Need for “Part-Time” Marketing Professionals Drives Explosive Growth in Outsourcing; More Firms Choosing Ascend’s “Flex-Team” Strategy

Grapevine, TX - March 13, 2008 - Ascend Marketing has again added to its growing staff of veteran marketers, reflecting the explosive trend in outsourcing of marketing services. Ascend, a marketing services firm specializing in business development and sales support programs, has more than doubled its staff of marketing professionals and opened two new offices in the past 12 months. The company currently has offices in Fort Worth and Grapevine, Texas as well as Orlando, Florida, serving more than 30 active clients.

Each of Ascend’s three new team members brings 10-20 years of experience in marketing, and helps broaden the firm’s range of marketing, sales and business development services. Their experience spans consumer packaged goods, retailing, telecommunications, Internet technology, real estate services and the non-profit sectors. Engaging Ascend, client companies benefit from smart, efficient outsourcing of marketing projects and functions.

“The concept of outsourcing marketing services is skyrocketing as companies try to juggle the demands of increasing revenues and lowering marketing expenses in line with overall cuts in corporate spending. With our unique ‘flex-team’ approach, Ascend’s clients have all the resources of a Fortune-500-level marketing department available to them with the added benefit of being able to staff their organization on an as-needed basis,” says Rich Herbst, Managing Partner of Ascend Marketing.

“Our newest team members are high caliber veterans of industry-leading firms,” Herbst continues. “Their talents will enable us to further broaden and deepen the scope of services we offer, and support the huge increase in business we are experiencing.”

Joining the firm are Martha Burns, Paige Johnston, and Cathy Pringle.

Burns joins Ascend as a strong sales and marketing generalist. Her experience also includes leadership roles in telecommunications, real estate and the arts.

Johnston is an exceptional team leader and successful marketer. Her marketing programs have not only enhanced the bottom line but have also built strong customer satisfaction among her clients. Her specialties include fund raising for non-profit organizations. An active member of the American Marketing Association, Dallas-Fort Worth Chapter, Johnston is former board secretary and current President-Elect.

Pringle’s retail marketing expertise and general management talent spans the consumer sector, including brand and product development, multi-channel retail, research, customer relationship marketing (CRM), database and direct marketing. Her thought leadership in database segmentation, data mining and analytics for the consumer market have led to several invitations to speak to industry groups.

About Ascend Marketing

Since its launch in 2004, Ascend has grown to a staff of nearly 30 professionals, with offices in Fort Worth and Grapevine, Texas as well as Orlando, Florida. The company has over 30 active clients ranging in size from entrepreneurial start-ups to Fortune 500 companies, spanning a wide range of industries including telecommunications, manufacturing and hospitality.

Ascend Marketing’s unique business model delivers results-focused marketing and sales support and internal employee communications programs via a comprehensive suite of marketing services designed to support clients internal marketing, sales and human resources. The Ascend team brings expertise from telecom, technology, travel and hospitality, B2B services, consumer packaged goods, retail, restaurant and health care. For more information contact Ascend Marketing, 1450 Hughes Rd., Ste 106, Grapevine, TX 76051-7356; Phone 817 416-3800. Orlando Office: 407 965-2100. Or visit the company’s website at www.ascend-marketing.com

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