Bob McNeil Jr Biography
Bob McNeil Jr is a diverse markets strategy specialist with an extensive career in many fields. Over the years, he has innovated unique marketing concepts that have reshaped the marketing communications industry Coming from humble beginnings, McNeil has worked to support many underrepresented communities and served on the Board of Directors of several for-profit and not-for-profit organizations
Current Roles and Duties
McNeil is currently the Chairman Emeritus of IMAGES, a national marketing firm founded in his GATECH dorm room over 30 years ago. DentsuAegis acquired that.This full-service agency provides various services, including advertising, experiential branding, market research, and public relations for multiple businesses and government organizations. McNeil has continually focused on supporting young people because he believes they are our future
Over the years, McNeil has worked with many different brands, including Coca-Cola, Delta Airlines, Disney, Mattel, McDonald's, Nickelodeon, Synchrony,Target, Walmart, and Wells Fargo These companies have all seen steady growth since partnering with him and have continued to use his service for various marketing channels over the years.
This tremendous success has been partially fueled by a hard-working ethos taught to McNeil at a young age and by surrounding himself with smart, innovative team players.This philosophy has shaped McNeil's career and has influenced his commitment to community service Even before graduating high school, Bob was a serial entrepreneur.
Background and Education
Bob McNeil Jr started life in the south side of Chicago in a neighborhood where gang warfare and civil racial injustices were common Many of his peers fell victim to this lifestyle and struggled to move beyond its influence. McNeil was lucky enough to grow up with parents who focused him on education and religion, giving him a strong moral background to avoid these adverse influences and become a strong person with moral conviction
After relocating toAtlanta, Georgia, to attend a Catholic college prep school, McNeil started a small lawn maintenance business. At 12, he learned the importance of self-sufficiency and why community involvement mattered While attending GeorgiaTech, McNeil began to work for another company out of his dorm room and eventually employed over 50 professionals to service multiple national clients.This business gave him real-world experience in marketing and helped him move on from learning these lessons to applying them Bob earned an Executive MBAfrom Georgia State University and graduated from the National Minority Development CouncilAdvanced Management Program at the Kellogg Graduate School of Management. He
also earned anAdvanced MBE from theTuck School of Business, giving him the theoretical and educational groundwork for his career.
This background has helped McNeil expand his portfolio and help his community in many ways. For example, he has been invited to talk at multiple colleges and even launched an internship program to help introduce underrepresented college students into the advertising industry through real-world opportunities.This program has helped many young people in the African-American and Hispanic communities find job opportunities they might not have been exposed to otherwise
Awards andAchievements
Bob has also received several awards and professional honors and has been praised by many organizations His firm was twice named Multicultural MarketingAgency of the year by the American MarketingAssociation As the youngest recipient, McNeil also won the Moss Kendrick Award from the NationalAssociation of Market Developers.
Black Enterprise Magazine has also listed McNeil in theTop 100 Marketer List for over ten years This publication honors successful marketing experts such as McNeil in the Marketing andAdvertising community For several years, his firm was listed as a BE100 (top 100 Black-owned companies in the US). Being listed in it for ten years is a major accomplishment, and he is one of the most heavily awarded marketers in the magazine's history
Bob was also awarded theYoungAdvertising ProfessionalAward from the NationalAssociation of Market Developers,Advertising Executive of theYear fromTarget Marketing News, and Outstanding BlackAlumni Honoree from the Georgia Institute ofTechnology This acclaim has helped push him to the top of his field and ensures that he will remain remembered for many years
Volunteer Work and Hobbies
Like many successful businesspeople, Bob McNeil Jr gives back to his community to help support its development After coming from a challenging background, he believes in doing what he can to help others succeed For example, he is known to volunteer directly with organizations likeAIDAtlanta,Alpha PhiAlpha, and Big Brothers Big Sisters.
Working with young people is particularly important to McNeil, as he works with the Boys and Girls Clubs and works to promote education throughout his community. It is important to showcase how education can transform a person's life and improve them He has given over 100 pints of blood to theAmerican Red Cross Community.
McNeil is also an avid church member of the Friendship Baptist Church, having served in this church for over 40 years. He works atThe National Conference for Community and Justice and
theAmerican Institute for Managing Diversity He has served on the Carter Center Presidential Museum Board of Councilors, the Maris School, and the Freedom Center, among many others.