Alkemy X Expands Business Development Team With Mary Ida Bonadio and Jack Strachan
Alkemy X has expanded its business development team, hiring seasoned sales executive Mary Ida Bonadio as Vice President of Business Development, based in Chicago, to continue leading the company’s growth in the Midwest, and signing with Jack Strachan of Say Hey Representation for East Coast representation.
Serving as a production company rep for over 20 years, Bonadio has fused her production experience with her MFA background from the Art Institute of Chicago to represent film directors in the ever-shifting advertising space. She will leverage her expertise to represent all of Alkemy X’s creative divisions including live-action, editorial, VFX, post/finishing, and Alkemy X’s global artist collective The Creative Studio. And, with 15 years of experience, Strachan is a sales leader with a proven track record of driving strategic business growth and bringing transformational solutions to brands at the cultural nexus of creativity and commerce. The signing of Alkemy X marks the return of his independent firm, Say Hey Representation, with a reframed focus on brand-direct work aligned with the modern media marketplace.
Notes Alkemy X president and CEO Justin Wineburgh: “Mary Ida and Jack not only have incredibly impressive experience in advertising, but they are also extremely resourceful and collaborative in their approach to partnering with both long-standing relationships and an extensive network of contacts. Our industry is constantly evolving, and I am confident that their vision for the future aligns with the unique offerings and forward-thinking strategies that Alkemy X always brings to clients. We’re thrilled to have them both on board.”
Adds Strachan: “With challenged budgets and a migration of talent within the advertising industry, creative partners from all sides of the industry have truly embraced a hybrid way of working. Alkemy X’s experience working directly with brands, combined with its full suite of creative services, truly makes them fortified for the current industry landscape. I’m excited to get started with their team.”
Strachan’s diverse career in business development in the advertising industry has given him a holistic understanding of the end-to-end creative content production process, with extensive experience selling talent and services across agency, production, and post-production. He began his career with sales roles at top creative shops including SMUGGLER and Dress Code NY, spending six years developing and selling creative talent internally before launching his own independent firm, Say Hey Representation in 2011. He represented directors, graphics artists, designers, visual effects artists and editors, building lasting partnerships through creative projects. In 2018, he made the transition back in-house as part of the launch of ArtClass Content, spending four years as Head of Sales, leading the growth of the live-action and post production studio. Most recently, he served as Senior Account Director at an Agency/Creative Production studio before relaunching Say Hey Representation.
After attending Moore College of Art and Design for her BFA in Photography, Mary Ida entered the competitive Art Institute of Chicago for an MFA in Video Production, informing the outlook that carries over into her career today. She cut her teeth with GLG and Giraldi Suarez as a sales rep before striking out on her own as one of the first agents to cross-platform represent filmmakers for advertising opportunities. She additionally owned MI Bonadio Productions and serves as a Board Member of the Chicago Film Archives, a nonprofit organization committed to the preservation, study, and exhibition of films that reflect the character and heritage of the Midwest.
