BBR Creative Leaders Emily Burke and Lauren Bourgeois Appointed CEO and COO
Founder/CEO Cherie Hebert to transition from daily operations to mentoring role
(Lafayette, LA) – BBR Creative announced today the appointment of a new CEO and COO as Founder/CEO Cherie Hebert transitions from daily operations after 26 years at the helm of the renowned marketing agency. Emily Burke, vice president of account services, is now CEO; Lauren Bourgeois, vice president of operations, is now COO. BBR Creative works with recognized brands throughout the region, including Ochsner Health, Coburn Supply Company and La Capitol Federal Credit Union.
“Emily Burke and Lauren Bourgeois will further solidify our reputation as a leader in Louisiana’s creative industry,” states Hebert, who continues her commitment to the future of the industry by way of mentorship, professional development and networking in her role as founder. “As we move into the next phase of growth, they have the vision, talent and expertise to lead the agency, bringing innovative solutions to the company as well as to our client partners.”
CEO Emily Burke joined BBR Creative in 2013 from an Atlanta-based marketing agency, and in the past decade, she’s led both B2B and B2C integrated marketing campaigns, developing relationships to understand clients’ challenges and pushing for innovative solutions. As CEO, she shepherds the agency’s vision, drives innovation and manages BBR’s key relationships, encouraging relationships grounded in open communication and collaboration to ensure both partner and agency success. Burke also serves as the agency’s culture champion and plays a key role in new business development.
COO Lauren Bourgeois is chief problem solver and an integral part of the executive leadership team, working hand-in-hand with the CEO to implement the agency’s vision as well as its daily business operations. Like Burke, she is a veteran of BBR Creative, bringing her 12 years of inside experience to bear solving business challenges, managing employee benefits and programs, optimizing business financial health and overseeing BBR offices. Bourgeois continues to identify areas that need improvement and is diligent in ensuring employees have the resources they need to get their jobs done.
The appointments of Burke and Bourgeois maintain the firm’s unique positioning as a female-founded, female-owned and female-led agency. Founded in 1997, today it’s a WBENC-certified company employing 25 people across offices in Lafayette and Baton Rouge and recently signed its 700th brand partner. Its storied history includes more than 250 awards, including Inc 5000, Stevie® Awards for Women in Business and 26 consecutive years of recognition from the American Advertising Federation.
“When it comes to multi-channel advertising, BBR is a strong partner,” stated Patricia Thompson, director of marketing and communications at Ochsner Lafayette General. “There are so many marketing channels available today that it can be overwhelming trying to choose the most effective options. Our in-house team really benefits from the support of BBR because they dig into our goals and objectives, gain an understanding of our target audience and conduct research before making recommendations. This enables them to provide us with a plan that will reach the right audience and compel them to action.”
The new leadership plans to continue BBR’s work as a philanthropic force in its region, including its pro-bono advertising event Createathon, which has provided more than $400,000 in marketing services to a dozen nonprofits since 2019. The firm also invests heavily in growing new leaders in the creative community, both inside and outside of the organization, including agency internships and partnerships with the American Advertising Federation of Baton Rouge and the Baton Rouge Area Chamber of Commerce.
“As we look to the future, we reaffirm our commitment to goodwill and growth for the businesses we serve, the people we employ and the communities where we live and work,” Burke remarked. “We are a regional firm with national impact, providing students and creatives throughout the region with the opportunity to work on top brands, and offer Louisiana businesses the expertise and support to grow their footprint on a local, regional or national scale. This approach is foundational to who we are and what I’m most passionate about continuing to drive us forward.”
###
BBR Creative is a WBENC-certified, woman-owned agency with offices in Lafayette and Baton Rouge, LA known for providing effective advertising and marketing solutions to businesses in the healthcare, financial, education, home services and food/beverage industries. BBR specialists work alongside clients to provide strategic guidance, branding & messaging development, multi-channel advertising, social media management and digital services to solve business problems. The agency has served over 700 brands since its start in 1997. To learn more about BBR Creative, visit us at BBRCreative.com and follow us on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.
