Independent, female-owned agency Cornett is expanding its Chicago presence by appointing Garrett Kelly as account director.
Based in Chicago, Kelly will lead day-to-day management of the Conagra Brands media account, working closely with Cornett’s media leadership team at the agency’s Lexington, Kentucky headquarters.
The hire follows Cornett’s recent appointment as Conagra’s Strategic Media Execution Partner. In that role, the full-service agency leads traditional media planning and buying for a portfolio of household brands that includes Slim Jim, Banquet, Marie Callender’s, Healthy Choice, Orville Redenbacher’s, Ro*tel, and FATTY’S, among others.
Cornett also provides strategic advisory support across digital, social and CTV/OLV channels as Conagra’s in-house team continues to scale.
Kelly joins Cornett from Spark Foundry, where his experience included cross-channel media planning, developing and selling creative media ideas in collaboration with media teams, and managing stakeholder consensus across complex client organizations.
In his new role, Kelly will serve as Cornett’s primary on-the-ground relationship and project lead for the Conagra business. He will partner with the agency’s VP of performance media and VP of creative media to align daily execution with Conagra’s broader business goals.
The appointment deepens Cornett’s growing footprint in Chicago, where Kelly joins director of business development Jamon Deaver and senior art director Aleigh Hawking. Conagra is Cornett’s first Chicago-based client, marking a meaningful expansion for the agency into the CPG category.
“Stewarding the Conagra business calls for a leader with strategic perspective, cross-channel media fluency and steady client relationship skills, all of which Garrett has built over his over 15 years as a media leader,” said Christy Hiler, owner and CEO of Cornett. “His Chicago base also extends our footprint in a market where we’re seeing real demand for the kind of senior, accountable partnership we’re built to deliver.”
Founded in Lexington, Cornett has built its reputation as an independent, full-service shop with capabilities across strategy, creative, media, digital, and brand experience. The Conagra assignment gives the agency a larger role in Chicago’s CPG and media landscape, while Kelly’s hire adds local leadership to support the growing account.
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