Pennsylvania, USA – Anne Carnathan, President & CEO of Universal Media, Inc. (UMI) and Universal Sports & Entertainment (USE), is proud to announce the promotion of Kyle Cook to President and Chief Strategy Officer effective May 1, 2024. Formerly EVP of Media Strategy, Cook first joined the UMI team in 2011 as Sales Coordinator. In his new role, Cook will lead the diversification of innovative media and data offerings, while overseeing agency alignment and supporting the professional growth of all employees.
Carnathan, who was named President & CEO in 2017, has attracted an elite client roster with national brands whose names top Fortune lists, steered UMI into new digital media markets, and launched the premier Universal Sports & Entertainment (USE) division. Carnathan has transitioned to CEO effective immediately and is focused on acquisition opportunities and partner retention, fostering relationships with key stakeholders, and supporting the leadership team.
“My vision for UMI is to nurture a team deeply rooted in entrepreneurial spirit while diversifying services to our clients. USE launched in 2022 and is the perfect example of how our team creates opportunities to help clients amplify experiential marketing campaigns backed by value, attribution, and lift. In its second year, USE is working with Division 1 programs and national sports teams. As president, I will ensure we take intelligent risks to push the impact of marketing communications,” says Cook.
Committed to the brand promise of Every media moment matters, Carnathan believes that relationships with partners, clients, and colleagues are key to UMI’s thriving culture and growing team. “Kyle’s visionary approach to problem-solving coupled with his relentless dedication to digital innovation and omnichannel strategy is our superpower. Whether pioneering groundbreaking initiatives or navigating complex market dynamics, Kyle has the business acumen and foresight to drive sustaining growth,” says Carnathan. “He has exceptional leadership qualities and has earned the respect and admiration of colleagues and partners at every level.”
“We look forward to our continued partnership with UMI and Kyle Cook as he shifts into his new role as president. He is an ideal candidate to lead the company with his ability to fuse the creative and technical aspects of today’s performance marketing, while helping to competitively position partners like us for success in the innovation sector,” says Tom Henry, Chief Data and Deputy Chief Information Officer, Schnuck Markets, Inc.
“Our people are our driving force, and their resilience and courage to develop new media strategies and challenge the status quo is my constant motivator. I look forward to helping them grow in knowledge, exposing them to new opportunities, and supporting them as they take calculated risks in innovation and marketing. For our clients, my greatest impact will be helping brands leverage their data, understand the outcomes of their marketing spends, and gain a competitive advantage in marketing communications,” says Cook.
A May 2024 graduate of The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania with an MBA, Cook also holds a master’s degree from Northwestern University and a bachelor’s degree from York College, PA.
“I’m bullish on growing our employees and empowering them to make the bold decisions necessary to continue our success as one of the leading independent media agencies in the country. It’s an honor to lead this award-winning team and shape the next chapter of our UMI/USE story,” says Cook.
ABOUT UNIVERSAL MEDIA, INC.
Universal Media, Inc. (UMI) was founded in 1986 by three advertising professionals, creating one of the largest and fastest-growing independently owned strategic media placement companies in the U.S. The Universal Sports & Entertainment (USE) division was founded in 2022 and is a national sports and entertainment experiential marketing resource. Specializing in strategic planning, research, and media buying, family owned UMI provides a full suite of integrated planning, placement, and reporting services across all forms of paid media. Our meticulously executed data-driven campaigns offer our clients real results. We know the industry, and more importantly, we know how to get the most for your advertising dollars.
