Mangan Holcomb Partners/Team SI of Little Rock has hired Emma Willis, former director of the state’s 529 college savings plan, to help launch a vertical consultancy at the agency aimed at the government savings sector.
The Little Rock marketing agency announced Willis’ hiring as a senior strategist on Thursday, noting that Willis spent a decade in the 529 plan world. She hired on as a marketing director in the State Treasurer’s Office in 2009, also serving as financial literacy chief and grants manager for Aspiring Scholars Matching Grants.
At MHP/Team SI, she will provide “strategic planning and counsel to ensure that clients in government, financial and other sectors benefit from advancements in data-driven marketing,” the agency said in a news release.
“We are thrilled to welcome Emma to the team and announce the launch of a new venture for the agency,” Sharon Tallach Vogelpohl, principal/president of the firm, said in a statement. “Emma’s impeccable reputation as a thought leader in the category, paired with the agency’s award-winning work in the 529 plan sector, is a winning combination.”
Born and raised in Little Rock, Willis helped the Arkansas 529 program grow from $600 million in assets under management to close to $1 billion. Her focus on grassroots marketing, a strong digital strategy and a keen understanding of industry partnerships were key to the plan’s record after she took over as interim director in November of 2016; she was executive director from 2017 to 2019.
Willis received her bachelor’s degree from Philander Smith College, complementing it with post-graduate work in finance and specialized computer science training.
MHP/Team SI has more than 130 team members across its sister companies, and a presence in eight markets nationally, the company said.
Sign up for Daily E-news
