners & Shevack); Emile Gerchenson, 83; Sue Wellington, 41 (Gatorade); restaurateur Bob Chinn, 77; retired CPC International exec Arthur C. Velling, 78; Marcie Stern, 36 (Northwestern Memorial Hospital) and Wendy Marquardt, 49 (Zenith Media-New York).
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– The City of Chicago honors PR executive Daniel J. Edelman with a Friday morning ceremony naming a block of St. Clair Street between Ohio and Ontario Streets as “Honorary Daniel J. Edelman Way.” Edelman, chairman-founder of Edelman Public Relations Worldwide, is being recognized for contributions to the PR field globally.