Gantz Named AAM's 2018 Marketer of the Year
May 16, 2018 (Portland, OR) - Nicole Gantz, marketing partner at Dubuque,
Iowa-based Honkamp Krueger
& Co., has received the Association for Accounting
Marketing's (AAM) 2018 Marketer of the Year award, sponsored by INSIDE Public
Accounting (IPA).
The winner was announced by IPA May 16 at AAM's 2018 Summit in
Portland, Ore.
Gantz leads strategic marketing, communications and client
experience initiatives while also offering marketing consulting services to
other CPA firms and businesses. Honkamp Krueger (HK), the largest Iowa-based
CPA firm, is ranked No. 60 on the 2017 IPA 100 list of largest accounting firms
in the country.
HK President and CEO Gregory
Burbach praised Gantz' vast experience and
"ahead-of-the-curve" approach to social media, website upgrades,
development of a client patronage app and a new marketing automation program.
The client patronage app, which received national attention,
allows the firm's 500 employees to purposefully shop at firm clients, find
locations, get driving directions, submit spending amounts and win prizes. The
app, which has tracked $14.2 million in spending and almost 57,000 receipts
submitted since its launch in 2014, increases client retention and referrals,
and attracts new clients who want to be part of the program. The marketing
automation tool, Pardot, was implemented early last year, and in nine months
produced 58 qualified leads to business developers, which resulted in five new
clients.
"Nicole and her team are that nice balance of being
creative and innovative, but not so over the top that they forget the end goal
or ROI and effectiveness I want to see in our marketing investment,"
Burbach says. "We believe so much in her that she became our first
marketing partner Jan. 1, 2018."
Gantz, who calls the recognition the "honor of a
lifetime," thanks IPA, AAM, her firm leaders and the talented accounting
firm marketers from whom she has learned so much. "With the support and
leadership of Greg Burbach and our business development partner, Ryan Hauber, Honkamp
Krueger nurtures a strong marketing and growth culture. Our innovative and
entrepreneurial partners are continuously supportive and value our talented
marketing team's efforts and role in our organization. Together, we have a deep
passion for our clients' successes, and I feel lucky to play a small part in
that."
Art Kuesel, president of the Kuesel
Consulting, says, "It's hard enough to earn a partner spot at a firm when
you directly generate hundreds of thousands of dollars in billable time - but
when you can earn that position via a combination of direct measurable
contributions and indirect hard-to-measure contributions, you've truly achieved
something special. And HK has someone very special in Nicole."
Gantz also serves as director and marketing consultant for the
HK Alliance, made up of nearly 30 member CPA firms that are wealth management
affiliates of Honkamp Krueger Financial Services. She's heavily involved in
HK's accounting association, CPAmerica International, and serves as a board
member and volunteer for eight nonprofit organizations around Dubuque.
This is the fifth 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 nominees.
About INSIDE Public Accounting
The Platt Group / INSIDE Public Accounting (IPA) provides firm leaders with innovative concepts to improve performance at their firms. IPA's goal is to assist leaders in becoming more efficient, growth-minded, profitable and forward-looking. The Platt Group is dedicated to helping firms achieve their ultimate potential by providing the tools and resources needed to succeed. IPA publishes two award-winning publications: the IPA monthly newsletter and the annual IPA National Benchmarking Report, along with in-depth reports focused on IT, HR and firm administration.
About the Association for Accounting Marketing
The Association for Accounting Marketing (AAM) promotes excellence, and elevates the professional stature of marketing, business development and other practice growth professionals to the accounting profession, directly impacting members' professional development and careers through education, networking and thought leadership. Founded in 1989, AAM has more than 700 members, comprised of marketing professionals, business developers, CPAs, consultants, service providers, educators and students. To learn more about AAM, please call (856) 380-6860 or visit
www.accountingmarketing.org.