VIRGINIA BEACH, VA. (October 3, 2006)—Meridian Group, a full-service advertising, interactive and public relations agency, has appointed branding expert Bob Sanders as director of brand development. In his new capacity, Sanders will direct program and practice development, handle client-branding engagements and manage team development at the firm.

Prior to joining Meridian Group, Sanders was president of both Sanders Consulting and AMG, full-service brand consulting firms. Previously he worked in account services with numerous traditional advertising agencies.

Sander’s 20-plus years of experience includes extensive consulting and service engagements with global brands such as Anheuser-Busch and L’Oreal; tourism brands such as Canadian Tourism Commission and Kissimmee Florida; and consumer brands including Citizens Bank and Prime Outlets. He has also driven branding initiatives for leading marketing agencies including Leo Burnett, Young & Rubican and JWT.

Sanders is a seasoned presenter and has spoken on marketing integration at industry events including AAAA Conferences and DMA,

In addition to his corporate experience, he served his country as a US Marine on the front lines of Operation Desert Storm in the Gulf War from 1986 to 1992.

ABOUT MERIDIAN GROUP:
Meridian Group, one of the fastest growing agencies in the mid-Atlantic region, specializes in consumer and business-to-business accounts in the financial services, travel and tourism, multi-outlet retail, real estate and industrial/corporate sectors.

Headquartered in Virginia with offices in Florida and New York, the agency has grown from two to more than 50 employees since its establishment in 1980 and has served more than 225 clients including Palace Resorts, Colee Hammock, St. Johns County Visitors & Convention Bureau, STIHL Inc., APM Terminals, Bon Secours, Kiawah Island, Grand Furniture, Wounded Warrior Project and more.

Providing comprehensive marketing solutions to clients in North America and the Caribbean, Meridian Group agency is a member of TAAN (Transworld Advertising Agency Network) and operates under "The Why? Philosophy," an exclusive six-step process designed to uncover the core issues of most communications problems. For more information, go to www.themeridiangroup.com or tmg3.com.