Leslie Griles

• Manage all aspects of an independent consultancy dedicated to strategic communications, brand partnerships, public relations and marketing.

Select client results include:

• The King Agency: Serve as fractional Executive Director of Strategic Services for the agency and its clients including Beacon Credit Union, First Team Automotive Group, National Center for Policing Innovation's VINE, and William's Handcrafted. Created strategic direction for agency and launched manifesto. Client results include record website traffic and increased YOY sales. Client tenure: current client
• CarLotz: Served as the lead communications strategist between marketing, investor relations and HR. Established partnership with artists in local hub market resulting in #1 national sales. Managed communications and marketing team through CEO transition and merger. Client tenure: two years including post-merger with Shift
• Reservoir Distillery: Served as fractional CMO for third distillery outside of KY making bourbon. Published book to tell origin story of distillery, its founders and products. Conducted product launches in UK, Germany and Australia as well as US expansion. Media results exceeded 300M impressions. Client tenure: five years
• Duke’s Mayonnaise: Served as extension of Duke’s agency and in-house marketing team. Launched first mascot in company’s 100+ year history with social media take over garnering 134% increase in engagement, 262% increase in followers and more than 1M impressions with a single tweet. Client tenure: one year
• Truth: Created multi-year partnership between non-profit and brands including Cotopaxi and Gibson Guitars for the GRAMMY Awards. Client tenure: four years

• Secured over $10M in free partnerships for non-profit American Cancer Society with A-list musicians including Justin Bieber, Celine Dion, Maroon5, Lionel Richie, Rihanna, Usher, Ricky Martin and more.
• Executed partnership between Free Credit Score and Gibson Guitars resulting in NY Times digital takeover.
• Secured valuable, relevant client exposure on programs including Jeopardy, The Bachelor, Oprah, and Extreme Home Makeover.
• Maintained ongoing relationships with global entertainment companies including music labels, management teams, movie studios and television networks.

• Selected by Chairman to help launch $3M startup within the agency dedicated to marketing to moms.
• Maintained role as Director of Brand Partnerships while taking on new role and achieving revenue growth of more than 245% by year two
• Collaborated with teams on dozens of new ways for clients to engage with moms including a new tagline for E!, product ideas for Kraft and content for the Discovery Network.
• Responsible for all outreach related to new business, public relations and speaking engagements resulting in placements including TEDx, Today, The New York Times, Forbes, Inc., AdAge, AdWeek, and Fast Co.

• Managed award-winning, national campaigns that directly impacted clients’ bottom line including increased visitation of 10% to 50% at targeted destination.
• Increased consumer sales and national product recognition for clients including Target, Braun, George Washington’s Mount Vernon, James Madison’s Montpelier, Thomasville Furniture and Hamilton Beach.

• Researched issues and met with members of Congress to discuss upcoming legislation on a behalf of clients.

• Wrote and distributed press releases to build awareness for C-SPAN programming