HY Connect Chicago Reflects on Significant Year of Service Expansion and Growth

CHICAGO, June 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, HY Connect, one of the fastest growing full-service marketing agencies in the U.S., marks its first year since announcing its acquisition by Myelin Communications. Myelin, a growing network of communication firms specializing in health care and financial services, identified the local ad agency as a fitting addition to its network due to HY Connect's impressive roster of industry-specific clients which includes: Advocate Health Care, Indiana University Health, Health Service Corporation – the parent company of Blue Cross Blue Shield in Illinois, Montana, New Mexico and Texas; as well as MB Financial and First Tennessee Banks.

While the Myelin acquisition was not designed to serve as direct driver of new business for HY Connect, with the support of its new network, the "health and wealth" focused firm is celebrating a tremendous year of growth. With the recent launch of its life science-focused marketing practice, coupled with ambitious new business efforts, HY Connect has laid a strong foundation to welcome multiple new brands/clients such as American Blue Ribbon Holdings – the parent company of Bakers Square and Village Inn family restaurants – Milliman and The Warranty Group. As a result, HY Connect has expanded its workforce, with significant growth to its paid and digital media departments, and most importantly, adding new quality jobs to the Chicago market.

"Joining the Myelin network signaled a significant chapter in our agency story," said Kellie Bliss, executive vice president, HY Connect. "A year later, we continue surging forward with strong momentum and look forward to building upon this success."

HYC Health
Earlier this year, HY Connect debuted its unique health care practice dedicated specifically to life science marketing. HYC Health emerged onto the health care communications scene with a singular goal: to reduce the distance between agency engagement and brand outcome. Under the leadership of Executive Vice President Susan Flinn Cobian, HYC Health's new but growing client roster includes ContextMedia:Health, Emisphere Technologies and Roche Diagnostics.

We've all heard the saying 'you can be fast or you can be good—you can't be both.' We live in a 'need it yesterday' world, and clients no longer want to pay for expensive, top-heavy agencies that take months to develop a brand plan," says Cobian. "The HYC Health approach is designed to deliver smart, timely solutions to the complex business challenges our clients face."

Changing Leadership
As part of the agreement, Myelin Communications established a year-long secession plan to leverage former President Dave Sheehan's rich 14-year experience, while laying the groundwork for a smooth transition of the agency's leadership. Effective immediately, Myelin Communications CEO Rich Levy will assume the role of HY Connect CEO as Sheehan advances to a new position outside the agency business.

"From the onset of the acquisition, Myelin quickly identified HY Connect as an agency with significant potential to enhance our network," said Levy. "We are quite pleased to see that potential actualizing into fast-paced success, and eager to learn what the future holds for the company."

For more information about HY Connect, please visit www.hyc.com or connect via our social channels.

For more information about HYC Health, please visit www.hychealth.com.

About HY Connect Chicago
HY Connect is one of the leading, full-service integrated marketing and advertising agencies in the United States. Located in Chicago, the HY Connect business model is rooted in understanding and effectively providing smart, metric-driven solutions to the unique challenges facing today's modern marketer. Over the past 14 years, the agency has grown its capabilities and staff to offer a full range of marketing services. HY Connect's metrics-driven approach continues to drive significant agency growth. With $155 million in annualized billings and more than 100 employees, HY Connect has doubled its size over the last four years. 

About Myelin
Just as myelin insulates and strengthens connections between the brain's neurons, making them more powerful message conductors, Myelin Communications is a unique network of companies specializing in health and financial services. For a growing portfolio of payer, provider, medical, financial and wealth management organizations, Myelin creates connections that can make a message platform even more powerful. Our capabilities include brand development and activation, market research, channel planning and media solutions, integrated creative and marketing content, digital technology solutions, sales enablement, data analytics, mobile engagement, measurement strategies and more. More information is available at www.myelincommunications.com.

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SOURCE HY Connect

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