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Executive Profile: Kathleen Anne Cunningham

Chances are you’ve seen the TV ads where Sandy Mossy, spokeswoman for the San Diego-based Mossy Corp. auto dealer, teasingly tosses the keys to a brand-new Mossy Nissan into the sunny San Diego sky.

Now meet the woman behind the advertising agency that brought Sandy Mossy to television, making her a household name in San Diego.

The woman, Kathleen Anne Cunningham, the president of San Diego-based Advanced Marketing Strategies Inc., and business partner Jim Tindaro started the agency with offices in Orange County and San Diego in 1991.

The duo worked together at AM Strategies’ predecessor, Orange County-based US Promotions, which they bought in 1991 and renamed AM Strategies, she said.

“When Jim and I started, we came from an agency that specialized in automotive, we took what we had learned and applied it to other industries,” Cunningham said.

Today, AM Strategies’ 23 employees serve about a dozen clients, with Mossy, Ikea San Diego and San Diego County Credit Union being its largest accounts.

Cunningham says the next step for AM Strategies is to try to land national and regional accounts of such existing clients as Ikea.

For example, “We’d like to work on Ikea nationally,” Cunningham said.


RESUME

Name: Kathleen Anne Cunningham.

Title: President.

Company: Advanced Marketing Strategies Inc.

Education: Bachelor of Arts degree in business with an emphasis on marketing and advertising from Cal State Fullerton in 1988.

Residence: Del Mar.

Age: 44.

Family: Husband, Mike Klotz.


BUSINESS PHILOSOPHY

Essential business philosophy: Everything begins with a plan that is based on solid information. The plan addresses the defined goals and objectives, establishes a budget, creates a timeline, and most importantly requires accountability.

Best way to keep a competitive edge: Innovation and technology allow us to uncover creative business solutions that maximize clients’ investments as well as our own.

Guiding principles: I believe in hard work, integrity and respect for our employees, our clients, and myself.

Yardstick of success: I determine my success by our clients’ success. Our clients’ success should always translate to a healthy bottom line for our company.

Goals yet to be achieved: I have set my sights on winning a national, big brand account.


JUDGMENT CALLS

Best business decision: Coming to San Diego. Jim Tindaro, our CEO, and I started AM Strategies in 1991 with two offices. I worked in Orange County and he worked in San Diego. He convinced me to come here.

Worst business decision: Waiting so long to get serious about going out and actively seeking new clients. I spent a lot of time with my existing clients.

Toughest business decision: Turning away business because of a conflict of interest. In the advertising industry, agencies are often expected to handle one client per category, per market.

Biggest missed opportunity: None.

Mentor: Jeremy Anwyl, the former president and founder of US Promotions, now CEO of Edmunds.com, an online resource for automotive information. He literally defined marketing and advertising and was a master at branding.

Words that describe you: Competitive, driven, focused.


TRUE CONFESSIONS

What you like best about your job: I thrive on listening to my clients and identifying business challenges and opportunities.

What you like least about your job: Getting stuck in my office behind a computer.

Pet peeves: Everyone thinks they are an expert in advertising.

Most important lesson learned: Setting clear goals and action steps are the best strategies in achieving success in business and your personal life. I instituted a goal program 10 years ago at Advanced Marketing Strategies.

Person most interested in meeting: Mary Wells, legendary president of the advertising agency Wells, Rich, Greene.

Most-respected competitor: Donner Advertising.

Three greatest passions: My work, staying healthy, my husband.

First choice for a new career: Lawyer.


PREDILECTIONS

Favorite quote: “I do not regard advertising as entertainment or an art form, but as a medium of information” , David Ogilvy.

Most influential book: A book titled “Smart Talk” by Lou Tice.

Favorite status symbol: Being president of Advanced Marketing Strategies.

Favorite movie: Any movie starring Cary Grant.

Favorite restaurant: A little place in New Orleans called the Louisiana Bistro.

Favorite place for business meetings: Islands restaurants.

Favorite vacation spot: Turtle Island, Fiji.

Favorite way to spend time: Golfing, running, spending time at the beach , all in one day.

Favorite automobile: 1955 Ford T-Bird.

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