SCC Promotes Hennessy to Chief Operating And Media Officer

Why It Matters

The promotion highlights SCC’s focus on scaling its fast‑growing media business and integrating media strategy with operational leadership to boost profitability.

Key Takeaways

• Hennessy now leads both media practice and agency operations.
• Media services now cover 40% of SCC’s client base.
• Media accounts generate about one‑third of SCC’s total revenue.
• Managed media spend reaches approximately $50 million.
• New talent‑planning tool improves capacity and hiring decisions.

Pulse Analysis

Chicago‑based full‑service agency Schafer Condon Carter (SCC) has been riding a wave of media‑centric growth, a trend reshaping the advertising landscape as brands allocate larger portions of budgets to digital and performance media. Over the past year the firm added more than a dozen new clients—including Ferris Mowers, National Heritage Academies and eco‑friendly apparel brand Toad & Company—expanding its media footprint and converting many of those accounts into creative work. Today, media services touch 40 percent of SCC’s clientele and account for roughly one‑third of the firm’s revenue, managing about $50 million in spend.

The elevation of Jack Hennessy to chief operating and media officer reflects SCC’s strategy to fuse media expertise with operational rigor. Hennessy, who arrived from WPP’s Wunderman Thompson after stints at Edelman and Digitas, will continue steering the media practice while taking charge of agency‑wide processes such as financial reporting and talent planning. His recent rollout of a capacity‑focused talent‑planning tool gives leadership clearer insight into budget allocation, staffing needs and project pipelines, promising tighter cost control and faster decision‑making across the organization.

Industry observers see SCC’s move as part of a broader shift where agencies consolidate media, data and operational functions under unified leadership to deliver measurable ROI. By aligning media buying with broader business operations, firms can better predict performance, optimize resource deployment and attract clients seeking end‑to‑end accountability. As media continues to dominate ad spend, agencies that embed operational discipline—like SCC’s new chief operating and media officer role—are positioned to capture higher margins and sustain growth in an increasingly competitive market.