Hill named President-CEO of the American Association of Advertising Agencies.

Nancy Hill has been appointed to serve as president and chief executive officer of the American Association of Advertising Agencies, which was confirmed by the AAAA Board of Directors this afternoon in New York City.

Hill a veteran leader of AAAA member agencies on both coasts, has distinguished herself as a technologically-savvy champion of digital marketing tools, as well as a leading voice for the need for increased diversity and youth education and training in the advertising industry.

Hill most recently served as chief executive officer of Lowe New York, where she led an open-source agency reorganization and oversaw the launch of Lola (Lowe Latina) in the United States. Previously, she was executive vice president, managing director, at BBDO New York, overseeing many of the agency’s largest accounts. Additionally, Hill served in management roles at Doner, Baltimore; Goldberg Moser O’Neill and Hill | Holliday, San Francisco and New York; and TBWA\Chiat\Day, St. Louis and Los Angeles.

Hill succeeds O. Burtch Drake, who has served as president and CEO of the AAAA since 1994. Drake will retire March 31, 2008, the end of the Association’s fiscal year. Hill’s appointment is effective February 1, 2008, to allow for a transition period.

“I’m pleased that Nancy is taking the helm of the AAAA and I look forward to working with her during the transition,” said Drake. “I am confident that Nancy’s experience leading a variety of agencies in a complex and increasingly digital world will greatly benefit the evolving needs of AAAA members.”

In Hill’s 28-year career, she has led agency marketing efforts for a long list of blue-chip and technology clients, including XM Satellite Radio, Motorola, HBO, Visa, AOL, Cisco, Microsoft, LucasArts, Sony and Verizon. She began her career in the recording industry.

The search committee was led by Anthony J. Hopp, chairman and CEO, Campbell-Ewald, and chairman of the AAAA Board of Directors. “Nancy is a forward-thinking leader with a proven track record that spans management positions at agencies of all sizes and geographies,” said Hopp. “Her knowledge and embrace of technology, diversity, and education well positions the AAAA to effectively address the needs of member agencies in the 21st century.”

Members of the search committee included Ron Berger, chief creative officer and CEO, Euro RSCG New York, and former chairman, AAAA Board of Directors (2004–2006); Tom Carroll, president and CEO, TBWA Worldwide, and vice chairman of the AAAA Board of Directors, Eric Mower, chairman and CEO, Eric Mower and Associates, and Linda Sawyer, CEO, Deutsch Inc.

“Nancy is absolutely the right person to lead the AAAA moving forward, and to help agencies to serve clients in modern, relevant, best practices ways,” said Carroll. “She will build on Burtch’s many accomplishments, and serve as a change agent for the organization into the future.”

Hill has served as a board member of the Miami Ad School and led the recent launch of their New York campus. She served as secretary treasurer of the AAAA Northern California Council in 2002 and is on the board of People Helping People. Hill is actively involved in community and education programs in Ecuador.

Hill becomes the ninth AAAA chief executive since the association was founded in 1917.