Organization Commences Search for New Leader

NEW YORK, July 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The 4A's (American Association of Advertising Agencies), a membership-based U.S. trade association for the advertising and marketing communications industry, today announced that Marla Kaplowitz, CEO will be stepping down as of May 30th, 2025. The Board of Directors and its Search Committee is commencing a CEO search effective immediately.

"Marla has made a tremendous impact on the 4A's and our industry and while we are sorry to see her go, she has given us the time to find the right successor," said Abbey Klaassen, Chair of the 4A's board and CEO, denstu Creative U.S. "She has re-established the organization's role across the industry, focusing on critical issues for agencies including how to diversify the talent pipeline, how to evaluate various compensation models, how to manage the growing costs of pitching and guiding the industry through the uncertainty of COVID-19. We are grateful for Marla's contributions and support her as she has much more she wants to achieve in her professional career outside of the 4A's."

2025 will mark eight years for Marla Kaplowitz at the helm of the organization. During her tenure, she implemented many initiatives including the addition of the annual Member Value Report, partnering with the ANA to create multiple joint initiatives, moving MAIP (Multicultural Advertising Intern Program) and high school programs into the 4A's Foundation as well as creating the Advertiser Protection Bureau bringing leading media agencies together to focus on brand safety and suitability. Notably, Kaplowitz improved member NPS in her tenure from 21 to 42 and improved member satisfaction by almost 700%.

"I came to the 4A's to make a difference in our industry, support and advocate for member agencies and address the biggest issues we faced. And I expected to do that for five years. The fact that I've been here for what will be eight years, is testament to the team at the 4A's, the board and especially the members. I have truly appreciated the experience and learned and grown significantly and now I am ready to pursue the next phase of my professional journey," says Kaplowitz.

As part of her next chapter, Kaplowitz will take on advisory work as well as continue to expand and serve on Corporate Boards. She currently serves on the board of public company, Penn Entertainment, chairing the Nominating and Governance Committee and serving on the Compensation Committee, and serves on several industry boards including BBB National Programs, VoxComm, and Ad Council.

"The new CEO will build on the progress that Marla has made and will work with the 4A's Executive Leadership Team to continue to develop new initiatives to support our members while helping to navigate what's next such as how AI will impact how our industry works," added Klaassen.

About the 4A's: The 4A's was established in 1917 to promote, advance, and defend the interests of our member agencies, employees and the advertising and marketing industry overall. We empower and equip our members to confidently navigate the ever-changing ecosystem of the agency world. We ensure they remain relevant, are positioned to compete, and have the resources to thrive and grow. With a focus on advocacy, talent and driving business growth and cultural change, the organization serves 600+ member agencies across 1,200 offices, which help direct more than 85% of total U.S. advertising spend. The 4A's includes the 4A's Benefits division, which insures more than 160,000 employees; the government relations team, who advocate for policies to support the industry; and the 4A's Foundation, which advocates for and connects diverse talent to the marketing industry by fostering a culture of curiosity, creativity and craft to fuel a more equitable future.

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Jennifer Risi
The Sway Effect
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SOURCE The American Association of Advertising Agencies (4A's)