The Shipyard Introduces New Operating Model

Following The Shipyard’s recent acquisition of Fahlgren Mortine, the reigning PRSA agency of the Year, and its subsidiary TURNER, one of the nation’s leaders in travel, tourism and lifestyle marketing, the firm introduces a new operating model, The Shipyard Collective. 

“With the Shipyard Collective, we have built one seamless agency value proposition that leverages all our amazing craft and creative disciplines in paid, earned, and owned media,” said Rick Milenthal, chairman and CEO of The Shipyard. 

Traditional agency structures often rely on silos and specialties that create unnecessary friction. The Shipyard Collective breaks down these barriers by bringing together talent from diverse crafts and ensuring client success drives everything. It unites the right resources and professionals to meet clients’ exact needs. The Shipyard Collective’s unique approach reduces complexity and delivers improved results for clients. 

All three agency brands – The Shipyard, Fahlgren Mortine, and TURNER – and their leadership will remain intact. Rick said the new model ensures these specialties work together cohesively for client success. 

“The Shipyard Collective lets clients - no matter the entry point of our relationship, whether advertising, communications, experiences, media, innovation, or someplace in between – be surrounded by professionals bold enough to imagine, daring enough to act, and experienced enough to trust.”

Rick announced that Matt Bruot will serve as president of The Shipyard Collective. Matt previously served as chief financial and operating officer at The Shipyard.   

“Matt has proved to be an outstanding partner and steward of our financial growth, partnership strategy, and organizational innovation. He is an exceptional leader and the right person to help us drive this vision forward.” 

Regarding his new role, Matt said, “This is an opportunity to bring to life a new way to manage the agency business with creativity and innovation at its core. We’re creating something special to help our client partners engineer brand love while improving marketing effectiveness and ROI. Additionally, the new model provides a home for our talented professionals to focus on their craft and not the minutiae of business operation or agency rivalries.”  

Marty McDonald and Christine Turner will continue in their roles as brand-level presidents of Fahlgren Mortine and TURNER, respectively.