Our Story

One of the oldest advertising firms in the Northwest Florida region, Appleyard Agency was established by John and Eleanor Appleyard in 1959 — the year of Pensacola’s Quadricentennial celebration, which John helped coordinate at the state level.

The Agency’s first office, a humble building on South Palafox, was often mistaken for a bar by workers at the nearby port. Advertising firms were somewhat new to the area. Television spots were done live, radio spots cost less than a dollar, and newspaper ads were done on linotype machines.

As Pensacola grew, so did Appleyard. We were the first agency to offer in-house recording studios and television spot production on film, and the first of our kind to offer full-service advertising.

Dick Appleyard joined the Agency in 1974 and became its president in 1987. He took his passion for retail advertising and customer satisfaction and moved the Agency to a new level. Over the years, the Agency has added services and personnel to meet the needs of its growing list of clients, which includes more than 50 local, regional and national businesses.

Today the Agency does over $10 million in gross annual billings and is recognized as a regional leader. We work closely with clients large and small and customize our services to meet specific goals.

Meet Our Team

Dick Appleyard

President

Dick Appleyard

President

Dick Appleyard’s success in business began on the basketball court. College coaches like Dean Smith and C.M. Newton recruited him because of his creativity on the court, his commitment to hard work, and his ability to make others successful. When he completed his college career and earned his MBA, he transferred those skills to advertising. His hard work, dedication, and unparalleled ability to “assist” others were focused on ideas and solutions for business, individuals and community services. Great floor leaders in basketball need to understand the competition and anticipate the future. Under his leadership, the Appleyard Agency has grown to meet the demands of the future with a production facility and a fully staffed digital and social media department. The Agency client list reads like a who’s who of great local and national brands. These brands rely on the Appleyard Agency as their marketing partner because of the great team of highly skilled players and the floor leader who keeps the team focused on making clients successful.

Carolyn Appleyard

Financial Manager

Carolyn Appleyard

Financial Manager

A graduate of the University of West Florida, Carolyn has a B.A. in accounting and B.S. in Vocational Education. She has served as the comptroller and strategic planner for the agency for the past twenty years. Prior to joining Appleyard Agency, Carolyn worked with the Saltmarsh accounting firm. She also has experience in banking and teaching. Carolyn served as chairman of the Habitat for Humanity Board of Directors. She helped establish REBUILD Northwest Florida, a community effort launched after the area was devastated by Hurricane Ivan in 2004, coordinating recovery efforts for low-income residents. She was a founding board member of Impact 100 Pensacola Bay Area and is dedicated to improving the way of life for many in Northwest Florida.

Leslie Appleyard Ryan

Account Executive

Leslie Appleyard Ryan

Account Executive

A Pensacola native, Leslie returned home and joined the Agency in 2015, bringing with her 15 years of experience in television production, arts and communications. Leslie has worked as a producer in reality television in New York, Los Angeles and most recently Austin, TX. She directed shows, including MTV’s “Teen Mom 2,” TLC’s “My 600 Lb Life,” and HGTV’s “Flea Market Flip” among others. She graduated from Emerson College with a degree in Marketing Communications and Journalism and furthered her studies at NYU and North Carolina School of the Arts.

Jeanie Hufford

COO/Radio Buying/Outdoor

Jeanie Hufford

COO/Radio Buying/Outdoor

A graduate of the University of Florida with a B.A. in English, Jeanie is a 20-year veteran of broadcasting. Prior to working at Appleyard Agency, she managed radio stations in Mobile, Alabama, as well as Pensacola and Panama City, Florida. Her role at the Agency as Operations Manager includes management and coordination of agency staff, and supervision of broadcast and outdoor media buying and account service.

Mike McDuff

Account Executive

Mike McDuff

Account Executive

Mike McDuff graduated from University of West Florida with a B.S.B.A in Marketing.  He’s been working with the Appleyard Agency since 2006 handling a variety of jobs including media buying and account care for clients such as McDonald’s, Covenant Care, and Tom Thumb.  Outside of the office, Mike enjoys spending time out on the boat fishing or on the ice rink playing hockey at the Bay Center.

Thanasi Maletsidis

Video

Thanasi Maletsidis

Video

Thanasi is a video production specialist who has worked in the industry for over 10 years. He began his career in Pensacola and has worked in Los Angeles for the past 5 years as an animator, video editor and producer. Thanasi has worked on and produced national television ads with FX, TNT and Taco Bell. He decided to bring his knowledge and experience back to his home town. His passion for the creative industry has only gained strength as his career has blossomed.

Liam Dunaway

Video

Liam Dunaway

Video

Liam is an experienced film producer with a demonstrated history of working with both agencies and production houses. A graduate of Maryland Institute College of Art, his fine arts background drives strong creative direction in motion picture projects while international studies in Copenhagen & London contribute to his highly collaborative on-set rapport. Recent credits include “IMAX: Blue Angels” (Bad Robot), “Q: Enter The Storm” (HBO), “Cheer” (Netflix), “The Golden One” (A24) and the Appleyard Agency produced short film “Someone Waits For Me” which won Best Documentary Short at STAMPED LGBT+ Film Festival in 2021.

Chitra Carroll

Art Director

Chitra Carroll

Art Director

With more than 20 years’ experience in her field, Chitra is a highly-respected graphic artist with a strong eye for design. Her work has earned a number of awards. Before joining Appleyard Agency in 1995, she worked as a graphic artist at Lintas and served as Art Director for both Ogilvy & Mather in Bombay and Creative Advantage in Little Rock, Arkansas.

Jami Sanderson

Graphic Artist

Jami Sanderson

Graphic Artist

Jami Sanderson came to Appleyard Agency in 2000 and has more than 30 years’ experience as a graphic designer, pre-press & production manager and direct-marketing director. She has well rounded technical training in many computer programs and expert photo scanning retouching skills. In addition to designing for print media, Jami has updated her skills to include the design and creation of digital banner ads.

Lauren Boston

Social Media Marketing

Lauren Boston

Social Media Marketing

Lauren graduated from the University of Central Florida with a bachelor’s degree in Marketing and a minor in Hospitality. Her love of travel led to an internship with Royal Caribbean Cruise Line, where she helped manage their social media platforms and developed a love of social media and a passion for Facebook and its capabilities.

Lauren began her professional career in social media marketing at the Nissan North America Headquarters in Franklin, Tennessee. In 2017, Lauren and her husband moved to Pensacola, where she began work at Sandy Sansing Automotive, managing social media marketing for 12 different brands and 11 local dealerships.

Lauren joined Appleyard’s Social Media Marketing team in 2018. In addition to producing and managing social media content and advertising, she helps manage co-op advertising and compliance efforts.

Originally from Jacksonville, Lauren is excited to be back in the Sunshine state near Pensacola’s beautiful beaches. She and her husband have an Australian Shepherd puppy named Maverick, who is the family’s center of attention. Outside work, Lauren enjoys baking cupcakes, traveling and spending time with friends, family and her congregation at church, where her husband serves as minister.

Sarah Patton

Social Media Marketing

Sarah Patton

Social Media Marketing

Joining the Appleyard Agency in 2019, Sarah works as part of the Digital Marketing team as a Social Media specialist. She’s data-driven and works to strategize, launch, and optimize online campaigns. She’s a UWF graduate (Go Argos!), and likes to talk with over-the-top hand gestures. Also, this is her dog Remy.

Wanda Breaux

Social Media Marketing, Search Engine Optimization

Wanda Breaux

Social Media Marketing, Search Engine Optimization

Wanda Breaux is a jack of all trades bouncing between website design, SEO and Social Media. She has a Master’s from Full Sail University in Internet Marketing and her undergrad from the University of West Florida in Advertising. She has over a decade of experience working with companies of all sizes. In her off time, she enjoys playing tournament poker and exploring the world through travel.

Dana Wiggins

Broadcast and Cable Director

Dana Wiggins

Broadcast and Cable Director

Joining the Appleyard Agency in early 2008, Dana brings her passion for media with over 30 years of marketing experience and 3 careers in this Industry: Advertising Agencies, National Rep Firm, and Broadcast Stations.
She began her career with an international agency DMB&B, working with various clients in multiple categories: Anheuser-Busch, General Motors, Procter & Gamble, General Foods, Amoco, Red Lobster, and M&M Mars to name a few.
Dana manages the client’s media buying and planning needs thru extensive data research and viewing trends. Based on the client’s strategies and needs, broadcast and cable campaigns are then tailored and strategically placed to ensure the maximum media effectiveness.

Eva Chastain

Bookkeeper

Eva Chastain

Bookkeeper

Eva Chastain has more than 37 years of experience with Appleyard Agency working in a variety of roles. In addition to her bookkeeping duties, Eva manages Appleyard Specialties and Promotions (ASAP), a special division of the Agency that provides art-branded merchandise and promotional items. Eva assists ASAP customers with everything from product selection to delivery.

George Saunders

Bookkeeper

George Saunders

Bookkeeper

George Saunders joined Appleyard in September 2008 with an extensive background in accounting/bookkeeping. Prior to joining the Appleyard team, George owned a successful automotive parts business, served as CFO of Hospice/VNA of the Florida Keys and was finance manager of Rebuild Northwest Florida. He graduated from Florida Keys Community College in Key West, where he earned A.S./A.A. degrees in Business Management/Accounting. George assists with the bookkeeping functions and budget tracking of various clients for the Agency.

Our Roots Run Deep

Growing business is only a piece of the pie. At the Appleyard Agency, we grow our community, too. Our founder, John Appleyard, was the preeminent historian of the Pensacola area, and his love for the city still bleeds through all the community projects we take on. We’re proud of our long partnerships with community groups working to address homelessness, poverty, early childhood education and other worthwhile causes in and around Pensacola.

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