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Greenville Business Magazine

Erwin Center for Brand Communications Names New Executive Director

Jul 11, 2018 11:25AM ● By Kathleen Maris

Clemson University’s Erwin Center for Brand Communications has named advertising and digital marketing professional Katie Hildebrand as its new executive director.

Hildebrand brings a wealth of agency advertising and marketing experience to her new role at the Erwin Center for Brand Communications. Housed in the university’s College of Business, the Erwin Center was founded in 2012 by longtime university benefactors Joe and Gretchen Erwin. The center’s curriculum combines traditional academic coursework with hands-on instruction from industry professionals.

“Katie’s proven experience as an agency practitioner, entrepreneur, and educator makes her a perfect fit to lead the Erwin Center for Brand Communications,” said Greg Pickett, senior associate dean for the College of Business. “She was one of the Erwin Center’s first adjunct professors and developed its first digital marketing course. Katie’s experience in education and leading digital marketing initiatives for major brands from the agency and client sides puts her in a perfect position to lead the Erwin Center into its new era.”

The Erwin Center is a “teaching hospital” for future brand communications professionals. Learning by doing in disciplines ranging from advertising, marketing, research, strategy, media, and analytics prepares Erwin Center students to be market-ready professionals in a variety of communications fields.

Throughout her marketing agency career, Hildebrand managed teams that collaboratively produced large-scale advertising and marketing campaigns. Most recently, she helped clients launch and grow their e-commerce businesses as senior manager and director of digital marketing at Escendance LLC.

Previously, Hildebrand held positions with EP+Co (Erwin Penland), where she led interactive work for a financial services client and produced numerous business development projects. She also oversaw the production of broadcast, print, and digital campaigns for consumer packaged goods and food service clients.

Hildebrand began her career at a BBDO-affiliated digital agency in Cincinnati, where she specialized in digital content and interactive technology. While there, she led various interactive projects for Procter & Gamble’s Home Care brands.

For three years, beginning in 2012, she taught digital marketing at the Erwin Center on Clemson’s campus. She also co-founded The Pixelry in Greenville, a code camp for young girls with the objective of generating interest in STEM at an early age.

She earned a Bachelor of Science in journalism and advertising management from Ohio University.