KENNETH “BOH” HATTER

Chief Marketing Officer; General Manager, Marketing and Strategic Communications

PROVEN STRATEGIST AND ACCOMPLISHED COMMUNICATOR

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With more than 30 years experience as a marketing executive, Hatter brings a wealth of marketing strategy, messaging, and campaign development skills to the Sage Growth Partners team. Capitalizing on his experience leading exceptional marketing firms, Hatter has built a full-service, multi-disciplinary marketing business at SGP — a team that provides marketing research, strategy, planning and integrated marketing communications execution to healthcare organizations ranging from Fortune 50 to early stage.

As principal in his own marketing communications firm for 17 years, Hatter worked with health care clients including CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, Bon Secours Health System, American Red Cross Blood Services, and ViPS Health Care Information Technologies, among others.  The firm’s work extended beyond healthcare, delivering strategy and creative services for well known brands in the arts, banking, education, financial services, trade associations, and a wide range of non-profit organizations.

Prior to starting his firm, Hatter served as Chief Operating Officer of two advertising agencies, including one that earned Adweek Magazine’s designation as the “hottest small agency in the country.”  Client experience included well known brands such as Coca Cola USA, Umbro Soccer, M&M/Mars, BASF, McCormick Spices, Washington Bullets (now Wizards), ABC Sports, Delsey Luggage, and others.

As VP, Corporate Communications at USF&G Corporation, he directed a comprehensive client-side effort to improve consumer awareness and elevate positive perceptions of the Fortune 500 financial services firm. Among his most noteworthy accomplishments was the company’s groundbreaking sponsorship of the USF&G Sugar Bowl — the first major college football bowl to accept a named partner; a highly popular cooperative radio advertising program for independent insurance agents featuring simulated conversations with noted celebrities; and the creation of the USF&G National Drive to Cure Paralysis in conjunction with the University of Miami School of Medicine, Jackson Memorial Hospital, and The Buoniconti Fund.  These initiatives, and others, led to an 80% increase in company name awareness over a ten-year period.

Built on carefully crafted strategies and messages, Hatter’s work has earned numerous industry awards such as Clio, ADDY, Andy, Telly, and Gold Quill.

Hatter has also served as adjunct faculty at Loyola University in Maryland, where he has taught undergraduate courses in advertising, public relations and marketing research, and Johns Hopkins Carey School of Business, where he has taught graduate courses in marketing and marketing communications.

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REPRESENTATIVE ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Developed strategies and a ten-year integrated program that resulted in an unaided awareness gain of 78% (2% to 80%) for a then 90-year-old insurance giant, USF&G.

Retained to provide a broad range of services for Baltimore’s Papal Visit, including logo development, media and sponsor engagement, and souvenir program development.

Created and introduced a loyalty program aimed at increasing blood donations for the American Red Cross in the Greater Chesapeake and Potomac region. Program, originally named Champions for Life, has been adopted by six Red Cross regions and has spun off its own business to assist blood collection facilities across the country.

Repositioned Bon Secours Baltimore, a 100-year-old healthcare organization with profound reputational issues. Positioning centered around a tagline, Bon Secours Means Good Help, the literal translation of the name and an often discounted tenet of the organization’s core values.

Directed a number of crisis communications responses at USF&G, including a scandal involving the insurance company and Ralph Nader’s Public Citizen Reports; and the company’s first-ever-reduction-in-force and restructuring under new management.

Created an integrated communications campaign to launch the Pediatric Clinic at Maryland General Hospital.

INDUSTRY AWARDS
  • Clio
  • ANDY – Advertising Club of New York
  • ADDY – American Advertising Federation
  • Best in Baltimore ADDY – Advertising Association of Baltimore
  • Gold Quill – International Association of Business Communicators
  • The Winner’s Circle – International Association of Business Communicators/District 3
  • Telly Award
AFFILIATIONS AND TEACHING

Served as an adjunct faculty member at Loyola College in Maryland, where he has taught undergraduate courses in advertising, public relations and marketing research, and Johns Hopkins Carey Business School, where he has taught graduate courses in marketing and marketing communications.

At Loyola, he initiated a competitive program for advertising seniors and assisted those students with their participation in the National Student Advertising competition sponsored by AAF.

Consultant, Pathfinders for Autism

Board of Directors, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation

Founder & Volunteer Executive Director, The National Drive to Cure Paralysis

Co-chair, “An Evening to Hope, an Evening to Care: Benefit for Van Brooks”

Founder & Volunteer Executive Director, The National Drive to Cure Paralysis

Athletic Coach, various organizations and sports

BACKGROUND

Mr. Hatter has enjoyed a 30+ year career on both the agency and client sides of the marketing and public relations business.

In mid-1990s, he started Hatter Communications, Inc., a small full-service communications agency with extensive client experience in the health, financial and nonprofit segments.

Prior to that, Mr. Hatter served as Chief Operating Officer of two advertising agencies, including one that earned Brandweek’s designation as the “hottest small agency in the country.” In that role, he worked with many notable clients, including Coca Cola USA, Umbro Soccer, Delsey Luggage, McCormick & Company and ABC Sports.

As Vice President of Corporate Communications at USF&G, he directed a comprehensive marketing and public relations effort to improve the Fortune 500 company’s consumer awareness. Among his most noteworthy accomplishments was the company’s groundbreaking sponsorship of the USF&G Sugar Bowl — the first major college football bowl to accept a named partner; a highly popular cooperative radio advertising program for independent insurance agents featuring simulated conversations with noted celebrities; and the creation of the USF&G National Drive to Cure Paralysis in conjunction with the University of Miami School of Medicine and Jackson Memorial Hospital.

Mr. Hatter received his Bachelor of Science and Master of Arts in Mass Communications from Towson University.