Publicis & Hal Riney Bolsters Sprint Account Team with Addition of Michael Goefft as Senior Vice President, Group Account Director; Account Management Veteran to Bring Vast Global, B2B, Consumer and Merger Experience to Team

Business Wire, May 4, 2005

SAN FRANCISCO -- Publicis & Hal Riney today announced the appointment of Michael Goefft as Senior Vice President, Group Account Director for the Sprint business. Goefft will join SVP, Group Account Director, James Gassel to comanage the Sprint account team, and both will be involved in all aspects of the business. Goefft's consumer, business-to-business, global and merger experience will enhance the team, helping to ensure it continues to deliver the best work possible for this long-time client partner.

"Sprint has been a great partner for more than eight years, and as the highly competitive telecom landscape evolves, we continue to look for ways to enhance the team and even better serve this client," said Karen Francis, Chairman and CEO at Publicis & Hal Riney. "Mike's experience running large global accounts and managing a business through a merger will be invaluable in our continued efforts to deliver smart, effective work to Sprint."

Goefft joins Publicis & Hal Riney from Young & Rubicam, San Francisco, where he was SVP, Global Client Leader managing the $100 million global ChevronTexaco account. He was responsible for agency teams deployed in more than 50 countries and drove integrated brand communications and campaign development, including brand strategy, brand identity, advertising, sales promotions, public relations, interactive communications and sponsorships for ChevronTexaco. He also worked extensively on the B2B side of the business with the company's Global Lubricants and Aviation Fuels divisions. Goefft managed the relationship through the ChevronTexaco merger in 2002 and led the global agency pitch team that won the global assignment in a competitive shootout in 2003, increasing agency revenues more than 30 percent. Goefft also managed the $70 million Clorox business and was responsible for award-winning campaigns that generated record sales growth over two years. Other account responsibilities at Young & Rubicam included helping to launch Xerox's Desktop Document Systems to the SOHO market and helping Polycom define its next generation branding strategy.

"Riney has done exceptional work for Sprint over the years, and I'm eager to join a great team and use my experience to continue to build this relationship," said Goefft. "This is a really exciting time for the Sprint business, and I'm looking forward to being a part of a team uniquely positioned to support this client through it."

Prior to Young & Rubicam, Goefft was President and Senior Partner at Mandelbaum Mooney Ashley in San Francisco, where he joined a nine-person agency and grew it to 30 employees and $25 million in annual billings in four years. He led campaigns for The North Face, Arrow Shirts, Seagram, Gary Fisher Bicycles, Blue Shield of California and the Sacramento regional Cellular One account. At J. Walter Thompson, San Francisco, Goefft managed the Sprint account from 1989 to 1990 as well as Chevron, and Kellogg's in JWT's Sydney, Australia office. He also led the American Express Travelers Check and Retail Travel accounts and regional account coordination across Europe while at Ogilvy Mather in London. At Ketchum Communications, Goefft managed several Hunt Wesson Foods new products assignments and Safeway Stores Corporate branding assignments after having started his career at Procter & Gamble.

Goefft received his B.S. from Purdue University and his M.B.A from Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management.

About Publicis & Hal Riney

Publicis & Hal Riney is a full-service agency headquartered in San Francisco, wholly owned by Publicis Groupe, the world's fourth-largest communication group. Publicis & Hal Riney's clients include well-known brands such as Sprint, Hewlett-Packard, 24 Hour Fitness, Jamba Juice, San Francisco Opera and Beringer Wines.