Former New Orleans ad executive buys stake in STANANDLOU

Houston Business Journal – by Christine Hall Houston Business Journal

Friday, October 26, 2007

Although last year’s proposed merger deal between Houston-based StanandLou Advertising and Keating Magee Advertising of New Orleans didn’t pan out, the two firms finally established a link.

This week, Michelle Reed, a former managing partner of Keating Magee’s Houston office, acquired a 50 percent ownership in the Houston creative shop.

“Lou (Congelio) and I are equally yoked, with him being on the creative side and me on the business side,” Reed says. “He realized he needed a business partner, and I knew owning my own business or being a partner in one was definitely the path for me.”

Lou Congelio, president and chief creative officer of StanandLou, would not comment on the exact investment amount Reed made in the 10-person company.

“… I wasn’t necessarily looking for a partner, but after working with Michelle on a full-time basis, I don’t know how I could work without her,” Congelio says.

The “Stan” in StanandLou, Stan Mays, left the firm several years ago, but Congelio retained the StanandLou name.

Congelio says Reed possesses a skill set he hasn’t seen anywhere else, which combines owning her own marketing consultancy as well as handling marketing on the corporate side.

Prior to joining Keating Magee, Reed founded Advantage Consulting, an independent marketing solutions provider in New Orleans. She began her career in consumer products marketing with EPI Marketing and BrandDirect Marketing Inc., both in Connecticut.

Congelio says bringing a business-focused partner on board will free him up to focus on the creative side.

“Running the business was taking so much of my time that I felt the creative side was falling off,” he says. “Our reputation in town is for creative, and if we didn’t have that, we would be in a world of hurt.

HURRICANE KATRINA VICTIM TURNS INTO ASSET

STANANDLOU is pleased to announce that Michelle Reed has acquired 50-percent ownership of the Houston full-service advertising and marketing agency.

“It’s all about finding the right chemistry,” said Lou Congelio, agency founder and principal.  “Michelle and I have clicked well during the time that she has been working with our agency.  We’re finding that clients who came to STANANDLOU originally for our creative product are now staying for our strategic capabilities.” Congelio added, “Michelle puts clients at ease. Her experience, education and business acumen are a great asset for the agency. Clients know they’re in good hands and I feel the same way.”

A New Orleans native, Ms. Reed moved to Houston as a result of Hurricane Katrina. After spending several months sharing donated office space with several Houston companies, Michelle landed at STANANDLOU.
Prior to joining STANANDLOU, she was the vice president of account service for Keating Magee, a New Orleans based advertising agency. Ms. Reed began her career in consumer products marketing with EPI Marketing and BrandDirect Marketing in Connecticut. She is a veteran marketer with experience in both consumer and business-to-business marketing.  Previously, she was a self-employed marketing consultant working with a variety of businesses and non-profits, helping them to create and implement marketing and business development plans. Ms. Reed also founded Advantage Consulting, an independent marketing solutions provider serving area business.   She earned a marketing degree from the University of New Orleans and her MBA from Tulane.