SYRACUSE, N.Y. — It’s a move that Mower describes as a “structured agency leadership transition for future growth.”

Mower — a Syracuse–based advertising, marketing, and public relations agency — on June 17 announced that Stephanie Crockett has been named the firm’s president and COO. 

Crockett assumes the president’s title from Eric Mower, who remains chairman and CEO of the agency that he has guided since 1968.

Crockett, who joined the agency 17 years ago, most recently served as executive vice president, managing director. In the role, Crockett served as part of senior leadership; the Syracuse-region market leader; manager of the client-services team; and as head of the agency’s energy and sustainability practice, per an agency news release.

“This is an important day in the future of our agency. It represents a key step in the transition of the firm to the next group of leaders who will drive the growth of Mower during the coming decades,” Mower said. “Stephanie is the best person to write the next chapter at our company. She has the trust of both our staff and our clients. Her leadership has been key to the resurgence of our Syracuse office and growth of our Energy and Sustainability specialty.”

Besides her work with Mower, Crockett is active in a number of professional, business, and community organizations. She currently chairs the board of directors of the United Way of Central New York and is a member of the CenterState CEO board of directors. A graduate of SUNY Geneseo, prior to joining Mower she had marketing roles at agencies and on the client side.  

“Mower has been fiercely independent for 53 years and we see unlimited opportunities for continued growth of an integrated communications firm like ours that brings together strategic insights and digital marketing strengths across all channels,” Crockett said. “Eric created something rare in building a multi-city destination agency that attracted clients and employees looking for alternatives to the holding company firms. The challenge for the next group of leaders is to build upon this success during a time in our industry when employee dynamics and client-agency relationships are changing. Mower is well positioned to advance in this new environment because of our ability to evolve and build upon on a foundation of core values.”

The balance of the agency’s executive leadership team remains in place, including Doug Bean, vice chairman; Chris Steenstra, chief administrative officer; Cheryl Duggan, CFO; Doug Kamp, chief creative officer; and Rick Lyke, executive vice president, managing director, public relations and public affairs. 

“We’ve always embraced a consultative, collaborative management approach and this team has worked well together for many years,” Mower said.