Not one… not two… but three of Arc’s stellar female leaders were named Path To Purchase Institute Women of Excellence (WEX) in 2023.
The WEX Awards recognizes female brand marketers, retailers, agency executives and solution providers for their achievements in influencing shoppers along the path to purchase.
Genna Carlson, Senior Vice President Account Director, Innovation Award
“When the problem seems too big, all I need is Genna and a whiteboard,” shares Lauren Elliott, SVP Strategy Director. “She takes the complicated, and makes it make sense. And she has an uncanny ability to share her vision and have people clamoring on board to bring it to life.” Genna shines in her role on the Unilever team, creating connections across agencies and taking charge in finding innovative solutions and making them happen.
Genna is a vocal proponent of supporting diverse voices, both in the workplace and in the work her team creates. In 2022, she drove efforts to produce the first gender neutral Unilever execution at Target, which perfectly married the client’s and retailer’s values and led to double digit ROI. “Every day we see her holding firm to the social implications of change. She has been the heartbeat of this work and an advocate of shoppers,” says Tracy Slinkman, Account Director.
Colleen DeVos, Executive Vice President Account Director, Business Excellence Award
With over 25 years of agency experience, Colleen is a pioneer in commerce marketing, and has helped clients such as Unilever, Kellogg’s, Mars Wrigley, and Kimberly-Clark transform their commerce capabilities. “She leads by example, asking questions to seek clarity, and showing her colleagues how a growth mindset leads to the growth of people and business,” says Christina Hormuth, Vice President, Account Director.
Colleen developed the Power of One model, an inter-agency team that supports the Kraft Heinz business. Under her leadership the team won a 2021 Reggie for Heinz Art of the Burger, a program that delivered double digit growth and hailed as the single largest retail execution in Kraft Heinz history. And this year, Kraft Heinz launched the first ever shoppable, live TikTok cooking program, which was a smashing success for the client. “Our creative success is a direct result of the team culture Colleen has built,” says Casey Lissou, SaatchiX VP Group Creative Director.
Renee Martin, Senior Vice President Group Creative Director, Mentorship Award
As a senior leader for the Arc Worldwide Molson Coors business, Renee is doing the work to support the diverse talent within the agency and the industry at large. She is an executive sponsor of the Pencil Project, a six-week course at Chicago State University (CSU) that provides educational and mentorship opportunities to students considering a career in advertising, and has dedicated herself to building a pipeline for diverse and non-traditional talent.
“I’ve had the pleasure of watching Renee take a room that felt depleted and pump so much energy into it that everybody got excited around her. She is definitely a one-in-a-billion spirit, and I feel lucky to have worked with her through this process,” says Derek Dow, Professor at CSU.
Matt Weiner, Arc Chief Creative Officer, adds, “Renee is the change we desperately need to see in the industry. She has a different background than the others around her, and she doesn’t think like them either. She’s kind, but firm. She challenges the norm. She pushes her business, her projects, and her people forward.”
Renee, Colleen, and Genna are instrumental to shaping the culture and work at Arc. Together, they make us better.
Check out pics of the award ceremony and read more about the 2023 Women of Excellence winners here.
