fekete+co: SMART MARKETING

Sue Burness, Vice President / Public Relations

Stephanie Rauschenbach, Account Service, Public Relations

Sandy Fekete, CEO

Sandy's come a long way since her first job as a papergirl for the Denver Post. But the principles she learned while throwing papers are ones she'll never forget.

"Mostly I learned I'm not a morning person. Aside from that, I learned how to run a small business. Namely, do what you say you will, collect money for it, and treat people the way you want to be treated."

It was in 1983 when Sandy set out to put those principles to practice with the opening of Fekete + Company. She gave herself until her $3,000 savings ran out to make it work. Luckily for the rest of us, she's still living off that $3,000. The business is thriving as well.

Sandy's management philosophy is what makes the business thrive. "Always do what's in the client's best interest. We value relationships, so we constantly strive to be trustworthy, earn respect, and communicate honestly and openly with clients, vendors, and our team members."

Even through all the time Sandy spends golfing, she's managed to accomplish quite a lot. Most recently, she's written a book, "Companies Are People, Too: Discover, Develop & Grow Your Organization's True Personality." She's been featured in numerous publications including Fast Company magazine, Inc. magazine, APT Journal, Type Resources, Desktop (Australia), Staple's Dividends magazine, and Columbus' own Business First. Sandy's also won the National Association of Women Business Owners Visionary Award, Honorable Mention for Inc.'s Marketing Master Award, and a nomination for the Working Women Entrepreneurial Excellence Award.

E-mail Sandy at sfekete@feketeco.com with your marketing problems. She can help you solve them.

Sue Burness, Vice President, Public Relations

Standing a mere 4'11 ft tall, Sue weighs in as the tiniest team member at Fekete + Company. She has a spirited Italian flare and isn't bashful to proclaim, "I may be small, but I AM mighty!"

And mighty she is. Sue leads some of Fekete + Company's largest accounts and fuels her coworkers with motivation … all while heroically raising three beautiful teenage daughters.

"My clients inspire me," says Sue. "It is incredibly fulfilling to build a relationship - a partnership - to help my clients achieve their marketing goals."

Sue brings more than 20 years of marketing and public relations experience to Fekete + Company. She was born and raised in Ohio, graduated with a BS in journalism/public relations from BGSU, but spent 15 years in Central New York. More than ten of those years were spent in corporate communications with New York State's largest industry - the dairy industry - managing publications, member relations, media and special events for the Northeast's major dairy cooperatives.

Upon returning to the Buckeye State, she continued her career with some of Columbus' largest marketing agencies - including Zero Base. She met Sandy Fekete and Fekete + Company in 2000 and "just knew it was a perfect fit."

Sue has been married to her husband Jim for 22 years and resides in Dublin with daughters Megan, Kylie and Mackenzie. When not found at 1161 Bethel Road or in her home office, Sue usually can be found taking a spinning class or attending one of her daughters' many events.

Jill Dunn, Account Service

A wannabe ballerina since kindergarten, Jill lives her life by the basic principles of dance: poise, grace and timing. You can't be the star for every eight count. But when you're on...knock 'em dead!

Jill says she identifies most with the times when Dean Martin, Peggy Lee, Johnny Cash and Audrey Hepburn ruled the planet. "People knew how to live and laugh then. Cities were big. Men wore hats and women wore heels. It was a beautiful thing."

She's inspired by big cities, art and color - despising gray area. Jill's favorite part of her job is being the go-to gal. "I like having the answers. And when I don't, I enjoy the challenge of connecting the pieces."

Jill is a proud Buckeye and still gets chills every time she hears Carmen Ohio. You may have seen her walking backwards around campus during her brief stint as a tour guide. She also held several internships through college as an admissions counselor and with the Columbus Chamber, BalletMet Columbus and other Columbus ad agencies.

Jenny Gatchell, Copywriting

As the sands of time drip through the hourglass, so do the witticisms from Jenny's pen.

Jenny's childhood dream of becoming an actress always kept her at the center of attention, preparing for her starring role on a soap opera. She may still carry that dream in her back pocket but, luckily for us, she uses her skills of conveying ideas through entertainment and emotion on paper instead of on screen.

Jenny is a part time copywriter at Fekete + Company, and she freelances for other companies around town as well. The range of assignments on which she works is one of her favorite things about her profession. "There is no formula to what I do," Jenny explains. "It's different every day. I enjoy meeting new challenges and learning about new clients and coming up with new ideas on a daily basis. And there is no right or wrong answer - I'm free to use creativity in my work." Add those points to the fact that it is generally acceptable for her to wear jeans to work, and Jenny feels that she has the perfect job.

A constant entertainer, Jenny frequently holds dinner parties with her husband, Jamie, for friends and family in their home. She entertains us with the fact that she and Jamie are members of a local dart league as well.

Drue Dixon, Design

If there's one thing that strikes you about Drue, it is his quick and quirky sense of humor. If there's anything else you remember, it is this:

Whatever you do, do not mess up Drue's desk.

The tight ship Drue runs in his corner of the studio is indicative of the way he approaches his work. "Chaos will not reign," he explains. Solid and sharp, Drue's creations are spotless, with each detail attended to. A corner is never cut; a thoughtless move is never made. Drue may think outside of the box, but he never colors outside of the lines.

Drue's true artistic passion lies in illustration, as does his degree from the Columbus College of Art and Design. His illustration talent gives him direction for designing. "I guess I approach design like I would illustration. I put a lot of thought into it to keep each design clean and exact," he says. Luckily for us, the results are outstanding.

Stephanie Rauschenbach, Account Service, Public Relations

A self-proclaimed home improvement junkie, Stephanie spends most weekends knee deep in "Do-it-Yourself" projects at her historic downtown home. No job is ever too big for her-an attitude she also puts to work for her clients.

With a bachelor's degree in journalism from Bowling Green State University and a master's degree in political science from the University of Toledo, she says the best part of her job is researching each client's unique story. "Each client has a story worth sharing. The fun part is pulling the chapters together!"

Always mindful of the details, Stephanie is a stickler for good grammar and AP style. It's rumored she reads the newspaper with red pen in hand!

Her professional career began in Nashville, Tenn., in the public affairs department at the corporate headquarters of Bridgestone Firestone. Upon returning to her home state, she accepted a position as communications coordinator with the National Multiple Sclerosis Society's Ohio Buckeye Chapter. She has also held internships with Foley & Lardner, an international law firm based in Chicago; Mannik & Smith, a civil engineering firm based in Maumee, Ohio; the Bowling Green State University College of Music; and American Express.

Stephanie and her husband, Jay, reside in German Village with their shelter dog, Hayden, and adopted cat, Axl. They both hope to one day tackle the biggest home improvement project of them all...to build their own home.

Beth Hill, Office Management

Want a stapler? Require an invoice detail? ...Need a hug?

Turn to our Office Manager, Beth, for any and all daily needs at Fekete + Company.

Hailing from deep in the heart of Texas, blessed with more congeniality than a herd of southern belles, Beth manages our office to a tee. Handling all matters from accounting, to supplies, to phones, she sees her job as being the glue of the operation. "I keep everything running so everyone else can concentrate on doing great work for our clients."

To keep it all straight, Beth must be as expert of a number cruncher as she is an organizer. "Numbers just make sense to me - I love to have everything balance at the end," she says. Although she never thought she would use math for a living, doing the books has become Beth's favorite part of the Office Manager position.

Active in her church and an expert in homemaking, Beth spends much of her time out of work gardening, sewing, entertaining friends from church, and taking care of her family. She says she runs her home just like she runs the office - although she is thankful that they do not go through as many office supplies.

Colby Fekete, Technical Support

An advertising & marketing agency would just not be complete without a long-haired creative type on its team. Our artists all have short hair, but our technical advisor, Colby, fills the shaggy-yet-sensitive role to a tee.

A veteran member of the Fekete team, Colby Fekete has accompanied her mom, Sandy, to the office since Colby was a toddler. Always a team player, she lends moral support to everyone in our organization. Perpetually enthusiastic and excited to come to the office each and every morning, Colby is a rare breed among the general working population - and an inspiration to us all.

Colby has a Bachelor of Obedience, which helps her maintain strong relationships here in the office. "Rrrr rrrough rrr hmm hmm," she describes. "Rrr hmmm rrrrr." She gets her inspiration for her work from other animals, as well as inanimate objects. Always one to keep life interesting, she enjoys chasing and sniffing a variety of things each workday.

Colby can be found on the floor at home when she's not in the office, or sometimes in the woods outside her house. An expert at "shake" and "lay down," she also enjoys entertaining neighborhood kids and delivery men.