Love & Company Expands Digital Media, Public Relations and Integrated Media, Client Services, and Sales and Marketing Teams
Love & Company is experiencing sustained growth with five new employees hired in the last six months and active recruiting for six more.
FREDERICK, Maryland (May 29, 2014)— Love & Company, a leading marketing, advertising and sales firm in the senior housing field, has hired five new employees: Matt Bekelja, director of strategic marketing and sales, Lauren Pickard, strategic marketing administrative assistant, Kayla Murphy, public relations and integrated media manager, Crystal Groves, web developer & SEO/SEM manager and Kim Burrier, plan manager. Additionally, Jessica Kraft and Chris Carruthers were both promoted to director of strategic marketing and sales.
Matt Bekelja brings extensive experience in the senior living industry, having been the vice president of client development at Varsity for more than five years. Prior to that, Matt worked as the division leader for Cutting Edge Media, where he led teams in the development of lead generation solutions. Matt earned a bachelor’s degree from Elizabethtown College. Within the senior living industry, Matt specializes in research development and implementation, strategy creation, direct marketing, advertising, lead generation, and integrated marketing.
Lauren Pickard comes to Love & Company with experience in customer service and organization. In previous positions, she worked as a licensed sales producer for Steve Dirk Allstate Agency, as a teller for PNC Bank, and as a self-employed dairy farmer. Lauren graduated cum laude from Stevenson University with a bachelor’s degree in business communications and excels at internal communications, project management, and paying meticulous attention to detail while juggling multiple projects under deadline.
Kayla Murphy brings social media, marketing and public relations expertise to Love & Company. In her previous position with Meritus Health, Kayla built the majority of their social media presence from the ground up, and she oversaw the complete redesign of the company website and daily maintenance and strategic expansion of the website. In addition to a bachelor’s degree in communications from Hood College, Kayla is currently pursuing a master’s in communication and leadership from Gonzaga University.
Crystal Groves arrived at Love & Company with more than 15 years of experience as a front-end developer. Past positions include web project manager with a Baltimore-based firm, Internet marketing project manager for Health Supplement Wholesalers, and front-end web developer and project manager for Enforme Interactive, among others. Crystal’s experience with technical development, coupled with her experience as a project manager, gives her a unique, in-depth knowledge of the complete website design process. Crystal’s work has earned her multiple awards, including a Webby, and numerous Daveys and Addy awards.
Kim Burrier brings extensive marketing and communication experience to Love & Company. She has previously worked in marketing and events for 98.5 The Peak, held the title of marketing manager for Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, and sales coordinator for Structural Systems, among others. Kim earned a bachelor’s degree from Mount St. Mary’s University and she excels at project management, organization, and communication.
Jessica Kraft, a Love & Company employee for nearly 10 years, was recently promoted to director of strategic marketing and sales, where she leads the development and implementation of marketing and sales programs for senior living clients. Her primary focus is identifying and taking the steps necessary to ensure that clients achieve their marketing and census goals, including identifying potential obstacles to success and working with clients and their leadership teams to overcome them. Additionally, Jessica leads the internal client service project team, and she works closely with all departments to ensure all parts of our marketing and sales programs are working effectively together. Jessica has led a number of research projects, including the annual proprietary research projects for Love & Company.
Christine (Chris) Carruthers, hired in January as a sales and marketing specialist, has also been promoted to director of strategic marketing and sales. With 28 years of senior housing experience, Chris offers a unique, informed perspective on selling strategies. Her extensive background blends operational and marketing expertise in the areas of assisted living, independent living, and healthcare communities. Her proficiency in health care and senior living includes consulting expertise in both blue-sky development and growing and maintaining census in existing communities across the country. Chris’s effective hands-on technique brings her years of experience as a marketing director to the forefront. She is highly skilled at providing communities the services they need to achieve their operational goals, including: sales team development; comprehensive audits; marketing plan and budget development; and public speaking.
“I could not be more excited about the new talent we’ve added to Love & Company,” said Rob Love, president of Love & Company. “The continued, strategic growth of our team results in being able to expand and enhance the high quality service our clients have received since Love & Company was founded in 1980.”
In addition to filling these positions, Love & Company is planning for sustained growth by actively recruiting for the positions of sales and marketing specialist, project manager, marketing manager, copy director, director of operations, and senior marketing account manager. For more information on Love & Company’s open positions, please visit the Careers section of its website.
Media Contact: Kayla Murphy 240-575-3337; kmurphy@loveandcompany.com
Love & Company is a full-service research, marketing, sales management and advertising firm that specializes in retirement communities. For more information about Love & Company, call Tim Bracken at 301-663-1239 or visit our website at loveandcompany.com.
