Staffed by nearly 25 communications professionals, the Devin James Group provides expertise and knowledge in a wide range of brand management and public relations disciplines, and executes award-winning programs.
Devin James - Founder/CEO
Devin is a Brand Strategist, Creative Director, Entrepreneur and Founder of the Devin James Group. Devin is particularly adept at maintaining budget parameters and is the brains behind the conceptualizing, planning and managing of multiple national and global projects for the Devin James Group.
Devin possesses remarkable innovation experience in brand and web development and public relations and has created memorable regional, national and international programs for celebrities, corporations and governments alike including this short list of clients: Americare Home Health, AutoHood Media, Benjamin L. Hooks Job Corps Center/Dept. of Labor, Burger King/Liberty Restaurant Group, Bridgestone of Americas, Drake Incorporated Construction, Global Products Inc. (global Harley Davidson exclusive licensee and distributor), Hamilton Lane, North Delta Hospice , Optimist International Foundation, Osceola County Health Department/Tobacco Free Florida and many more.
Covered by all local media in his hometown of Memphis, TN; Devin has been featured in the Memphis Business Quarterly, the Memphis Regional Chambers' "Crossroads" magazine, the Memphis Flyer, the cover story of the Commercial Appeal business section, numerous features in the Memphis Business Journal while also appearing on WREG News Channel 3 "Live at 9" with Marybeth Conley and WHBQ MyFox Memphis, "Money Matters" with Mearl Purvis and Scott Maddus.
In media outside the mid-south, Devin's national publication credits include features in; Black Enterprise Magazine, Flame Magazine, The Network Journal, Atlanta Post, Who's Who of Black St. Louis, the St. Louis American Newspaper, the Dallas Weekly, African American Golfer's Digest magazine, Hotel & Motel Management Magazine as well as mainstream internet sites
NFIB.com, CBS
MoneyWatch.com, Yahoo News, Clutch Magazine's "Black Men to Watch" annual feature, YFS Magazine,
BlackNews.com and AOL's Black Voices.
Ivonne Kinser - Chief Marketing Officer
Ivonne brings more than 15 years of experience in international marketing and advertising including multicultural and multi-location marketing. Born and raised in Caracas, Venezuela she moved to Dallas, Texas in 2001 and joined T:M Advertising, where for 5 years she managed the American Airlines' advertising efforts in 19 countries throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. Five years later she became part of the largest independent advertising agency nationwide, The Richards Groups, and led the multicultural efforts for brands such as: Greyhound Bus Lines, MetroPCS, Comcast and Time Warner Cable, among others, as well as the Hispanic strategy for the agency's new business efforts, which resulted in the acquisition of a handful of new accounts within a two-year period.
As a VP of international marketing for one of the largest trade show management companies worldwide MCMC, Ivonne planned and led the efforts that resulted in the increase of the international attendance by 260% within a 6-month period. Based on this accomplishment she was invited by the American Lighting Association to speak about International Business Development during the 2009 Association's Annual Conference in Palo Alto, California.
Before joining our agency while at American Airlines HQ, Ivonne was part of an innovative team of marketers that exists within the AA marketing department and offers brands the possibility to integrate their campaigns within the AA touch points. Ivonne's group was in charge of customizing global, creative, innovative, and integrated marketing platforms for partner's brands, to allow a seamless integration of those with the AA brand, as well as with American Airlines' customers' experience.
Vilma Otazo - Chief Creative Officer
Vilma's experience encompasses 20 years in the advertising, TV, and entertainment industry in the U.S and Latin America. Her capabilities include creative strategy development and execution, creative writing, production, post production, PR, events organization and management, corporate videos, development of new TV formal programs and more. Her resume includes high-profile projects such as: Project Runway Latin America, successful "novelas" such as Nickelodeon and Grachi among others.
Bill Oates- Creative Director
While employed by The Sherrill Company, a Dallas-based Advertising agency Bill Oates graduated with a BFA at Southern Methodist University in 1980. Opportunity knocked again and he was hired to develop creative for Unigraphics, Inc. in 1982 and worked there until 1987, when he returned to his hometown to launch his own agency.
Since joining the Devin James Group, Bill has been spearheading the design process of creating and applying new ideas. Bill has a unique combination of expertise in creative media, which contributes to a thorough understanding of all phases of a project life cycle, from conception to launch.
Samuel McQueen � Agency Producer, Director and Screen Writer
Sam's film and television career has spanned over a decade. With more than 75 produced and directed projects under his belt, Samuel brings his talents from television to the silver screen. Most recently McQueen produced the short film, Let Old Ghosts Rest. The film is currently playing film festivals and has won a Gold Remi Award for best short drama at the Houston Worldfest Film Festival.
Sam recently co-directed and lensed a short documentary entitled, �The Power of One.. The documentary was shot on-location in Masaka and Kamapala, Uganda and won a Gold Remi for best short documentary; and a Bronze Telly Award.
Before joining the Devin James Group, Sam worked in television for the last 17 years with Harpo Productions, on The Oprah Winfrey Show where he shot and produced numerous segments, promos and interview.
A native of Michigan, Dr. Derron Simon attended Wayne State University School of Medicine following graduation from
Hampton University and received his surgical training at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ)
where he was also recognized as "Teaching Surgical Resident of the Year" from 2000 to 2001.
Dr. Simon acts as the bridge between the healthcare client and the agency's account management, creative, and media teams to gain insight into
customer attitudes, trends and needs through quantitative research; qualitative research including focus groups; and competitive analysis.
Ultimately, translating healthcare client insight into objectives the creative team can use to develop innovative brand strategies with a
distinct clinical point of differentiation.
Jainendra Singh - Director of Online Marketing
Jay, a 2010 MBA Graduate specializing in new and interactive media from Manipal University in Banglore, India was recruited to join the agency personally by Founder and CEO, Devin James.
As Director of Online Marketing, Jay ensures that the deliverables developed and implemented by our creative teams for our clients' are completely innovative in terms of websites; email marketing; online advertising and promotions; and search-engine-optimization and search-engine marketing (SEO/SEM). Additionally, he conceives strategy and tactics to raise the rates of customer acquisition, retention, and cross/up-selling with an emphasis on online market analysis.
Sam Trivedi - Marketing Manager, Client Relations
Trivedi acts as the bridge between the client and the agency's creative and management teams and provides administrative and customer support. He responds to client needs and requests to ensure project coordination meets the scheduled timelines and budgets.
Trivedi, a global accounts veteran has handled international corporate and government accounts since joining the agency in 2009 and brings the highest-level of quality customer care to the agency. He also oversees the rest of the client services team as they implement the full range of web, advertising and direct marketing tactics.
Sharon Thomas - Senior Account Executive
A team member at DJG since 2009, Sharon has been involved in the client relations side of the business since she graduated from the University of Memphis. She is fluent in English, Spanish and Hindi and has become one of the most dynamic account team members at the agency.
As an account executive she manages DJG clients and helps develop advertising strategies; media plans; and solutions to creative, logistical, and technical problems. Responsible for estimating costs and monitoring project timelines of new business. Oh and she spends a lot of time loving on the company mascot, Rags.
