![]()
Who’s Going to Succeed Nancy Fletcher
as OAAA President and CEO ?
Moving Out—
In what may have been the worst kept secret and least surprising Out of Home announcement to date for 2019, the leader of the Outdoor Advertising Association of America is leaving the Industry Association at the end of the year. Nancy Fletcher, President and CEO of OAAA, officially announced her retirement on Monday, February 4, in an OAAA press release following Sunday’s Super Bowl. For those of you who were nursing your Super Bowl hangover yesterday and back at it today, let us be the first to share the news.
This was the official announcement⇒ Nancy Fletcher, OAAA President and CEO, to Retire.
Unofficially, to no surprise to anyone who attended last year’s OOH conference in Austin, the rumored news of Fletcher’s retirement was well circulated after she announced it to the 30 member OAAA Board of Directors on May the 7th last year. Though a date was not given at that time, 2019 was. With that many keepers of the flame, it didn’t take long for the ‘unofficial announcement’ to spill out among the Austin Conference attendees. OOH Today’s insider board member shared the news over a bourbon that same evening providing us with details.
Soon after, OOH Today shared with OAAA we were breaking the news. We were asked to ‘hold the story’ until Nancy was ready to officially announce. We kept our word and commitment.
Moving In—
So who’s going to succeed?
Sources, who have asked to remain unnamed, have told us details of the OAAA conducting their own hunt before turning over to a professional search firm should results not occur. The internal search is underway led by Rafkin & Company. Further, its been said, the OAAA has given themselves 6 months for the internal search and if not successful, will source outside to a professional search firm.
We are aware of a handful of candidates who have been interviewed and some who have declined interviews. Those individuals, who for obvious reasons are not willing to confirm their meeting for consideration of filling the large shoes of Fletcher, are part of a list of candidates OOH Today has put together, along with candidates which have been suggested to us by Industry leaders. Since we have zero intention of harming anyone’s current career position, we are pooling all the ‘names ‘ into one ‘speculative’ list so there can be no revelation of the actual status of any single individual.
Let’s look at OOH Today’s speculative successors for retiring OAAA President/CEO, Nancy Fletcher.
If you have a solid candidate who should be considered, add them to our comments below or send to BillBoard@OOHToday.com
Listed in no particular order.
President, Geopath, NYC
President, CEO DPAA, NYC.
Stephanie Gutnick
VP, Business Dev at Broadsign, NYC
CMO, OUTFRONT Media, NYC
Don Allman—
Senior Advisor at Intersection, NYC
Vice Chairman at Intersection, NYC
Director at American Campus Media, Naples
OOH Media Advisor at Self-Employed Contractor, Phoenix
Global President & CEO, Rapport Worldwide, NYC
CEO, MacDonald Media, NYC
SVP, Director Horizon Media, NYC
Partner/Chief Strategy Officer, Billups, LA
Director of New Business Dev and Marketing, Circle Graphics, Tampa
CMO at OAAA, Washington, D.C.
Director of Digital /Innovation + Sales Strategy at Lamar Advertising, Baton Rouge
President at EYE Corp Media, NYC
Dave Krup
President | COO, Billups, Chicago
Dark Horse—
Dark Race Course, Any Where, USA
- Advertisement -
A POV on the speculative list for Nancy Fletcher’s successor by an Global OOH insider.
All the suggested candidates are experienced OOH marketing executives albeit some very much more experienced than others and some very much more on the leading edge of OOH in all its formats as well as other major media than others. However, surely none are real candidates. In addition, I have little doubt the most accomplished overall on this list have already declined to be interviewed. So, what should OAAA and Rafkin & Company be evaluating?
Nancy’s greatest strength and most critical asset to OOH industry was as a lawyer who knew Washington, its most relevant players, how to maneuver in this environment and consequently how to protect OOH from a legislative perspective. She has done a superb job for the industry over many years and deserves every ounce of kudos for her accomplishments.
In my opinion, marketing is not and has never been OAAA’s strength albeit they have executed some truly valuable industry “basics” and provided generally good counsel on overall strategy for their members. Unfortunately, I believe they have also blown some major marketing opportunities. With the majority of OOH ad revenues driven by only a few major players with massive marketing departments and GeoPath (formerly TAB) established and continuing to evolve, the OAAA needs to remain primarily as a lobbying and protectionist organization for the industry which why it’s in DC.
If any of these potential successors, that have not already declined the opportunity, are lawyers and have an intimate knowledge of the Washington bureaucracy and its processes the selection should be straight forward. In that that is likely not the case, its a tough assignment. So, if you are lawyer already in Washington and have knowledge of, or a propensity for OOH please please apply. There is a raft of senior personalities immersed in marketing and media focused on OOH that can bring you up to speed very quickly! Let’s hope that Sean Reilly, Chairman and the OAAA Board make the optimum decision. As I am not a lawyer and have minimal experience of the workings of Washington, I just eliminated myself from consideration. As yet another senior OOH marketer, this industry role would have been truly fascinating and exhilarating. I guess I need to take a law degree at Georgetown University!
Tony Jarvis, CEO, Olympic Media Consultancy
Tony Jarvis, we appreciate the view point and sharing your valuable insights.
We will not reveal who we know to have had interviewed already and as you correctly stated, those who declined to be interviewed.
Your comments describing evaluation priorities are ones which should be seriously considered.
Lobbying and protection should continue to be primary as you said. How unfortunate you have removed yourself from consideration.
Should you gain GU matriculation in the very near future, we would happily carry your name forward.
Thank you for for your comments.