New chief marketing officer joins Wipfli

Former Grant Thornton executive brings extensive B2B marketing experience and team leadership to top advisory firm

MILWAUKEE, Nov. 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Wipfli LLP (Wipfli), a top 20 advisory and accounting firm, has named Tonya St. Clair as the firm's chief marketing officer, effective today.

Tonya joins Wipfli after a stellar 12-year run with Grant Thornton, where she served as a marketing executive and member of the growth leadership team for the past three years. Leading the 70-plus-person Go to Market team of U.S.-based and offshore marketers, she oversaw strategic account marketing, regional marketing and the Pursuit Center of Excellence, strategically elevating sales enablement and go-to-market operations.

Tonya succeeds Paul Leroue, who is transitioning to a strategic growth role with the firm after two and a half critical years where he oversaw the building out of Wipfli's marketing department and brand strategy, helping the firm achieve a new level of sophistication and excellence in engagement with clients, prospects and associates. 

"The growth, momentum and positive culture at Wipfli is magnetic," St. Clair said. "I look forward to continuing to elevate and build on the great work that Paul has already delivered. I am a builder. I love working with people, processes, and technology, and bringing it all together to do big things."

Tonya's extensive B2B marketing experience includes a broad range of successes in team leadership, pursuit strategy, sales enablement, field marketing, account marketing, demand and lead generation, project management, process design and technology implementation. She also brings a sharp focus on enhancing performance through data analysis.

"I couldn't imagine a better cultural fit than Tonya," said Brian Blaha, Wipfli's growth partner. "She invests as much in people as she does in results, building her team's strength and engagement. Our clients rely on us to bring them perspective, clarity and results. Tonya will play a significant role in helping deliver on that promise and reach more organizations that Wipfli can make a lasting impact with. We couldn't be more excited to have Tonya at Wipfli."

Prior to her time at Grant Thornton, St. Clair was a vice president at the global insurance broker Marsh, a subsidiary of Marsh & McClennan, where she was instrumental in rolling out a strategic pursuit process. Over her career, she was based in four offices and in her last role there she led a team of pursuit project managers supporting proposals across 19 offices in the central region of the U.S.

Tonya graduated magna cum laude from Clemson University, with a major in marketing and a minor in communications. Tonya lives in Raleigh, N.C., with her husband, Patrick Christensen, and their two children. 

Appointing Tonya as CMO adds to the growth and momentum that Wipfli has experienced recently, such as the announcements of several firms joining Wipfli, including Clayton & McKervey, ApostleTech, Oliver Group and the risk management and loan review services divisions of Sheshunoff Consulting + Solutions.

About Wipfli LLP

Wipfli is an advisory firm that delivers holistic solutions to help clients navigate the modern marketplace, optimize performance and drive growth. Our more than 3,200 associates deliver digital, people, strategy, risk, financial and outsourcing solutions to 59,000+ clients.  

Contact Wipfli 

Sara Snyder
[email protected]

SOURCE Wipfli LLP