17016: TRG Is Not Too Black.

 

Advertising Age reported TRG is taking the next step in its evolutionary progression, as an Old White Guy will succeed the Old White Guy CEO who replaced the Old White Guy Founder.

 

TRG Names New CEO As Glenn Dady Announces Retirement

 

Longtime principal Pete Lempert is set to succeed Dady on March 31

 

By Lindsay Rittenhouse

 

TRG has named longtime principal Pete Lempert as its new CEO, effective March 31, as Glenn Dady announces his retirement.

 

Dady has been CEO since 2019 and is set to retire after 45 years with the Dallas-based independent agency. Lempert first joined TRG in 1994 and became principal in 1996. He also added the titles of chief development officer and managing principal in 2024, according to the agency.

 

Lempert “has the perfect combination of creativity and business acumen,” Dady said in a statement. “He is a proven leader who has consistently delivered results for our clients while improving the employee experience and culture within the agency.”

 

In his 31 years at the agency, Lempert has led business for brands including Corona, Nokia, Advance Auto Parts, Amstel Beer, Charles Schwab and Orkin.

 

“It’s an honor to lead this incredible independent agency into our next chapter,” Lempert said in a statement, adding that “TRG and the marketplace have shifted dramatically over the past five years. ... We are well positioned for the future, where bold ideas will be nurtured to succeed in a rapidly changing marketplace.”

 

TRG’s current client list includes Charles Schwab, America’s Best Eyecare + Eyewear, Scripps Health, Sewell Automotive Cos., World’s Best Cat Litter and Nature’s Own.

 

TRG rebranded from The Richards Group in 2022, distancing itself from its founder Stan Richards, who stepped down in October 2020 following a racist remark he made during an internal meeting. Dady, who had worked alongside Richards for 39 years and took the reins from him, was tasked with addressing the fallout from the founder’s actions, including a string of client losses and employee departures.

 

Last year, TRG lost longtime client Stellantis-owned Ram, one of the few big-name clients that stuck by TRG after the 2020 backlash. Stagwell’s Doner won lead creative duties for Ram in December following a Stellantis U.S. agency review.