Begins Rapid Expansion of Marketing Expertise and Impact
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., Dec. 5, 2022—For more than 145 years, David C Cook has been 100% committed to one single goal: providing resources to help Christians all over the world grow in their faith and pass it on to the next generation. During the past year, the ministry has been rapidly remaking its internal marketing team, led by interim CMO Stuart Foster. “We are on a mission for growth, expanding our reach for ministry across all areas. This new marketing organization positions David C Cook to increase its global impact. The leadership team is thrilled with the high-caliber talent joining this amazing team,” said Foster, who was retained through Chief Outsiders, a firm which provides fractional chief marketing officers for organizations in more than 70 industries across the country.
Already this year, David C Cook has added four proven veterans to lead strategic marketing efforts: Chris Baggett (VP of Marketing Strategy); Jason Jones (VP of Visual Communication); Rob Annese (Sr. Director of Digital Marketing) and Jonathan Schneck (Director of Digital Strategy & Growth for Integrity Music). Together, these hires bring decades of experience in marketing and brand development. In all, David C Cook plans to add 17 new positions across marketing and communications, deeply investing in its capabilities of insights, strategy, communication, digital marketing and creative.
New to David C Cook, Chris Baggett will oversee marketing strategy for the entire portfolio across publishing, curriculum, music and new innovations. Baggett has extensive experience in leadership, analytics, digital marketing, creative direction and design, well versed in developing strategies and operating systems to increase employee engagement and organizational performance. With Baggett leading this area, the company can expect to see a drastic advancement of branding and reach through data analysis and strategy.
Jason Jones is being promoted into the newly created role of VP of Visual Communications across all areas. Jones joined Integrity Music in 2015 from Capitol Records as Sr. Director of Visual Communications, quickly building an innovative team largely responsible for growing and supporting an international roster of Worship and Gospel artists. A proven team leader and inspirational creative executive, Jones brings 17 years of industry experience in leading cross-disciplinary teams and will lead all creative at David C Cook and Integrity Music.
Rob Annese joins David C Cook with expertise in leading-edge digital marketing, adding a whole new capability to the internal team. Annese is highly experienced in the areas of data and analytics, performance marketing, web technology and performance and CRM. Annese has built extensive digital marketing capabilities and teams with proven success. His highly collaborative role will focus on innovation in the context of long-term digital strategies across all of David C Cook and Integrity Music’s ministry.
Jonathan Schneck, newly appointed Director of Digital Strategy & Growth for Integrity Music, joins the team with a background in digital marketing in the Christian music industry. Schneck brings extensive performance marketing, web technology and CRM experience, and his role will focus on developing the online strategy and driving growth of Integrity Music’s digital presence.
“By adding top-tier executives to step into these critical roles, David C Cook is poised for growth and expansion across all of our ministries,” said David C Cook CEO, John Aden. “By leaning heavily on data and insights, we will continue to be on the cutting edge of meaningful impact for the Word of God and the Church around the world.”
About David C Cook
David C Cook is a global nonprofit ministry equipping individuals and church leaders with vital learning and worship resources. David C Cook’s desire is for individuals and faith groups to experience the transforming power of the gospel through music and media that fit the culture, language and spiritual needs of their communities.
David C Cook was founded in Chicago, Illinois, in 1875 by David Caleb Cook, a businessman who began publishing pamphlets on lessons and songs that equipped local churches for ministry to children displaced by the Great Chicago Fire. Through the years, David C Cook has grown from a Sunday school curriculum publisher to one of the world’s largest providers of dynamic and relevant media, as well as music designed to equip the global church and individuals with creative, Christian content.
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