Arthur Tharpe

Born a small town country-boy in the Shenandoah Valley outside of Washington, a leader from an early age (in everything but sports!), Went off to college to discover the world, then to the Big Apple to take a bite out if it (but I can still call up my 'Southern drawl' at need!). Love reading, music, science, cars, and all things historical. And of course all things relating to 'Mr. Jefferson's Academical Village' (aka, UVa). Started my career as an executive trainee at Macy's HQ in NYC (credo: you need to survive a Christmas season to understand sales), then made the jump into retail marketing. First at small ad shops (best client was the late and much lamented Linens'n Things), then graduated to the big agencies as the quintessential all-purpose 'account guy' (back when client names like 'Postal' and 'Ma Bell' were whispered with respect and you wore a jacket & tie on every visit). From there moved client-side to work with the ultimate uber-brand and a car-guy's dream ('yes Mom, it's OK, you can sit in my Benz'). Integrated teams and campaigns before that was cool - launched a lot of cars, managed a great brand, and made many friends. Now with the Association of National Advertisers to support our incredible industry, spread marketing insights, support best practices, and encourage smart thinking everywhere. "Das Beste oder Nichts" - The Best or Nothing (Gottlieb Daimler)