JKR in the News

Recent Billing and Co-Op Department Hires are Key Additions

JKRAdvertising / Company News, JKR in the News, Press /

March 10, 2016

To better serve our clients, we have made four recent additions to our billing and co-op department. Their importance to the company cannot be understated, as they work closely with both the Account Executives and Media Buyers to ensure all invoicing is properly done – and double-checking that the advertisements abide by stringent corporate co-op guidelines. Today, we introduce you to the new (and semi-new) hires.

Steven Mendoza: He’s already been with us for nearly a year and has made a very positive impression, working his way up to team leader. While this is his first job in the advertising field, the recent University of Central Florida graduate says he learned a lot from his college job. “Selling cutlery helped me learn how to deal with people. I discovered that no matter what business you’re in, as long as you help people get what they’re looking for you will have a happy customer.” He is a big sports fan who recently started volunteering at a local animal shelter – with a goal of eventually adopting a dog.

Greg Williams: This is actually Greg’s second stint with JKR, and he is glad to be back. His previous two years as Account Coordinator have helped him “hit the ground running” in his new position in the billing/co-op department. “This is a great team to work with here,” says Greg, a graduate of Duquesne University in Pittsburgh. It’s not an understatement to say that Greg is still loyal to his Pennsylvania roots, as he is an avid fan of any Philadelphia sports team you can imagine. When he’s not working, there’s a good chance you’ll find Greg playing golf.

Bryce DaCosta: Now in his third month at JKR, Bryce is a well-rounded guy; he has a pair of bachelor’s degrees from the University of Central Florida (psychology and business). Both knowledge bases are a plus in a professional environment. “I think my greatest strength is being flexible,” he said. “I work just as well individually as I do when I’m part of a team. The “happily single” Bryce is a world traveler, having already been to destinations such as Spain, Morocco, England and the Dominican Republic. He is convinced that Winnie the Pooh is the greatest character ever.

Jimmy Reiter: Yet another University of Central Florida graduate, Jimmy has an interesting hobby that helps him with concentration at work. “I have won about 25 medals in the past two years competing in martial arts competitions, and I have no plans of stopping there,” he explained. He carries this work ethic over into his job, as he says he hates leaving anything unfinished. He’s the newest member of the team, having been with us only a month; but he says he appreciates how his new coworkers have made him quickly feel right at home “from my first day”.

JKR Automotive Advertising: We Move Cars.

Meet our Newest Client Services Department Hires

JKRAdvertising / Company News, JKR in the News, JKR New Hire, Press /

March 3, 2016

JKR Automotive Advertising continues to grow, necessitating additions to our Client Services Department over the past year. Today’s blog profiles our newest employees in that department.

Tara Wally: Tara is in just her sixth month at JKR but has already proven to be a skillful negotiator, putting together the most cost-conscious buys available for her clients. She has more than 10 years of experience as a media buyer, much of it in the clinical research field. “I always want to do a great job for the clients, no matter the task,” she says.

When she isn’t working, there’s a good chance you’ll find Tara doing something sports-related. She is a Florida State University grad who’s into softball and volleyball; and an avid diver who went shark diving in Honduras on just her second certified dive. She and her boyfriend have been together for 12 years and have two cats and “the cutest dog ever”.

Kris VanSpeybroeck: After an ad agency internship and graduation from the University of Central Florida, Kris came aboard last year as an Account Coordinator. His many tasks include ensuring media outlets are running the agreed-upon advertisements, building budgets, running annual budget reports and constructing new client presentation books.

“When it comes down to it, I will stay until the job is done,” Kris says. “It doesn’t matter how long it takes.” He is a self-professed Star Wars fanatic who enjoys traveling to as many states as possible. His relentless work ethic carries over outside of work, as evidenced by the fact that he once completed a grueling 52.4-mile Ultra Marathon.

Christopher Veiga: Chris’ eye for detail serves him well in his role as Account Coordinator. Prior to starting at JKR, he was an intern at Universal Orlando in the Travel Industry Sales Department. “The experience with keeping track of budgets and researching markets prepared me to work at JKR,” said Chris, a graduate of the University of Central Florida.

A fringe benefit of working at Universal is the opportunity to meet notable celebrities, and Chris’ list includes Wayne Brady, Shaquille O’Neal, Robin Thicke and Stan Lee. Chris is always looking to expand his knowledge base, which he does by taking online classes in his spare time; and he describes himself as a “sci-fi junkie and frequent moviegoer”.

JKR Automotive Advertising: We Move Cars.

JKR Purchases New Office Headquarters in Maitland, FL

JKRAdvertising / Company News, JKR Advertising News, JKR in the News, Press /

February 9, 2016

JKR Automotive Advertising is pleased to announce it has purchased the 291 Southhall Lane building in Maitland, FL to be its new office headquarters. The contemporary two-story structure boasts 24,202 square feet and is located near Interstate 4, just off State Road 414 (Maitland Boulevard).

“We have simply outgrown our Downtown Orlando location and had been looking for new office space for quite some time,” said Richard Brauns, Senior Partner at JKR. “We will have approximately 3,000 more square feet in our new office, and we’re in the process of completing a custom buildout that will make it even more functional.”

The move into the new office headquarters is expected to take place in mid-March. In addition to JKR’s 40-plus employees, the new facility will also house its sister company, NOW Digital. JKR acquired the Maitland-based digital agency in November 2014 to expand its online marketing services.

JKR searched several parts of Central Florida before ultimately choosing the Maitland property. During that time, the company learned of the Maitland-area growth plans that include the Sunrail tie-in strategy to Orlando. JKR is convinced this will be a terrific place to expand the agency; ideal for staff members and visiting clients because of the hotels, restaurants and convenience stores within easy walking distance.

The building itself is perfect in terms of square footage and exterior attractiveness. Among its highlights is an expanded full-service video production studio, including Digital HD and 4K workflows that can easily facilitate any budget and advertising campaign from start to finish. The Green Screen Cyclorama wall in the Maitland facility will be nearly three times larger than the current set-up, giving the JKR production team increased creative opportunities.

We look forward with great anticipation to the coming move, knowing we’ll have plenty of room to continue growing well into the future.

JKR Automotive Advertising: We Move Cars.

Jeff Johnson Tours South Korea, Hyundai-Kia Facilities

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November 25, 2015

Jeff Johnson is not only the Managing Partner at JKR Advertising & Marketing, he also recently became the co-owner at Kia of North Grand Rapids. Along with many of his dealer counterparts, he was invited to tour the Hyundai-Kia facilities in South Korea … and he came back with an increased respect and perspective of the brands and the people.

It all started early on a Monday morning at the Orlando airport. “It didn’t take long to realize this wasn’t going to be a typical trip,” Johnson said. “We left Orlando about 9:30 in the morning on that Monday, and we didn’t arrive in Seoul until 6:30 the next evening. As you can imagine, we were exhausted. But as soon as we stepped off the plane, there was a paparazzi-like person snapping photos of our every move.” Eventually, Johnson and his new friends-to-be were bused to their hotel, where they were introduced to a tour guide who would follow them everywhere they went over the next two-plus days.

The following morning, things quickly got interesting as they were shuttled to the Namyang Design Center. “This large building is the workplace for 11,000 on-site engineers for both Kia and Hyundai,” Johnson recalled. “Upon our arrival we were shown a short film about Kia, then ushered into a room and told to hand over our cell phones. I found that to be a bit odd … until I found out what was happening next. Once we complied, we were allowed to view some of the Kia models coming in the near future, as well as some concept cars they are working on. After that, we were taken out to a track where we got to test-drive some of the models. As I looked around, I noticed that many of the cars still had the camouflage wrapping on them. Naturally, you can understand the secrecy involved here, but rest assured everything I saw was very, very impressive.”

After a memorable lunch at the luxurious Rolling Hills Hotel, it was back to the bus. Next stop, the Hyundai steel plant. “This place was massive,” Johnson said. “It is one of the largest in the world. They have an unbelievable, fully enclosed conveyor belt system that allows them to move raw materials across the facility. It’s the oldest steel company in Korea, and it produces a lot more than just sheet metal for cars.”

Day 2 Welcome Dinner — Jeff Johnson with Thomas Oh, Executive Vice Chairman of Kia Global Operations.

They arrived back at their hotel at about 5:45 and were promptly informed that a formal dinner hosted by Thomas Oh, Executive Vice Chairman of Kia Global Operations, would begin at 6:30 – and it was of utmost importance that they arrive on time for the event. “It is the custom for the host to greet every guest, so if someone was late, the host would not be allowed to go inside until the tardy person finally arrived. No one was late, and we enjoyed an incredible five-course meal, complete with a toast from Executive Vice Chairman Oh.” That, folks, was just the first day.

The next morning’s activities were kicked off with a visit to Kia Motors Corporation, Kia’s corporate offices. “Kia and Hyundai each have their own specific tower, and they share a very elaborate, ornate lobby area that features a number of both Kia and Hyundai models,” Johnson said. “We were given the history of Kia’s steady rise to global dominance. Did you know that it’s the 74th-most valuable brand in the world today?”

The rest of the day was spent checking out some of South Korea’s cultural spots, including the opulent Gyeongbokgung Palace. “Even though the building has not been completely restored to its past splendor, enough of it has been refurbished to make it a worthwhile piece of history to see,” Johnson commented. “We also did some street shopping at a place that was much like a giant bazaar in the United States.”

That evening’s dinner was particularly interesting for Johnson, as he was seated next to officials from Kia Motors Canada. “I discovered their market share is pretty similar to ours in the United States, and their businesses are much like ours in the states.”

The next morning saw Jeff board a plane in Seoul at 9:30 – and because of the time change actually arrive in Atlanta at 9:00! “It was a fun but exhausting two days,” he said.

Jeff Johnson the tourist was happy to once again be Jeff Johnson the husband, dad and business owner – back in his home country. Possessing 700-plus photos taken by his hosts, he has a detailed record of a trip he’ll never forget.

JKR Employees Attend Women in Automotive Conference

JKRAdvertising / JKR Advertising News, JKR in the News /

August 21, 2015

Several employees from JKR and sister company NOW Digital attended this week’s inaugural Women in Automotive Conference. Held at the Ballroom at Church Street in downtown Orlando, the conference included speakers, breakout sessions, workshops and booth displays. More than 300 professionals from across the country made the trip to the Sunshine State to attend the event.

“The Women in Automotive conference was not only eye opening as far as opportunities for women to grow in the Automotive Industry, but inspiring and uplifting,” said JKR Senior Account Executive Jennifer Pavlak. “What an incredible way to focus, recharge, and energize all of us to be even more than we thought possible!”

Her colleague, Jennifer Lawrence, agrees. “The speakers spent time on how to attract more women to automotive, and they also did a very nice job of showing there were a number of great opportunities besides just selling cars,” she said. “Women have come a long way in the auto industry, but we’re still not where we need to be. I was glad to see so much open discussion, and it all tied back to the idea that we need to support and help each other.”

About Women in Automotive

The conference was set up to assist the automotive community in recruiting, retaining and developing female employees and leaders. (According to various data, women make up approximately 17-25% of employees at auto dealerships.)

There were three separate tracks from which attendees could choose:

(1) Leadership: A track designed for dealership leaders looking to attract, recruit and retain female employees; and develop female leaders for their organizations.

(2) Personal: From dealer to vendor, service providers, consultants, students and beyond, these sessions were designed for networking with other women in automotive; and also provided professional development, career and educational opportunities, personal growth and branding, as well as discussions on the unique challenges women face.

(3) Retail: This important track addressed how to market and sell to women, including studies to better understand the female buyer, thereby focusing on creating loyalty for increased retention.

Speakers included Tammy Darvish, Executive VP at PenFed Credit Union who held a variety of management positions at the DARCARS Automotive Group; Lisa Copeland, Managing Partner of Fiat of Austin, the brand’s top retailer since its return to North America; Shea Holbrook, professional racecar driver and entrepreneur; Celeste D. Briggs, Director of Women’s Retail Network for General Motors; and Susan Scarola, former Vice Chairman of the DCH and Lithia Automotive Groups and current President of the National Foundation for Teen Safe Driving.

Both JKR and NOW Digital were major sponsors for the event.

Women in Automotive was founded by Board Members Christy Roman of NOW Digital; Joni Stuker, President of Owner Connect; Jody DeVere, CEO AskPatty.com, Inc.; Kathy Gilbert, Director of Sales & Business Development, CDK Global, LLC.; and Subi Ghosh, Executive Vice President, Dealer Authority.