Carmel, Ind. (June 13, 2019) – Holly Shier, principal and chief marketing officer at Troy, Mich.-based Rehmann, has received the Association for Accounting Marketing’s (AAM) 2019 Marketer of the Year award, sponsored by INSIDE Public Accounting (IPA).
The winner was announced by IPA June 12 at AAM’s annual Summit, held in partnership with the AICPA ENGAGE conference in Las Vegas.
Shier leads marketing and communications efforts, brand awareness and growth strategies for Rehmann, which was ranked No. 41 on the 2018 IPA 100 list of largest accounting firms in the country. Shier is responsible for a $1.7 million marketing budget and supervises a staff of nearly 20 individuals.
Shier has led a transformation of Rehmann’s marketing approach and ensured integration of its “OneRehmann” service model. The firm’s service model deploys cross-functional teams to address a broad range of issues clients face, rather than promoting individual services.
“Holly instills a natural desire to help our clients be successful by bringing our OneRehmann service model to bear, ensuring we are consistently communicating our transformative solutions,” says CEO Randy Rupp, who nominated Shier for the prestigious award.
Rupp credits her with the “colossal effort” of researching and articulating the needs of clients and creating go-to-market strategies for the firm’s various niches.
Additionally, Shier analyzed data from client surveys, panels and focus groups to create the firm’s latest advertising campaign, Rupp says. Through the data, a story emerged that clients weren’t particularly interested in services, per se, but in resolving issues surrounding business growth, transitioning to retirement and managing their money afterward. “Holly had the foresight to dig into the emotion behind these critical moments to understand what spurred the need for our services.”
“The marketing industry is tremendously dynamic,” said Shier. “There are constant changes and trends to be aware of because the dial is always moving. To be recognized as Marketer of the Year is a true honor. Accolades like this highlight the hard work, dedication and support of my team and it’s a great feeling to be noticed in such a competitive industry.”
Shier, referred to as the firm’s “dot-connector,” has restructured the marketing team, created a formalized business combination process and obtained naming rights to the Rehmann Club in the Little Caesars Arena, home of the Detroit Red Wings and the Detroit Pistons.
In addition to her work developing the firm’s strategic vision and serving on numerous firm committees, Shier is heavily involved in the Detroit chapter of the American Marketing Association. She served as president from 2018-2019 and volunteers for DECA, a nonprofit organization that prepares students for careers in finance and marketing, among others.
This is the sixth year that IPA has sponsored the Marketer of the Year award. A panel of independent judges, themselves leaders in the profession, were selected by IPA to review and score each of the 2019 nominees.