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TheBuzz Erika Engle |
Marketing man
back to work after all,
keeps big clientDOUG Harris has gone from unemployed to president and chief executive officer in mere days.
He announced his resignation from Laird Christianson Harris Advertising Inc. a week ago today, looking for time off to weigh options and enjoy blue sky.
So much for R-and-R.
He will open The Harris Agency as president and CEO next week, persuaded to do so by a client notified of his career move.
"I said, 'Doug, we gave you eight hours of blue sky and now we want you to go back to work'," laughed Chris Scanlan, CEO of Kazi Management Virgin Islands Inc. The company is the parent of Hawaii's KFC and Burger King restaurants, and has been Harris' client since before he joined Laird Christianson.
KFC-Hawaii has seen 25 percent compounded sales growth in five years. In the two years Kazi has owned Hawaii Burger Kings, sales are up by 16 percent, exceeding industry averages and far surpassing the chain's national performance.
"Those are the kinds of numbers driven by both marketing and advertising," Scanlan said.
Kazi's decision to follow Harris, who has worked with the company for more than five years, was expected by Laird Christianson, said principal Buck Laird.
The Kazi account represented some $3 million to Laird Christianson, but other accounts are in the wings. "Looking forward we still imagine this will be another growth year for us," Laird said.
Ads for free
The more than 200 finalists in the Hawaii Advertising Federation Pele awards are on display in the Pauahi Tower mezzanine on Bishop Street through May 14. Winners were recently announced and include Laird Christianson, which has offices in the building."What do you know?" grinned principal Buck Laird.
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Erika Engle is a reporter with the Star-Bulletin. Call 529-4302, fax 529-4750 or write to Erika Engle, Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., No. 7-210, Honolulu, HI 96813. She can also be reached at: eengle@starbulletin.com