Padilla Welcomes Financial Services Practice Lead

Category

Company News

Published on:

November 11, 2024

Author:

MINNEAPOLIS Nov. 11, 2024 – Ryan Smartt has joined Padilla as vice president of Financial Services. Based in Richmond, Va., he will be responsible for serving and growing the firm’s diverse financial services portfolio. In addition, he will be part of the leadership team within the agency’s Corporate Advisory Group, which specializes in financial communications, employee engagement, crisis and issues management, community/social impact communications strategy and executive leadership coaching.

Smartt comes to Padilla following a distinguished tenure at DuPont, where he most recently served as head of communications for the company’s Water & Protection operations. During the pandemic, he successfully navigated ongoing challenges and led communication strategies directed at more than 8,000 employees, maintaining workforce engagement, morale and alignment with company core values.

“Ryan’s diverse experience will be invaluable to financial services and corporate communications clients who come to Padilla with the need for transformation,” said Matt Kucharski, president of Padilla. “He has the right background, core skill sets, and personality to be a great long-term leader at our firm.”

Prior to DuPont, Smartt served as senior communications manager at Capital One, where he spearheaded HR communications for more than 46,000 associates, as well as raised awareness of Capital One’s community involvement strategy and corporate social responsibility efforts. He also previously served as a communications manager for Genworth Financial.

“I am thoroughly impressed by Padilla’s strategic vision and collaborative approach to integrated communications,” Smartt said. “I’ll be working alongside some extremely talented corporate communications professionals and I’m eager to see what innovative solutions we can develop together. This next chapter of my career holds great promise, and I can’t wait to dive in and contribute to Padilla’s continued success.”

About Padilla

Padilla is a full-service agency that transforms brands and organizations through strategically creative communications. Our work across a range of industry sectors is consistently recognized by the PRWeek Awards, PRovoke SABRE Awards and PRSA Anvil Awards, among others. Padilla operates in seven cities in the U.S. through its family of brands, which includes SHIFT (performance communications), FoodMinds (food and nutrition affairs) and Joe Smith (brand strategy). As an AVENIR GLOBAL company and a founding member of the Worldcom Public Relations Group, the agency provides services to clients through 115 offices worldwide. Transform with purpose at PadillaCo.com.

RELATED Posts

Company News

Moleaer Selects Padilla to Lead Digital Marketing Program

Moleaer Inc. has selected Padilla to develop and implement its digital marketing program.

Company News

Tina Charpentier Receives Ragan’s Top Women in Communications Award

Tina Charpentier, Padilla executive vice president, Client Experience, is a Ragan’s Top Women in Communications Awards honoree.

Company News

Padilla Earns Two Virginia Public Relations Awards

Padilla was recognized with two Awards of Excellence during the 2022 Virginia Public Relations Awards ceremony.

Company News

Padilla Earns 2 Telly Awards

The Telly Awards honors excellence in video and television across all screens and is judged by leaders across the media industry.

Company News

Padilla Hires New Crisis Team Leader

Chris Werle brings three decades of high-profile crisis communications and issues management experience to the agency.

Bright oranges growing on an orange tree.

Company News

Florida Department of Citrus Selects Padilla as Consumer Marketing and Issues Management AOR

Following a highly competitive search, the Florida Department of Citrus has selected Padilla as its marketing and communications partner.

A blue badge honoring the Chief Marketer Top Agencies of the Year for 2025

Company News

Padilla is a Chief Marketer 2025 Top Agency of the Year

Padilla has been named among the Chief Marketer 2025 Top Agencies of the Year.

A group of Padilla employees take a photo together holding an award.

Company News

Padilla Earns 4 PRSA National Anvil Awards

Padilla was recognized with four awards at the 2024 Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Anvil Awards.

A group of Padilla employees taking a photo together in front of a PRSA banner in a room with a brick wall in the background.

Company News

Padilla Earns 4 Minnesota PRSA Classics Awards

The Minnesota chapter of the Public Relations Society of America recognized Padilla with four awards at the 46th annual Classics Awards.

Golden Arc Awards written out in gold and green.

Company News

Padilla Earns Honors at the 2023 Golden ARC Awards

Padilla earned five awards at the Golden ARC Awards which honors stellar work created by PR professionals in the agricultural industry.

Company News

Rosalie Morton Promoted to SVP, Channels

Padilla has promoted Rosalie Morton to senior vice president, Channels.

A group of Padilla employees taking a photo together in a white room.

Company News

Padilla Earns 7 Virginia Public Relations Awards

2024 Virginia PR Awards winners were recognized for the most creative and effective communication strategies and tactics.

The logo for the Ragan PR Daily 2024 Awards in dark blue text with a white background.

Company News

Padilla is a PR Daily 2024 Award Winner

Padilla has earned a PR Daily 2024 Award with Agoro Carbon Alliance in the Campaign by Industry category.

A circle with the w3 awards logo inside that says 2024 silver winner at the bottom.

Company News

Padilla Earns Three w3 Awards

Padilla has been recognized by the Academy of Interactive & Visual Arts with three Silver w3 Awards.

Company News

Padilla Earns 2023 Best of NAMA Award

The National Agri-Marketing Association recognized Padilla with a 2023 Best of NAMA national award in the Webinars and Podcasts category.

Company News

Padilla Named to Chief Marketer 200

Padilla has been named among the Chief Marketer 200 (CM200) in the B2B Brand Engagement Agencies category.

Company News

Jeff Wilson Receives PRSA Richmond’s Excellence in Public Relations Award

Jeff Wilson, VP of Workplace Culture, DEI and Chief of Staff at Padilla, has been honored with a career achievement award from PRSA Richmond.

Two people holding two PRSA anvil awards together on stage at the award show.

Company News

Padilla and SHIFT Receive Honors at National PRSA Anvil Awards

Padilla and SHIFT earned a PRSA Silver Anvil Award with Citrix. The agency also received an Award of Commendation with Church Mutual.

Company News

Padilla Earns Seven Region 3 Best of NAMA Awards

The National Agri-Marketing Association (NAMA) recognized Padilla with seven awards at the 2022 Region 3 Best of NAMA awards ceremony in Des Moines, Iowa.

A black and white photo of Matt Kucharski.

Company News

Padilla President Matt Kucharski Elected to PR Council Board of Directors

The PR Council is the only association dedicated to supporting agencies with a core competency in earned media.

More Posts

All News
No items found.

Reach Out

We're excited to talk transformation and help you get where you need to be.