True Media
True Media is an independent, full-service media strategy and communications company. True Media is headquartered in Columbia, Missouri with offices in St. Louis, Missouri, Minneapolis, Minnesota and Calgary, Canada. True Media specializes in helping corporations determine appropriate communication plans-including traditional, digital, social and mobile media. True Media develops advertising plans, manages media relationships and handles media negotiations for direct clients and creative agencies to ensure that media aligns with the overall message and brand.[1] In 2013 True Media earned recognition from The Agency Post on the The Agency 100 list, coming in as America’s 63rd fastest growing advertising agency and in 2014, they were awarded the Bionic Agency of the Year award. True Media’s President and founder, Jack Miller, is a regular speaker on the subject of entrepreneurship, media, marketing and non-traditional forms of corporate communication.[2][3]
History
Originally from Moberly, Missouri, True Media’s President and founder, Jack Miller, got his media start in high school when he did voiceovers and sold advertising for a local radio station. But it was during college, as a business major at the University of Missouri, that he began thinking more seriously about a future in the industry, particularly after landing a job managing sales with Premier Marketing, where he stayed for eight years and eventually became a minority partner. One year after selling their radio stations to Cumulus Broadcasting, Miller decided to step out on his own. On March 1, 2005, with just one employee, he launched True Media, a media strategy and communications business, in the Paramount Building on Ninth Street in Columbia, Missouri.
True Media hit the ground running and made a name for itself in record time. As a result the company also experienced rapid growth, which prompted Miller to expand operations beyond Columbia. Within just a few years, he opened two additional offices, one in St. Louis and the other in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.” [4] In 2015, True Media added their 4th office in the popular warehouse district of downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota.
In 2007, True Media hired Carolle Sutter as Media Director in Canada. Sutter had previously been Media Director at Brown Communications Group, as well as Ogilvy & Mather.[5] A few years later, in 2011, True Media announced Leon D. Halbert as an Associate Media Director in the St. Louis office. Halbert was formerly Media Director for the St. Louis based agency Brighton. His previous account work included leading strategy development for various agricultural based clients including Monsanto; as well as consumer accounts like McDonald’s, Famous Barr, Missouri Tourism, St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission, Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Missouri, the Saint Louis Galleria, and Magna Bank.[6]
In 2011, Miller realized his Columbia office had outgrown its 6,000 square feet of office space in downtown Columbia. Through his property investment company True Properties, LLC, he acquired an 11,000 square foot building located at 500 Business Loop 70 West to serve as the company’s new headquarters. The building had previously served as headquarters for Commerce Bank. After nearly a year of construction, True Media officially moved into their new headquarters in September 2012.[4]
In 2012, Miller continued to build his executive team. Candice Rotter was promoted to the position of Associate Media Director in the Columbia, Mo. corporate headquarters office. In 2015, she was promoted to Vice President and put in charge of the company’s healthcare client vertical. Rotter originally joined the True Media team in 2006 as a media buyer and then rose through the ranks as a planner and media manager before becoming associate media director. In 2014 she was recognized as one of Columbia’s Top 20 Business Leader’s under the age of 40 by the Columbia Business Times.[7]
2014 saw other changes in executive leadership. In March of the same year, True Media hired Stephanie Padgett as SVP, Director of Media Operations and Strategy in the US. Padgett’s previous employment experience includes working as research director for Empower Media and Media Audit.[8]
In December, 2014, True Media moved its St. Louis office from Chesterfield to Maryland Heights. The company bought a 16,000-square-foot building at 1805 Borman Circle Drive, near Page Avenue and Interstate 270, which was previously owned by National Waterworks Inc.[9]
In 2015, Elizabeth Van Kort, who originally joined the True Media team in 2010, was named an Associate Media Director of Digital. She, along with Kelly Roberts oversee the interactive team of True Media across North America.
Important Partnerships
In 2012, True Media joined the AMIN Worldwide network as the first media strategy agency to be granted membership in this international marketing and communication network. AMIN (the Advertising and Marketing International Network) creates economies of scale and provides shared services such as media research, legal support, best practices and technology to its members. True Media joined 27 U.S. agencies—whose clients include Caterpillar, Disney, Fuji, Gerber, and Kellogg's—and 22 European and Asian agencies. The organization encourages open collaboration and communication among members.[10]
Awards
In August, 2009 Miller was recognized as one of Columbia Business Times Magazine’s top 20 business professionals under the age of 40.[11]
In 2010 True Media was ranked as one of the fastest growing media agencies in Inc. (magazine)'s yearly top 5000 fastest-growing private companies in the U.S. The agency had a 164% growth from 2006 to 2009.[12]
In 2011, True Media was once again ranked on the Inc. 5000 list at #2108 for 120% growth for the years 2007-2010. (inc.com) In 2011 True Media was also nominated as one of Inside Columbia's CEO Magazine's Best Places to Work in Columbia, Mo.[13]
In 2012, True Media was ranked #1239 on the Inc. 5000 for the third year in a row for a 250% increase in growth for the years 2008-2011. This ranking is the highest the company has attained to date.[12]
In 2012 True Media was named by the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry as a 2012 Missouri Fast Track award winner. The award recipients were recognized during the Missouri Chamber Annual Meeting on Nov. 14, 2012 at the Chase Park Plaza in St. Louis.[14]
In 2013, Inc. Magazine ranked True Media as one of the nation’s fastest-growing privately held companies with 153 percent three-year growth. Inc. reported True Media’s 2012 revenue to be $35.8 million.[9]
In August 2013, True Media earned recognition from The Agency Post on the The Agency 100 list, coming in as America’s 63rd fastest growing advertising agency. In partnership with the Agency Management Roundtable, The Agency 100 ranking evaluates a company’s growth in revenue over a three-year period and lists agencies accordingly. This year’s ranking is evaluated from 2009-2012.[15]
In August 2014, Inc. magazine ranked True Media in its 2014 edition of America’s fastest-growing privately held companies for the fifth consecutive year. True Media ranked 2541 in the list of 5000 companies.[12]
In June 2014, True Media’s Columbia location was voted as one of “Columbia’s Coolest Offices,” by Columbia Business Times.[16]
Also in December 2014, Bionic Advertising Systems honored True Media as the 2014 Bionic Agency of the Year. The award recognizes advertising agencies that have made significant improvements in workflow automation technology, reducing non-media working costs and improving job satisfaction.[17]
In May 2015, True Media CEO Jack Miller was named Small Business Person of the Year for Eastern Missouri by the United States Small Business Administration.
In August 2015, Inc. magazine ranked True Media in its 2015 edition of America’s fastest-growing privately held companies for the sixth consecutive year. Only 18% of companies on the list have received this recognition more than 5 years in a row. True Media ranked 2770 in the list of 5000 companies.[12]