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September 2, 2024 / 2024 Lifetime Achievement & C-Suite Honorees

2024 C-Suite Honoree: Jill Adams

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Jill Adams is the CEO of Adams & Knight, one of the largest integrated marketing agencies in the region. After launching her career on Capitol Hill in D.C., she took an “adult gap year” and traveled and taught in Europe.

Returning to the United States, she earned her master’s degree in communications, then gained great experience at leading agencies and large corporations before co-founding Adams & Knight. Over the last 25 years, she has led the agency’s growth into a national award-winning, multidisciplinary marketing firm.

What have been your biggest professional accomplishments over the past year? Thanks to the talented team at Adams & Knight, we were able to celebrate our best year ever in 2023. Much of that growth has come from our expanded array of in-demand marketing services.

We built out our in-house programming team, so we could offer more tech-powered solutions. We created a channel strategy team, so we could provide more holistic solutions that connect the dots among earned media, paid media and social media.

We expanded our content marketing/storytelling skills. And, we’ve developed innovative offerings to help clients build total brand experiences that encompass their employees’ experience as well as their customers’ experience.

In what ways are you involved in the community? I truly love my adopted state of Connecticut and the many ‘communities’ it fosters. I’ve had the privilege of serving on many nonprofit boards, including as past president of the Hartford Stage board and as an incoming member of the Connecticut Forum board.

I’m also an avid supporter of many other nonprofits that make Connecticut such a great place to live, work and play.

On the job

Guiding business principle: Good is the enemy of great — but perfection is the enemy of accomplishment.

Best way to keep your competitive edge: Never stop learning. I will always be a student, not just of our industry but of life. I love researching new innovations, asking better questions, honing new skills, and opening myself up to new points of view. That doesn’t just help you be more ‘competitive;’ it enables you to be more collaborative.

Best business decision: One of the best business decisions we made was taking the leap to build our own 30,000-square-foot office 15 years ago. That may sound counterintuitive in this day — and it certainly wasn’t without its risks — but I’m so glad we made that decision.

We designed this complex to inspire and facilitate creativity — with a 60-person theater, video production facility, podcast studio, idea lab and lots of other space for collaboration. And it’s still a powerful draw for employees as well as clients!

Worst business decision: Not dealing with a negative employee soon enough. Our welcoming culture is one of the hallmarks of Adams & Knight. While I believe it is everyone’s responsibility to foster the kind of culture they want to work in, I’ve learned that a leader must be unequivocal in setting the standards for an environment where everyone feels truly valued and respected.

Goal yet to be achieved: Remain 150% committed to growing our business and to continue strengthening our claim as an innovative, national marketing leader.

Personal touch in your office: Lots of photos of my Australian shepherds, Puck and Romeo. And a vintage Corona portable typewriter!

Personal side

Place of residence: Avon

Favorite way to relax: I love hiking in Connecticut’s abundance of state parks. We are so fortunate to be able to immerse ourselves in such incredible, diverse natural beauty — all within just a short distance of home.

Hobbies: For me, there’s nothing like seeing live theater and being able to escape into someone else’s world and experiencing someone else’s story for a few hours.

Last vacation: Loved visiting Scotland with my extended family this summer.

The car you drive: Lucid (an electric vehicle)

Favorite cause: Educational causes are near and dear to my heart. I am passionate about helping students access the tools and resources they need to build their careers and their lives.

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Jill Adams

CEO

Adams & Knight Inc.

Size of organization:65 employees

Education: Bachelor’s Degree in English, Catholic University of America; Master’s in Communications, Boston University

 

 

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