Billionaire owners are commonplace in the finance and technology industries, but are there any Billionaire CEO’s of a PR Firm?
There are probably very few professionals within the Public Relations industry knowing about a billionaire owner of a PR Firm. After reading this article on Everything PR, everyone in the industry will now know. Recently, the founder of GoDaddy – Bob Parsons, purchased The Martz Agency. The Martz Agency is a full-scale marketing and PR firm located in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Carrie Martz, the founder of the Martz Agency continued as CEO after Parsons bought the agency. They continued doing business, this time under the name of The Martz Parsons Agency, but Martz retired in March 2015. The company now sports a new name and rebranding – now known as “Big YAM, the Parsons agency.” With the acronym YAM standing for “You’re a Mess”. You’re a mess was a common saying during Parson’s childhood growing up in Baltimore.
Marianne Curran is the new CEO of the Big YAM and has worked with Parsons for over a decade including time while Parsons was still very active at GoDaddy. She says the new name ties it back to the other Parsons companies and is meant to be fun and make people smile. A new 30,000 sq.ft. office under construction for the agency with a 4,000 sq.ft full-production studio and is scheduled to open in 2016. They represent 25+ clients including Spooky Fast, Scottsdale’s YMCA, YurBuds, and Arizona Commerce Authority.
Parsons issued a statement, “We’ve assembled a very capable team. People that understand, no matter the size of your company, how to create campaigns that make an impact and, at the end of the day, do what matters most – ring the register.” With more than 50 employees, the firm serves a wide variety of clients in sectors including technology, consumer brands, and more.
Parsons is featured on the Forbes 400 list of richest people in the United States. He sold approximately 70% of his ownership in GoDaddy in 2011 and, in 2014 stepped down from the Chairman position but continues as a board member. He still owns 28% of GoDaddy and is the largest shareholder in the company. In May 2015, his estimated net worth was $2.3 billion. He founded and is CEO of YAM Worldwide, Inc. – a company with several wholly-owned subsidiaries, including the Big YAM, the Parsons Agency.
In addition to his for-profit work, Bob and his wife created the Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation offering funding to non-profit organizations primarily in the greater Phoenix metropolitan area. In 2013, the couple joined the Giving Pledge by the Gates’ family and Warren Buffet – challenging those with vast fortunes to commit half (or more) of their wealth to charitable causes on or before their death.
Parsons’ company, YAM Worldwide also includes Parsons Xtreme Golf, Scottsdale National Golf Club and Harley-Davidson of Scottsdale.