ATLANTA, GA—July 20, 2016—Twenty years ago, MarketPro was created with a vision for a better way to provide businesses in need of marketing expertise with top talent that is uniquely suited to do the job.
Founder Melissa Van Rossum understood a fundamental truth about exceptional marketing professionals: it takes one to know one. She started this business in 1996 when she found she had a natural talent and tendency for matching Atlanta’s top companies in need of marketing talent with qualified professionals who were ready for the job.
“I went out and did research on the larger businesses in the area, met with marketing leaders and got a sense for the demand. Employers had a need for project-based marketing execution, but there was no standardized way of managing it,” she said. “From there we have been able to grow to the top search firm in the country for marketing executive search and marketing staffing services. With how marketing has changed, we have made sure we stayed ahead of the digital curve.”
Two decades later, we’ve retained our focus on premier talent in the marketing, digital, communications, advertising and creative realms. We remain a nimble woman-owned business owned and operated exclusively by former marketers who have hands-on experience in the field.
“For many clients, our twenty years in the business are a signal that we’re someone they can trust,” said Cindy Underwood, Vice President of MarketPro. “Most small businesses don’t make it past a few years; the fact that we’ve not only endured but succeeded this long in an extremely competitive market through some major economic downturns says a lot.”
“Our anniversary means that we have a certain amount of wisdom and maturity that our clients can take advantage of,” she said. “We’ve seen it all before. Even when we receive calls for either an extremely large order or an unusual need, it’s not going to throw us for a loop. We know what needs to get done. We’ve been in the market long enough to develop and innovate many creative ways to overcome marketing problems with talent solutions.”
A lot of factors have influenced our staying power in an industry where firms tend come and go at a rapid rate. Consistent vision and leadership have provided a strong foundation and steady focus. As we have grown, we have continued to focus on how we can improve. Outstanding results for our clients of all shapes and sizes have built a reputation for success and keep them returning time and again when new talent needs arise. And a tightly-knit team bound by a culture of accountability and respect drives us to perform and keeps us excited to come to work.
“At the end of the day, jobs matter. They matter to individuals and families. We serve our clients specific business needs, but we never forget that the talent is making major life decisions and we need to handle each interaction with care,” said Bob Van Rossum, MarketPro’s President. “There’s nothing better than finding someone who has hit a professional growth ceiling in their current situation, but had not even started looking for something new, and helping them move to a new opportunity where their talent and ambition can flourish.”
We consider this birthday a symbol of our stability and ability to adapt and evolve along with the pace of marketing. MarketPro has evolved a lot in the last 20 years, and our list of service offerings has grown along with us. We now provide clients with a variety of recruitment and flexible workforce solutions including marketing staffing, marketing executive search, interim marketing leadership, recruitment process outsourcing, and contract-to-hire options.
As for what the next twenty years hold, you can expect more of the same consistent, high-quality performance from us. “We’re not going anywhere,” Melissa said. “Marketing recruitment will always need a unique expertise. These are not positions that are filled easily. We care deeply about our clients and seeing them become successful, and we understand marketing like no one else. It’s a combination that will always be valuable.”
In the meantime, thanks to our incredible team that fills tall orders on tight schedules time and again. And thanks to our great clients for the many mutually beneficial partnerships we’ve formed over the years. We’re so excited for what the future holds for our business and for marketing professionals across the country.
About MarketPro
MarketPro Inc. is a woman-owned marketing executive search and marketing staffing firm founded in 1996. Headquartered in Atlanta, the nationwide recruitment agency matches high-performing marketers with clients who need their skills and experience to take their business to the next level. MarketPro has former marketers finding and vetting the talent, so only the best get through to our clients. Learn more at marketproinc.com.