Cheryl Ferrebee |
Cheryl Ferrebee, President of The Gianfagna Group in Parkersburg
started her career holding a BA in Journalism with an emphasis on
advertising. Now the owner and CEO of a successful advertising
agency with clients from Southern West Virginia to Minnesota, Cheryl’s
emphasis goes far beyond advertising. “We generate a total ‘brand
experience’ for our clients’ businesses. It’s a
model for managing every point of contact the business has with a
consumer. It is helping the company reflect and match its mission,
message and goals.”
Cheryl says the approach involves them with clients in many ways
and on many levels. “The logo, billboards, and ads are
just a small part of how a company presents itself, how it’s
perceived. If they promised to treat you like a princess, were
you treated like a princess? If they guarantee personal service,
were you greeted warmly when you came in? Is there elegance in
the ad but potholes on the premises? We’re concerned with
ensuring expectations are met every time a customer sees, hears or
has contact with the company.”
Cheryl had a glimmering of ‘total brand experience’ early
in her career. Starting as a radio copywriter, she quickly decided
to gain experience in all media. When an opportunity came to write
commercials for cable television, she took it. When her husband accepted
a pharmacist’s position in St. Mary’s, she took a position
selling newspaper advertising. “It was a rush when people
were excited about what their ads produced. But, sometimes I felt
bad, that all I could give them was an ad, when there were so many
areas of their business that seemed to need attention, too. My
mother-in-law had to spend a whole afternoon listening to me expound
on the idea!”
She answered an ad in the paper for Marketing Manager of Circulation
for the Marietta.Times. “It was awesome. It was exciting. I
was working with great people from Washington, DC.” Working
with “some of the smartest people in the world”, she began
to understand the importance of managing ‘the brand’. “I
saw how research was necessary to sell. We needed to know the reader,
we needed to help the reporter tell stories readers wanted.”
After a year she met with the Marketing Director, telling him frankly
she hoped for his job. He spent the next few months training her. When
he moved on, Cheryl had the position. While at the Times, Cheryl had
her first child at 32 and sharpened her marketing skills with a Master’s
degree from Marietta College.
In June of 2000, Cheryl got a call from the owner of the Gianfagna
Group. “I was so excited by what I saw. They showed me their
process map – a visualization of managing a brand, with attention
to every detail from A to Z. It was what I’d been
searching for with my first sales job – a total experience of
what the company looks like, feels like, smells like, everything.”
By 2002, the Gianfagna family members were relocating. She was offered
the management of the agency’s Marietta operations.
“The people that worked at The Gianfagna Group were incredible,
pulling together and helping every step of the way.” But,
Cheryl soon felt that the situation with out of town owners was not
for her. She called one of the company’s board members to explain.
The board countered with the proposal that she buy the agency.
During the next 11 months, she negotiated the purchase and had her
second child. September 2003, she celebrated her first year
as owner and CEO of The Gianfagna Group.
The first months were filled with anxiety. “I’d wake
up thinking “What have I done? But I believe our lives have
a purpose. I feel this is what I’m supposed to do. And,
I’m very passionate about it.” She has a board of
professionals and a network of people to help clients. “They’ve
shown me you get ahead by catapulting the people around you to where
they want to be.”
Many of the original Gianfagna staff remain. Owning the agency and
working with people she trusts and respects allows Cheryl to put her
personal mission statement into practice, a statement she openly shares
with staff and clients. “To benefit and grow personally, spiritually
and financially by helping those around me achieve their dreams.”
The new leader of The Gianfagna Group is making her own brand of
success.
Contact Cheryl Ferrebee at The Gianfagna Group, 3700 Poplar
Street, Suite 110, Parkersburg, 800.628.8521 or 304.485.8990
or visit www.gianfagna.com
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