DALLAS
Freeman named Bob Priest-Heck as its new CEO. Priest-Heck will be the company’s fourth CEO and the first in the company’s 90-year history to come from outside of the Freeman family.
Priest-Heck’s focus on new technologies in his on-going role as president helped bolster Freeman's offerings to meet the ever-evolving needs of companies looking to create the most meaningful and innovative brand experiences.
“We are focused on building our clients’ brands and helping them succeed in a dynamic environment by creating meaningful brand experiences that help build relationships and drive clear and measurable outcomes,” said Joe Popolo, CEO of The Freeman Company, the parent company that encompasses Freeman, Encore Event Technologies and Alford Media. “Bob is no stranger to this, having previously served as the president of Freeman.
"He has a history of driving success for our company and our clients, and his commitment to innovation and vision for our future will help keep us at the forefront of the brand experience conversation for years to come. In addition to his CEO role at Freeman, Bob will serve as president and COO of The Freeman Company.”
Priest-Heck joined Freeman in 2011 with the acquisition of Wheelhouse Solutions. He spent the past 25 years leading global technology brands and experiential marketing agencies—including Immersa Marketing and MediaLive International Inc.—and continues to parlay his experience into his initiatives at Freeman.
Priest-Heck lead the charge to transform Freeman into a design-driven company, bringing on industry luminary Bruce Mau as chief design officer and ultimately creating the Freeman Design Leadership Council. He was also instrumental in the development and launch of Freeman’s creative and strategic agency services arm, as well as in creating Freeman Digital Ventures.
“Bob encourages the kind of strategic risk-taking that continues to help Freeman achieve its long-term goals, and he constantly inspires those around him to learn and innovate at every turn," Popolo said.
"He is fully committed to our Freeman employees and to fostering an environment that aligns with our core company values of integrity, empathy, innovation, enthusiasm and performance excellence."
Freeman, a family-owned company, has over 90 locations worldwide and more than 7,000 employees.
