McNeely founded the company as McNeely & Associates in 1987. Strategic planning, government relations and regional media relations are his specialties. Prior to founding the firm, he served in key staff and campaign roles for U.S. Senator Al Gore, Jr., former U.S. Senator Jim Sasser, former Nashville Mayor Richard Fulton and the Tennessee Supreme Court.
His 11-year journalism career included reporting for The Knoxville Journal, The Commercial Appeal in Memphis, and The Knoxville News-Sentinel. He is a 1970 journalism graduate of the University of Tennessee and a Knoxville, Tenn., native.
Mike
Pigott
Founding Partner / Senior Counsel
Award-winning writing, extensive media relations, public affairs and strategic planning are among the skills Pigott has put to work for clients since joining the firm in 1988. He has served as communications director for Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen's two successful campaigns for mayor of Nashville, as well as his bid for governor in 1994.
Prior to joining MP&F, the Purdue University graduate served for 12 years as an investigative reporter and later as the senior political writer for the Nashville Banner.
David
Fox
Partner
Fox, a veteran journalist and author, has worked for a variety of clients in industries ranging from automotive to health care to high tech and specializes in national media relations, special events and long-range planning. Before joining MP&F in 1990, he was vice president of Atkinson Public Relations. He is the author of two published books and also worked in the presidential campaigns of both Sen. Howard Baker and President Jimmy Carter.
During his 12-year journalism career, he was a reporter for The Commercial Appeal in Memphis, the Nashville Banner, and United Press International. A native of Memphis, he is a 1972 English graduate of Vanderbilt University.
Katy
Varney
Partner
Varney joined McNeely Pigott & Fox in 1993, bringing to the firm a strong background in government affairs and coalition building and a nationwide network of contacts. Since joining MP&F, Varney has overseen successful grassroots campaigns and has led account teams handling communications for the Job Corps program nationwide in addition to highly effective national advertising campaigns for the federal job training initiative.
A graduate of Earlham College in Richmond, Ind., Varney worked on the White House advance staffs of then First Lady Rosalyn Carter and later Vice President Walter Mondale and served as Gov. Ned McWherter’s chief lobbyist on Capitol Hill.
Keith
Miles
Partner
Miles joined MP&F in 1995 and specializes in technology, media relations, multimedia, strategic planning and governmental relations. Prior to joining MP&F, Miles served eight years as press secretary and state coordinator for former U.S. Senator Jim Sasser and previously wrote for the Nashville Banner, Johnson City Press, Kingsport Times-News and others.
He has been a contributor to national and regional publications, including The American Banker and Southern Exposure. He is a member of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP). Miles is a journalism graduate of East Tennessee State University.
Dave Cooley
Partner
Cooley, a principal of Cooley Public Strategies, a subsidiary of MP&F, is a premier strategist with more than 20 years of experience in government, politics, and corporate and public affairs. Cooley and the partners of MP&F launched the consultancy in January 2007 after his four-year term as deputy governor of Tennessee under Gov. Phil Bredesen and as the senior strategist in Bredesen’s 2002 campaign, which saw the Democrat gain an important red-state victory.
As deputy governor, Cooley was the point person for a multitude of public policy initiatives, ranging from health care and homeland security improvements to education reforms. Also during his tenure, Cooley developed a national network of relationships with key elected officials, political operatives and public-sector managers.
Prior to joining the Bredesen campaign and administration, Cooley was a principal at MP&F, where he led a wide array of health care, grassroots and public affairs campaigns from California to New Jersey. Cooley has provided strategic counsel on competitive positioning for clients ranging from the Tennessee Titans and AT&T to Colonial Pipeline. A veteran of more than 100 political campaigns nationwide, Cooley has built a reputation as a focused strategist who understands the nuances of the ever-changing political and regulatory environment, the operational paradigms of federal, state and local governments, and the shifting trends of the corporate marketplace. A native of Rockwood, Tenn., Cooley holds a bachelor’s degree from Tennessee Technological University and a master’s degree from the University of West Florida.
Roger
Shirley
Editorial Director
Shirley, former editor of the Nashville Business Journal, joined McNeely Pigott & Fox in 1996. After a 19-year journalism career which included reporting and editing positions at the Bristol Herald-Courier in Bristol, Va.-Tenn., and the Nashville Banner, Shirley served as media coordinator for the successful Yes For Nashville campaign, which cleared the way for the Houston Oilers to move to Tennessee.
A native of Ft. Payne, Ala., Shirley graduated in 1977 from Emory & Henry College in Emory, Va., where he received an interdisciplinary degree in communications, political science and English.
Jennifer
Brantley
Vice President
A member of the MP&F team for more than 15 years, Brantley specializes in account management, strategic planning, research, public relations, media relations and event planning. She manages health care accounts, including all aspects of public relations, media relations and strategic planning.
Her event planning and national media experience stems from clients such as the Gospel Music Association, Family Re-Union, Tennessee Sportsfest and Southern Festival of Books. A native of McMinnville, Tenn., Brantley has a B.S. degree in public relations from Middle Tennessee State University.
Mandy
Cawood
Vice President
Cawood joined McNeely Pigott & Fox in July 2000 after more than two years at the University of Louisville's development office, where she developed fundraising campaigns and strategies. Prior to her time at U of L, she interned in Burson Marsteller's Washington, D.C., office. Cawood returned to the Washington, D.C., area in late 2007 to establish an MP&F presence there.
A Kentucky native, Cawood graduated in 1997 from the University of Kentucky with a bachelor's degree in journalism, with a special focus in public relations and marketing. She has managed client teams in the banking, health care and transportation industries, among others. Her specialties include media relations and strategic planning.
Alice
Pearson Chapman
Vice President
Chapman joined MP&F in 1995 as a staff associate and has since worked for a variety of clients at the local, regional and national levels. Her specialties include grassroots campaigns, media relations and event planning. From 2002 to 2005 she managed Metro Nashville’s recycling education campaign, which garnered MP&F the Silver Anvil Award from the Public Relations Society of America. Her current clients include AT&T, Tennessee Alliance for Early Education, Colonial Pipeline Company, Alabama School Readiness Alliance, and VOICES For Alabama’s Children. Chapman is actively involved in the Nashville community, having served as a board member of the women’s networking organization CABLE in 2005 and 2006. She received the Civic Outreach Award from that group in 2006. Chapman is a graduate of the University of Tennessee, and holds a bachelor’s degree in communications.
Andrew
Maraniss
Vice President
Maraniss, a native of Washington, D.C., joined McNeely Pigott & Fox in November 1998 after spending the previous six years in athletic media relations. He specializes in writing and media relations, working with clients in the automotive, economic development, and publishing fields, among others. Maraniss served as media relations manager for major league baseball's Tampa Bay Devil Rays during the team's inaugural season of 1998. Prior to that, he spent five years as associate director of media relations at the Vanderbilt University athletic department. A 1992 Vanderbilt graduate, Maraniss attended VU on the Fred Russell - Grantland Rice sportswriting scholarship.
Courtenay
Rossi
Vice President
A veteran national broadcast journalist, Rossi joined McNeely Pigott & Fox in November 2004. During her 15-year career in television journalism, Rossi most recently was a producer with NBC News in Washington, D.C., covering the White House and the 2000 presidential campaign. She has produced for NBC's "Nightly News with Tom Brokaw," "Today" and various special projects.
A Washington, D.C.-area native, Rossi graduated cum laude from Wellesley College with a dual degree in English and economics and received a master's degree from the Graduate School of Journalism at Columbia University.
Javier
Solano
Senior Account Supervisor
After 10 years of print journalism and nine months backpacking across Europe, Solano joined McNeely Pigott & Fox in June 2001. Since then, he has worked with various government and education clients, and directed award-winning campaigns for the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Department of Labor’s Job Corps program. He is a four-time winner of the annual staff-selected Best Writer award and a frequent presenter at local universities on Latino outreach and marketing to Spanish-speaking populations. Before his arrival at MP&F, Solano served as a reporter and copy editor for two Chicago Tribune-owned newspapers, most recently the Orlando Sentinel, where he covered sports for six years. Born in Santa Marta, Colombia, and raised in metropolitan Washington, D.C., Solano graduated from Columbia University in 1989 with a bachelor’s degree in English.
Jim
Bakken
Account Supervisor
Bakken joined McNeely Pigott & Fox in July 2002 after working for the Dallas Cowboys, where he wrote for DallasCowboys.com and Dallas Cowboys Weekly Magazine. He graduated from the University of Alabama (UA) in May 2001, where he worked for the UA Sports Information department and was an Academic All-American finalist and recipient of Academic All-Southeastern Conference honors as a member of the UA Men's Basketball Team.
Bakken’s experience at MP&F includes national and local advertising, grassroots campaigns, event planning and facilitation, media relations and writing, as well as marketing plan, collateral material and Web site development for clients including the U.S. Department of Labor’s Job Corps program, American Airlines, Wal-Mart, National HealthCare Corp. and the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA).
Diane Hargrove
Account Supervisor
Hargrove, a Springfield, Mo., native, joined McNeely Pigott & Fox in June 2002 after graduating summa cum laude from Oklahoma State University with a bachelor's degree in journalism and broadcasting with emphasis in public relations. Her public relations experience includes educational campaigns, media relations, special events, strategic planning and marketing material development.
Mary Ruth Raphael
Account Supervisor
Raphael, a native of Lebanon, Tenn., joined McNeely Pigott & Fox in July 2001. She graduated magna cum laude from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, with a bachelor's degree in communications and a minor in business. Before joining MP&F, Raphael completed an internship with the Knoxville-based public relations firm Akins Public Strategies. Her public relations experience includes marketing material development, news and feature writing, event and conference planning for local and national clients, strategic research and media relations.
Rob
Robinson
Account
Supervisor
Robinson joined McNeely Pigott & Fox in April 1998. He specializes in account management, strategic planning, media relations, public relations, news writing, blogging and new media. Robinson has experience in a wide range of client fields, including companies in the health care, pharmaceutical, and technology industries and the public sector. A Nashville native, Robinson graduated cum laude from Washington & Lee University in 1995 with a bachelor of arts degree in English and history.
Emily Rosencranz Bryan
Senior Account Executive
A resident of Montgomery, Ala., Bryan joined MP&F after serving as the director of scheduling and inaugural committee director for Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen. While at MP&F, Bryan has worked on grassroots projects in Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee. In 2004, she served as chairperson for GenerationTN, a statewide leadership conference, and in 2005 she was named one of the Top 30 under 30 in Tennessee by Business TN magazine. Bryan also served as the deputy director of administration for the 2000 Gore presidential campaign. She is a volunteer with the Group Homes for Children and the Junior League of Montgomery. Bryan graduated cum laude from Vanderbilt University in 2002 with a bachelor’s degree in political science.
Chantel
Gurney Minish
Senior Account Executive
Minish joined McNeely Pigott & Fox in January 2002. Her experience includes strategic planning, video production, Web site development and management, media relations and marketing material development for clients in health care, the arts, the federal government and urban development. Minish is a native of Hartselle, Ala., and graduated from Auburn University with a bachelor of arts degree in public relations with an emphasis in journalism and marketing. She completed an internship with MP&F in 2001.
Kelly Brockman
Senior Account Executive
kbrockman@mpf.com
Before joining MP&F, Brockman was the communications director for the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance. While with the state, she handled government relations, communications outreach, media relations and crisis communications for more than four years. Brockman also served as marketing director for the Scarritt-Bennett Center from 2002 to 2004 and as marketing manager at the Chattanooga Airport Authority from 2001 to 2002.
A native of Nashville, Brockman graduated from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in 2000 with a bachelor’s degree in communications and a minor in psychology.
Daniel Hayes
Senior Account Executive
Hayes, a native of Middle Tennessee, joined MP&F in September of 2006. Previously, Hayes served on the staff of U.S. Sen. David Vitter of Louisiana, and prior to that was a legislative aide to two members of the Senate of Virginia, Kevin G. Miller and Mark D. Obenshain. Hayes is a graduate of Middle Tennessee State University, where he received a B.A. degree in history and a B.S. degree in international relations, and of James Madison University, where he received an M.A. degree in modern European history.
Alison Maraniss
Senior Account Executive
Maraniss, a Nashville native, joined McNeely Pigott & Fox as a staff associate in 2002. Her areas of focus include marketing material development, news and feature writing, strategic research and event planning for clients in the retail, utility and government sectors.
Prior to joining MP&F, Maraniss interned at Fleishman-Hillard's world headquarters in St. Louis where she was responsible for media relations and research. A summa cum laude graduate of Saint Louis University, Maraniss holds a bachelor’s degree in communications with minors in marketing and theology.
Andrea
Mills
Senior Account Executive
Mills, a native of Mayfield, Ky., joined McNeely Pigott & Fox as a staff associate in November 2003. A graduate of Murray State University in Murray, Ky., Mills holds a B.A. degree in public relations. Since joining MP&F, Mills has worked with a variety of clients in the automotive, financial and government sectors, concentrating in media relations and special events. Prior to joining MP&F, Mills interned with the Murray Tourism Commission, where she was responsible for media relations and assisted with coordinating events for the 2002 Freedom Fest celebration.
Jennifer
Poston
Senior Account Executive
Poston joined McNeely Pigott & Fox Public Relations in May 2005 after serving as marketing specialist for the Office for Trademark Licensing at Vanderbilt University. Her public relations experience includes marketing material development, news and feature writing, event and conference planning, strategic marketing and media relations. A native of Middle Tennessee, Poston graduated from Vanderbilt University in 2001 with a bachelor's degree in human and organizational development and in 2004 earned her M.Ed. degree in organizational leadership.
Jessica Martin
Account Executive
Martin is a Nashville native and graduate of the University of Tennessee. At MP&F, Martin works for a variety of clients ranging from large, national accounts such as the U.S. Department of Labor’s Job Corps program and smaller, local clients such as Genesco and Sunset Grill. Martin is also involved in several local organizations such as GenerationTN, The Tomorrow Fund and the Nashville chapter of the Junior League.
Doug Rainer
Account Executive
Rainer, originally from Enterprise, Ala., joined MP&F in January 2005. Upon graduating, Rainer worked in business development for a golf course in Auburn, Ala. Since joining MP&F, Rainer has worked with Job Corps and the District Attorneys General Conference’s Meth Destroys campaign. Rainer coordinated the Chevrolet Continuous Safety Tour, a nationwide General Motors initiative, in Nashville in 2006 and specializes in marketing and media relations. Rainer is a graduate of Auburn University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in mass communication and a minor in business administration.
Dan Schlacter
Account Executive
Schlacter joined McNeely Pigott & Fox in April 2005. A 2002 graduate of the University of Tennessee, he holds a B.A. degree in marketing. Before coming to MP&F, he spent two years with the YMCA of Greater Houston, specializing in community relations and program development. Since arriving at MP&F, he has worked on various projects, including alternative fuel messaging for General Motors, Medicare policy awareness for PhRMA (Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America) and a statewide methamphetamine education campaign for the Tennessee District Attorneys General Conference. Schlacter has done national and regional work for the U.S. Dept. of Labor’s Job Corps program, currently serving on the Dallas Region account. He is also an assistant coach for the Vanderbilt University Men’s Lacrosse Club.
Becca Stinson
Account Executive
Stinson, a Nashville native, joined McNeely Pigott & Fox in April 2005. She focuses on grassroots organizing and strategic planning across a variety of sectors, including education and commercial real estate development. Her experience includes Web site development and management, media relations, and marketing material development. Before joining the firm, she served as field organizer for the Kerry-Edwards Iowa Coordinated Campaign and canvass director in Cleveland, Ohio, for the Democratic National Committee. Prior to her campaign work, Stinson was operations manager of the Washington, D.C., City Year/AmeriCorps program. She graduated magna cum laude from the College of Wooster in 2003 with a bachelor's degree in English. Stinson is a volunteer with Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Middle Tennessee.
Meghan Umphres
Account Executive
Umphres, of Brentwood, Tenn., joined McNeely Pigott & Fox in May 2005. She has worked on accounts in a variety of industries including transportation, accounting, chambers of commerce and trade publications. Her experience includes Web site development and management, event planning, media relations and developing marketing materials. Prior to joining MP&F, Umphres was an editorial assistant for the Vanderbilt University News Service, where she compiled the daily news on Vanderbilt, and supervised interns. Umphres received her B.A. degree in communication and English from St. Norbert College in De Pere, Wis., in 2003. Umphres is a volunteer for the YWCA of Middle Tennessee and serves on the planning committee for Nashville Athena Awards.
Katie Young
Account Executive
Young, a Nashville native, joined McNeely Pigott & Fox in 2005. Her industry experience includes media relations, event planning, writing and marketing for clients in the health care, banking, retail, government and nonprofit sectors. Her client list includes FirstBank, Genesco, Magdalene, West Tennessee Healthcare and Wal-Mart. She graduated from Vanderbilt University in 2004 with a bachelor’s degree in communications and minors in political science and French. In addition to interning at MP&F, Young interned with Seigenthaler Public Relations and the Vanderbilt News Service. She participates in the Vanderbilt Alumni Interviewing Program and is a member of Alliance Française Nashville and the Alpha Delta Pi Alumni Association.
Amanda King
Assistant Account Executive
King, originally from Tampa, Fla., joined McNeely Pigott & Fox in May 2006 as a staff associate. She graduated from the University of Florida in May 2006 with a bachelor's degree in public relations with a minor in business administration. Since joining MP&F, she has worked with a variety of clients in banking, nonprofit, pharmaceuticals and tourism. While attending UF, King worked as an intern for the University Athletic Association and UF’s College of Health and Human Performance. She was also involved with the Public Relations Student Society of America.
Katie Lewis
Assistant Account Executive
Lewis, a native of Georgetown, Texas , joined McNeely Pigott & Fox in August 2006 as a staff associate. She graduated summa cum laude from Auburn University with a bachelor's degree in public relations and a minor in Spanish. While attending Auburn, Lewis served as the public relations vice president of the AU chapter of the Gamma Phi Beta sorority and completed internships with MP&F and the Columbus Cottonmouths of the Southern Professional Hockey League, where she gained experience in marketing, media relations and event planning/facilitation.
Erin Mercer
Assistant Account Executive
Mercer joined McNeely Pigott & Fox as a staff associate in May 2006, and has since supported client teams on grassroots campaigns, research, event planning and media relations. She completed internships at MP&F, the governor’s Books from Birth Foundation, the Office of University Communication at Jackson State University, and the world headquarters of Fleishman-Hillard in St. Louis. Originally from Jackson, Tenn., Mercer holds a bachelor’s degree from Jackson State University and a master’s degree from Middle Tennessee State University. She is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., and the National Association for Multi-ethnicity in Communications.
Stacy Carr Alcala
Associate Account Executive
Alcala, a native of Franklin, Tenn., graduated from Middle Tennessee State University with a bachelor’s degree in mass communications with an emphasis in public relations and minors in business communication and sociology. While at MTSU, Alcala was the vice president of communications for the Public Relations Student Society of America and a staff writer for the school’s newspaper, Sidelines. During college, she also worked with the Rutherford County Habitat for Humanity, 107.5 The River and Gov. Phil Bredesen’s Communications Office.
Nicole Floyd
Associate Account Executive
Floyd, of Smyrna, Tenn., graduated magna cum laude from Vanderbilt University with a dual bachelor’s degree in communication studies and sociology. Floyd attended Vanderbilt on the Chancellor’s Scholarship, which recognizes a commitment to diversity, leadership, citizenship and scholarship. She also served on the editorial board of Vanderbilt’s award-winning student newspaper, The Hustler, and conducted independent research concerning the work of minority reporters in television newsrooms in conjunction with an internship with WTVF-TV in Nashville.
Matt Griffin
Associate Account Executive
Griffin, a native of Munford, Tenn., graduated from the University of Memphis with a bachelor’s degree in mass communications with an emphasis in broadcasting and electronic media. At Memphis, Griffin interned at WMC-FM, where he took part in the daily production of its morning show. He also completed an internship with Dell’s corporate communications department shortly before joining the MP&F team, and is currently working toward his master’s degree in mass communication at MTSU.
Katie Hill
Associate Account Executive
Hill, a Nashville native, graduated in 2005 from the University of Virginia with a bachelor’s degree in classics and a minor in art history. Before joining MP&F, she worked in development and community relations at Hands On Nashville for nearly two years. While enrolled at U.Va., she dug trenches, built fences and planted grapes on a vineyard in Tuscany for six months and spent two semesters studying Italian, art history and classical literature in Rome. She is a graduate of the Harpeth Hall School, where she was selected in 2000 as Lady of the Hall by the students and faculty.
Katherine Liles
Associate Account Executive
Liles, a native of Birmingham, Ala., graduated from Auburn University with a bachelor’s degree in public relations. While at Auburn, Liles helped create a successful public relations campaign for the National Stone Carvers Guild and was a member of the Auburn University chapter of the Public Relations Council of Alabama. She was also active in the College Republicans, the Student Government Association, and her social sorority, Alpha Omicron Pi. Liles completed an internship with MP&F in August 2007.
Leigh Kelley Lindsey
Associate Account Executive
Lindsey, a Columbia, Tenn., native, graduated magna cum laude from Lipscomb University in May 2007 with a bachelor’s degree in communication and a concentration in public relations. While attending Lipscomb, Lindsey served as president of the university’s Public Relations Student Society of America chapter. She completed internships with MP&F, Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt and Southern Hills Medical Center.
Lauren Northcutt
Associate Account Executive
Northcutt, a native of Birmingham, Ala., graduated cum laude from Auburn University with a bachelor’s degree in public relations and a minor in English. While attending Auburn, Northcutt was a member of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars, the Public Relations Council of Alabama, Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society, and the Alpha Omicron Pi social sorority. She completed an internship with MP&F in August 2007.
Lauren Barrett
Staff Associate
lbarrett@mpf.com
Barrett, of Murfreesboro, Tenn., graduated from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville with a bachelor’s degree in communication studies. During college, Barrett completed public relations internships with the Knoxville Tourism and Sports Corporation, Burson-Marsteller’s Chicago office and GlaxoSmithKline. Barrett was involved in PRSSA, the Communication Studies Club, the Lambda Pi Eta National Honor Society and Habitat for Humanity. She was a disc jockey for UT’s WUTK-FM and taught pre-school students at her local church.
Elizabeth Elmore
Staff Associate
eelmore@mpf.com
A native of St. Louis, Elmore majored in public relations and international business at the University of Georgia. She earned a Spanish minor and an academic certificate in leadership from the Terry College of Business Institute for Leadership Advancement. Elmore was the president of the Student Alumni Council for the UGA Alumni Association and held several leadership positions in Pi Beta Phi sorority. She interned with marketing firm Translation Consultation & Brand Imaging in New York City and was a student assistant in the promotions department for the UGA Athletic Association.
Holden Miller
Staff Associate
Miller, of Chattanooga, Tenn., graduated cum laude from Auburn University in Auburn, Ala., with a bachelor’s degree in communication. Before beginning her studies at Auburn, Miller attended the Girls Preparatory School in Chattanooga. There she served as captain of the girls’ varsity golf team for three out of the four years she participated. She was also a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, the Public Relations Student Society of America and the American Society of Interior Design. Miller has been a volunteer for Habitat for Humanity and the Community Kitchen and has assisted in her local church’s Hurricane Katrina relief efforts in Slidell, La. She completed an internship with MP&F in the spring of 2008.
Sarah Reed
Staff Associate
sreed@mpf.com
Reed, a native of Old Tappan, N.J., graduated magna cum laude from the University of Rhode Island with a bachelor’s degree in human development and family studies. She is a member of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars. During college, Reed was involved with the United Way, and she participated in the Storm Corps program in 2006 before leading a team for United Way’s Alternative Spring Break in 2007 and 2008. Her past experience includes an internship at FLAnk, Inc., an architectural design and real estate development firm in Manhattan, N.Y., where she worked on the company’s public relations team. Reed completed an internship with MP&F in the spring of 2008.
Kristen Strauss
Staff Associate
kstrauss@mpf.com
Strauss, a Charlotte, N.C., native, graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a bachelor’s degree in public relations. Before coming to MP&F, she participated in internships in the corporate partnerships department of the NBA’s Charlotte Bobcats and with French/West/Vaughan, a public relations agency in Raleigh, N.C.
While attending UNC, Strauss served as an admissions ambassador and was an active member of Zeta Tau Alpha social sorority and the Order of Omega honor society. She also served as the vice president of the Panhellenic Council, the largest women’s organization on campus, and as the Panhellenic representative to the University Committee of Fraternity and Sorority Life.
Eric Ward
Staff Associate
eward@mpf.com
Ward, a native of Owensboro, Ky., graduated from the University of Kentucky with a bachelor’s degree in integrated strategic communication with an emphasis on public relations. At UK, Ward worked for Preston-Osborne Marketing Communications as an intern in its public relations division and as a telephone interviewer in the firm’s research call center. He also completed an internship with the arenafootball2 league’s Lexington Horsemen, where he worked to produce the team’s inaugural af2 media guide.
ACCOUNTING STAFF
Mark
Bjordahl
Chief Financial Officer
Bjordahl, a native of De Smet, S.D., has been with McNeely Pigott & Fox since 2000 and is responsible for all accounting functions. Prior to his time at MP&F, he served as controller at The Wichita Eagle and Aberdeen American News. Bjordahl, a certified public accountant, has also served as finance director for Meals on Wheels PLUS of Manatee, Inc., and staff accountant for the CPA firms Eide Helmeke & Company and Cahill, Kohlman & Guhin. He graduated from Northern State University in Aberdeen, S.D., in 1977.
Pat
Ackerman
Accounting Assistant
A native of Akron, Ohio, Ackerman joined MP&F's administrative staff in September 1997 after serving as senior branch bookkeeper for Lawyer's Title Insurance Co. based in Richmond, Va. Her previous position was assistant to the controller at Saifman, Richards & Associates, a Cleveland-based advertising agency. Ackerman, a graduate of Walsh University in North Canton, Ohio, holds a bachelor of arts degree in French with a minor in accounting.
Kea Everett
Accounting Assistant
keverett@mpf.com
Everett, of Oakland, Calif., graduated cum laude from Fisk University with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a concentration in accounting. During her time at Fisk, Everett co-founded the Women of Perfection, a tutoring and counseling program devoted to teaching children the importance of a higher education and community involvement. In addition, Everett was involved in the California Club, Delta Mu Delta International Business Honor Society and Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority.
ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF
Susan Jett
Office Manager
A native of Nashville, Jett joined McNeely Pigott & Fox in May 2006 and oversees the administrative functions of the office including payroll, benefits and human resources. Her previous experience includes 15 years as an administrator of the Nashville law firm Dearborn & Ewing and 12 years as administrative manager for Omega Apparel, a Tennessee government contractor. Jett holds a degree in business administration from the University of Tennessee.
Diane Hogg
Proofreader
Hogg joined McNeely Pigott & Fox in 1991 and is responsible for proofreading all written communications. A native of Houston, she attended the University of Houston, and also has experience in banking and mortgage lending.
Erin
Penny
Executive Assistant
Penny, a native of Lakeland, Fla., joined McNeely Pigott & Fox as executive assistant in February 2005. She was previously the executive administrative assistant for the Metropolitan Government of Nashville/Davidson County, Fair Board Division for more than six years, and was also a sales team leader with the Target Corporation. Penny attended Middle Tennessee State University.
Jessica Grant
Administrative Assistant
Grant, a native of Nashville, joined McNeely Pigott & Fox in September of 2006. She is a graduate of Father Ryan High School and attended Middle Tennessee State University. She has extensive experience with Nashville organizations that include Ladies of Charity, the Metro Beautification and Environment Committee, Loaves and Fishes, and the Al Gore Presidential Campaign.
T.J. McCrary
Administrative Assistant
McCrary, a native of Nashville, is a graduate of Glencliff High School. She comes to MP&F with seven years’ experience in the hotel and hospitality industry. Prior to joining MP&F, McCrary was employed by the Renaissance Nashville Hotel.
Barbie Tamimi
Administrative Assistant
btamimi@mpf.com
Prior to joining MP&F, Tamimi worked in the multifamily and commercial real estate business for 10 years. Tamimi was a property manager responsible for an apartment community staff and the sale of condominiums. Tamimi has earned several certificates in marketing, sales and management training and has presented seminars on topics relevant to the real estate industry. Tamimi is originally from Chicago, Ill., and moved to Nashville in 1977. She graduated from Hendersonville High School in 1989.
DESIGN STAFF
Brooks Harper
Graphic Designer
Harper comes to MP&F with 15 years experience as an art director and webmaster. He is a 1993 graduate of Flagler College in St. Augustine, Fla., where he received a bachelor’s degree in graphic design. Harper has spent most of his professional career in the health care education industry, while independently contracting print and Web-based design projects on occasion.
Connie
McGhee
Art Director
Formerly
a graphic designer for DSI, Connie McGhee joined McNeely Pigott & Fox in April
1999. A native Nashvillian, McGhee attended Harris School of Art in Franklin,
Tenn., and holds an associate's degree in visual communications from Nashville
State Technical Institute, where she graduated with highest honors. Since joining
MP&F, McGhee has designed logos, annual reports, brochures, ad campaigns and various
collaterals for clients such as Metro Nashville's Recycling campaign, FirstBank,
Harpeth Hall, Job Corps and Partnership 2010.
Rebecca
McNeely
Web/Graphic Designer
Since joining MP&F in April of 2002, McNeely has designed print materials and web
sites for clients such as Extra Aircraft, The Mathews Company, Nashville CARES, Job Corps and Eagle's Nest.
Formerly with CGI Management Consulting Services, Inc., McNeely worked for three years consulting, designing
and maintaining client web sites for United Methodist Publishing House/Cokesbury, LifeWay, Inventory
Locator Service and the NFIB, to name a few. McNeely is a 1992 graduate of Front Range Community College in
Colorado.
Marti
Molpus
Art Department Manager
Molpus oversees the MP&F design department and coordinates art production, job estimating and print-media buying. In addition, she has designed print collaterals for Job Corps, Nashville Electric Service, West Tennessee Healthcare, Dell Computer, FirstBank, The Harpeth Hall School, Nashville Superspeedway, Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities, The Center for Living & Learning, and many others.
She joined MP&F in 1998 and is a former Nashville Banner graphics editor. Prior to that, she worked as a copy editor. Molpus earned a B.S. degree in Communications from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville, and served as editor of The Daily Beacon. She is a native of Alcoa, Tenn.
Holly Reynolds
Graphic Designer
hreynolds@mpf.com
Prior to joining MP&F, Reynolds worked as a senior art director for Nashville advertising firm Lam-Andrews, Inc. While at Lam-Andrews, Reynolds worked on jobs from concept through print production with clients including Bradford’s Furniture, O’Charley’s, Cracker Barrel and the Frist Center for the Visual Arts. She has also worked as a graphics assistant for A.W. Vidmer & Co. and as a graphic production artist for FISI-Madison Financial. Reynolds is originally from Pittsburgh, Pa., and moved to Nashville in 1986. She graduated in 1983 from the Art Institute of Pittsburgh with an associate degree in visual communications.
Lynn
Vincent
Senior Art Director
Vincent joined McNeely Pigott & Fox in July 1996. She has created materials for the U.S. Navy, Dell Computer, the Tennessee Titans, Baptist Hospital, the Department of Labor's SCSEP Program and Job Corps, Logan's Roadhouse, Nashville Electric Service, the Gaylord Entertainment Center and others, winning numerous awards. Prior to joining MP&F, she served as an account executive with Ericson Marketing Communications, where she coordinated print, television and radio advertising, as well as direct mail and signage projects for clients. Before Ericson, she worked nine years for Newspaper Printing Corporation, designing advertising and promotional materials for daily newspapers and their clients. She also taught fine art for 10 years in area private schools. Vincent holds a bachelor of arts degree from the University of Tennessee.
Megan Willoughby
Graphic Designer
Willoughby joined MP&F in June 2006. She is a former junior art director with Sony Music Nashville, where she created CD packaging, ads, marketing and promotional materials for country music artists such as Gretchen Wilson, Miranda Lambert, Montgomery Gentry and Patti Loveless. She previously was a Web designer for Allmedia Design Group, where she created sports-related Web sites, including sites for NFL teams. Willoughby, an Alabama native, is a 2003 graduate of Ringling School of Art and Design in Sarasota, Fla.
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY STAFF
Deborah
Armour
Director of Information Services
Armour
joined MP&F as the director of information services in August 2000. While
at MP&F she has worked for clients in a variety of fields including non-profit
and association management. Her information services experience includes an A.S.
degree in computer technology and 15 years as a network administrator for local
government. Armour also holds Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer certification.
