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Trellist Marketing and Technology, a Wilmington, Delaware-based provider of performance-driven marketing and technology solutions, marks 25 years in business this month. Founded in 1995 with the vision of providing intelligent solutions through innovation and collaboration, Trellist has maintained decades-long partnerships with many of its clients, including regional businesses and Fortune 500 organizations, spanning industries from healthcare and financial services to manufacturing and motorsports.

"This journey wouldn't have been possible without our dedicated base of clients, several of whom have been with us nearly from the start," says Maria Gunther, Partner, Account Management and Consulting, and a 15-year Trellist employee. "This level of trust is only underscored by the level of passion and partnership our teams bring to the table every day."

Strong Foundations

Founding Partner David Atadan attributes Trellist's enduring success, in part, to the company being a horizontal and model-based organization versus a hierarchical one. One facet of that model is to serve as a consulting and professional services firm rather than a conventional agency. "That allows us to be different in the fact that we hire many senior-level thinkers from their respective disciplines, who intelligently collaborate before leading clients through services-based solutions," says Atadan.

Built on a matrix work structure, Trellist's organization requires staff to debate their ideas and maintain accountability for virtual roles within the company's business frameworks, which results in an agile and highly responsive experience for clients. The firm has a geographically distributed staff of professionals whose individual perspectives are united by a common entrepreneurial spirit. An Employee-Shared Company®, Trellist shares all profits with employees based on annual and long-term performance.

Accelerating Digital Transformation for Clients

Trellist long ago adopted a digital-first mindset, making it well equipped to assist clients as they work toward digital transformation. With a focus on helping organizations push the boundaries of growth, the firm offers executive-level strategic guidance, tactical-level execution, and scalable business solutions through a distinct mix of services that comprises data-driven marketing, social media management, campaign monitoring and analytics, software and data infrastructure development, design and communications, and corporate branding.

"All of Trellist's services are complementary and designed for integration," says Erin Hyland, Marketing and Creative Services Leader and a key visionary behind Trellist's services. "Our guiding philosophy is to understand each client's unique needs and provide our services in a fast, flexible manner while enabling growth and evolution."

Trellist adds significant value to its client relationships through strategic partnerships with a number of leading marketing automation, analytics, content management, web application, and social experience platforms. "When a client works with us, they're able to leverage our incredible suite of best-in-class technology, from development tools to social media platforms to monitoring solutions," says Neil Dougherty, Practice Leader for Marketing Solutions. "This contributes to stronger awareness, better results, and a better return on investment for the client."

In 2016, Dougherty significantly expanded Trellist's social business practice and continues to model its success in other marketing and technology service areas. Earlier this year, he, Hyland, and the firm's Technology Services Leader, Paul Immediato, conducted an internal realignment of roles and responsibilities that will position Trellist for its next 25 years of success.

Attracting and Retaining Top Talent

During its time in business, Trellist has advanced a structure and environment in which colleagues challenge each other daily and have the opportunity to do interesting work. Nearly a quarter of Trellist's staff of roughly 100 have been with the company for more than a decade.

"It's a great place to work," says Trellist's Chief Financial Officer, Melanie Schilling, who joined the organization in early 2019. "I'm excited to be part of a company where independent thought is welcome and collaboration is expected. It's a place where your voice can be heard, your ideas can be tested, and you can enjoy a real sense of camaraderie with your colleagues."

With the hiring of key employees such as Schilling and Hyland, the company has set the stage for a major evolution in the years to come. As part of this change, in 2020 Trellist will add two office locations—one in West Chester, Pennsylvania, and another in Charlotte, North Carolina—to its current business footprint in Wilmington, Delaware, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

"I'm proud of the organization we've become," says Atadan. "Not only have we added amazing talent from around the country, we now have fully aligned, service-based leadership teams helping drive the culture that we've always strived for. When you have a 25-year history, even with all the best thinking and noble intent, you will be able to point to times when your execution limited both your success and your culture from moving forward. That said, this is not one of those times. Even with the many challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have never been more poised for growth and further evolution."

Discover more at trellist.com.

About Trellist

Trellist is a professional services firm delivering performance-driven business solutions that are flexible, innovative and optimized to maximize efficiency and return. The firm consults on, and integrates, data with marketing, design, technology and digital services for clients at the global, national and regional level. Trellist utilizes a unique approach to business—from the firm's employee-shared structure, to how it partners with its clients.