Advertising/marketing: Two join Balcom, Cooksey adds one

Kasie Mallory has joined Balcom Agency as program supervisor. With 20 years of experience in advertising, event management and radio promotions, Mallory will manage projects for clients such as Dairy MAX, Mansfield ISD, Virbac USA and more. Prior to joining Balcom, she worked with other agencies in the DFW region and Southwest, including PAVLOV, RIESTER, MOSAK and TracyLocke. Previous account work by Mallory included support of the food and beverage and entertainment industries with known brands such as Applebee’s and PepsiCo. Her work with casinos included Black Hawk Casino, Choctaw Casinos & Resorts and Shooting Star Casino.

Mallory holds an Associate of Applied Science in business administration from Murray State College in Tishomingo, Oklahoma.

“Kasie has shown exceptional skills in coordinating, communicating and collaborating,” said Richie Escovedo, APR, program director. “She jumped into a fast-moving stream of projects for clients and continues to impress the team with her attention to detail and positivity.” 

Following Balcom tradition, Mallory acquired a quirky secondary title. She will also be known as “Best-Kase Scenario,” a play on her project management prowess and goal-focused attitude. 

Also joining Balcom is Lisa Zakarin as its newest group account director. Zakarin manages the Smith+Nephew (Advanced Wound Management) account and its internal team for the agency. With more than 30 years in advertising, she brings vast health care and pharmaceutical marketing experience to the team, having worked with Amgen, Galderma, Novartis, Sanofi and Trufora.

A graduate of Boston University with a Bachelor of Science in finance, Zakarin previously worked for Deutsch, FCB, Publicis and Wunderman Thompson. In addition to her health care specialties, she has also represented Chase, Citibank, MetLife and Sesame Workshop. In her free time, Zakarin supports Lasagna Love, a national nonprofit that helps feed people in need, and the American Red Cross.

“Lisa’s strength in managing pharmaceutical brands is such a great asset,” said Steve Cantrell, principal and director of client services at Balcom. “Her true belief in creating accountable marketing to help improve patients’ lives is a benefit not only to Balcom and Smith+Nephew, but for the many they serve worldwide.”

Continuing Balcom’s quirky nicknaming tradition, while touting her extensive experience pushing health care and pharmaceutical brands forward, Zakarin will be known secondly as “Rx for Success.”

North Texas-based public relations firm Cooksey Communications recently added Owen Ramsey to its team as an assistant account executive. Ramsey supports Cooksey’s clients in the commercial real estate, transportation and water, professional services and nonprofit sectors.

“Owen’s educational background and agency experience, combined with his strong copywriting abilities and personable demeanor, have already made him an integral part of the Cooksey team,” said Colby Walton, president of Cooksey Communications. “We are looking forward to the contributions he will bring not only to our clients but also to the agency’s overall success.”

Before Cooksey, Ramsey gained experience at a Fort Worth-based agency, performing traditional and emerging PR practices across various industries. In addition, he gained vital skills in conceptualizing and executing marketing campaigns through his time as a student executive director for a student development services organization at Texas Christian University (TCU).

Ramsey graduated from TCU with a Bachelor of Science degree in strategic communication.