CONVERSE MARKETING - Key Persons
Our founder Jane Bodman Converse made her way from the J. Walter Thompson agency in Chicago to vice president of marketing at a large Peoria manufacturer to building a world-class agency of her own - but she never lost sight of what she believes is most important: The message.
That's no surprise considering she was first in her journalism class at the University of Illinois and is a respected author, from writing marketing textbooks for Cornell College to co-authoring "And Dignity for All: Unlocking Greatness with Values-Based Leadership," with former Caterpillar Vice President Jim Despain. Her unique approach to clear and honest communications turned into a program she calls "Trustwordy," and countless Converse employees, university students and business professionals have heard Jane say, "It's not just what you say. It's how you say it."
A writer at heart, Jane founded Converse Marketing in 1990 as a message-first agency. "The average mind is a dripping sponge that can only hold so much information," she says. "Our mission is to help our clients narrow their focus - to simplify and strengthen their messages."
It's a mission that works. The Converse team has grown from its original employees working out of Jane's basement to a full team of professionals in a unique 1880s mansion on Main Street in Peoria. We create award-winning marketing and communications for regional, national and international clients of all sizes. But whether we're a team of two or 20, we remain a tight-knit group of friends who have fun working together and making a difference for our clients.