Long-time employees assume ownership of Ryan/Sawyer Marketing
Dan Ryan, President of Ryan/Sawyer Marketing, announced today that he has sold the company to Julie Hober and Bridgett Gutierrez, both long-time employees of the agency.
“After 35 years it was time to pass the torch to a new generation of marketers,” Ryan said. “Julie and Bridgett are both seasoned professionals with a deep understanding of advertising and marketing in both traditional and digital arenas. They have been instrumental in our continued success and the agency’s clients will continue to be in great hands.”
Ryan founded Ryan & Associates Advertising in 1990, a company that quickly became one of Grand Junction’s premier advertising agencies. In 1998 he merged the company with Lee Whitney’s marketing firm L.A. Whitney & Associates to form Ryan, Whitney & Company. In 2009 Tom Sawyer, a business, marketing and technology strategist, joined the firm and the three partners formed Ryan, Sawyer & Whitney. In 2011 Ryan and Sawyer bought out Whitney and changed the name to Ryan/Sawyer Marketing. In 2014 Ryan purchased Sawyer’s shares of the company and once again became the sole owner.
“It’s been a heck of a ride,” Ryan said. “The changes we’ve seen over the past 35 years are astounding, but we’ve managed to embrace those changes and become even better at what we do. I’ve been blessed to have had two great partners who each brought a unique set of skills and experience that allowed us to thrive, even through uncertain times. And our dedicated employees have been critical to our success, exemplified by Julie and Bridgett, who have both stepped into strong leadership roles over the past few years.”
Julie Hober has worked at RSM since 2012 as a Client Services Manager and Strategist. With a master’s degree in advertising from Boston University, she cut her teeth at a Detroit area advertising agency where she learned to meet client goals through strategically designed messaging and strategic evaluation. Over the past 13 years Julie has been instrumental in providing RSM clients with strategy development services and is the primary project manager for website development. “We are honored to carry forward the incredible legacy that Dan has built over the past 35 years,” said Hober. “Ryan/Sawyer Marketing has always focused on delivering exceptional results and fostering lasting relationships with our clients. Bridgett and I are committed to maintaining that tradition while embracing new opportunities to expand our services.”
Bridgett Gutierrez started at RSM in 2019 and has taken the lead in developing the agency’s digital marketing initiatives. She received her bachelor’s degree in business/marketing from Colorado Mesa University and has worked as an Account Executive and Media Manager for over fifteen years. Bridgett has become a digital marketing expert, completing Google Analytics certification, multiple social media workshops, implementing results-driven SEO programs and establishing successful online marketing strategies for local and national customers. She also heads up creative development services for the agency. “We are very excited to begin this next chapter,” said Gutierrez, “The agency’s rich history and talented team provide the perfect foundation to innovate and grow. I’m eager to see how we can build on this legacy together and provide our customers with new ways to connect and reach their audience.”
As a full-service advertising and marketing agency, Ryan/Sawyer Marketing provides a broad range of services, including marketing strategies, brand development, website design & development, graphic design, copywriting, video production, media buying, public relations and digital marketing.
Ryan/Sawyer Marketing is currently located at 259 Grand Avenue in downtown Grand Junction and can be reached at 970.241.4773.
