Mark Hanes brings 15+ years of marketing and strategic media planning experience to the TallGrass team. He consistently excels at taking on considerable challenges placed in front of him, and not only exceeds expectations, but his insight often enables him to recognize and reveal additional, previously-unexpected benefits to his clients.

Most recently, Mr. Hanes specialized in developing successful Customer Relationship Management programs for Verizon Wireless, leveraging big data and analytics for customer analysis, segmentation and targeting, and ongoing performance measurement. Such programs, both reactive and proactive across digital and social channels, effectively identified and addressed all challenges associated with CRM, including competitive churn by high-risk customers, and upgrade potential of high-value customers, while delivering optimal retail and call center customer experiences.

Also with Verizon, Hanes was instrumental in the placement, launch and monetization of mobile advertising on the Verizon Wireless network. Concurrently, he was the cross-functional product lead of the team that launched home-screen mobile advertising and messaging applications. Initially considered a potential threat to customer experience and satisfaction by pushing messages to subscribers, these platforms not only generated significant advertising revenue for Verizon, but also resulted in considerable cost savings, as it educated customers on simple, self-serve methods to manage their own accounts without the assistance of Verizon call center reps. It was for this initiative that Mark was recognized and awarded the 2009 Mobile Excellence Award for Best Mobile Delivery Platform.

Prior to his tenure at Verizon, Hanes’ career focused on strategic media planning within the top advertising agencies in the world, including Ogilvy & Mather, Foote, Cone & Belding, and Grey Global Group. While with Grey Global’s Beyond Interactive, Mark was among the pioneers of integrated media planning between digital and traditional channels – having recognized and leveraged the internet as a viable and highly effective advertising channel. These challenging agency positions offered considerable exposure and experience spanning a myriad of categories, including Telecommunications, Technology, Travel & Hospitality, Healthcare, Transportation & Logistics, and Education.

Mark holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications from Pennsylvania State University. Having recently moved to the west coast from New York City, in his off hours Mark can be found at the beach – likely biking…but only if he can’t find a good beach volleyball game first – doubles only…because well, it’s just more challenging that way!