NEW YORK, July 18, 2006 (PRIMEZONE) -- The Concept Farm, an award-winning advertising and marketing communications agency, production house and entertainment development company based in New York, today announced the appointment of its co-founder and Senior Partner, Hank Wasiak, to the board of the American Heart Association's Heritage Affiliate, which is headquartered in New York and serves the Connecticut, Long Island, New Jersey and New York City region. Wasiak will serve a two-year term, effective July 1, 2006.
"One can't help but admire Hank for his enthusiasm and commitment to helping the people and communities he has touched throughout his distinguished career," said Michael Weamer, Executive Director, American Heart Association/Heritage Affiliate. "Hank's generous spirit and intellectual curiosity, combined with his unmatched talent for conceptualizing and implementing creative ideas that really make a difference, will be tremendous assets to our board."
In 1999, Wasiak helped establish The Concept Farm, which serves a wide range of clients, including The Bank of New York, Cablevision, Deloitte Consulting, ESPN, Healthy Monday and best-selling author James Patterson. He recently earned an Emmy(r) award as a host of the weekly television program Cool in Your Code, a fast-paced, highly stylized series produced by The Concept Farm that uncovers the best of fashion, food, celebrity and culture in New York's five boroughs. He also co-authored Change the Way You See Everything, a Barnes & Noble best-seller that is inspiring readers around the world through the transformational philosophy of Asset-Based Thinking.
Throughout his 41-year career, Wasiak has risen quickly to the senior executive ranks, serving as president and chief executive at a number of major advertising and marketing communications firms, as well as consumer products companies. Prior to co-founding The Concept Farm, he was Vice Chairman and a board member of McCann Erickson Worldgroup, the world's largest marketing communications agency.
"It is an honor and a privilege to be associated with the American Heart Association in this way," Wasiak said. "I look forward to working with Michael and the Board of Directors, who are among the most highly respected leaders in the medical and health, academic and business communities, to continue building on the organization's success throughout the tri-state area."
About The Concept Farm
Established by advertising, marketing and branding industry veterans in 1999, The Concept Farm specializes in brand content creation for leading companies, institutions and personalities. The award-winning agency, based in New York, brings together unique creative talents, strategic thinking, customer insights and a passion for service excellence to create and produce highly impactful, imaginative cross-platform, content-driven programs that build brands and enrich customer experiences. More information about the firm is available at www.conceptfarm.com
About the American Heart Association
Since 1924, the American Heart Association has helped protect people of all ages and ethnicities from the ravages of heart disease and stroke. These diseases, the nation's No. 1 and No. 3 killers, claim more than 910,000 American lives a year. The association invested nearly $474 million in fiscal year 2004-05 for research, professional and public education, advocacy, and community service programs so people across America can live stronger, longer lives.