Dennis Marlin is an idea man who has devoted his career to finding creative solutions.
Marlin, founder of the Marlin Network – a collection of six marketing agencies with a range of clients that generally compete in the food and beverage industries – has cultivated his professional accomplishments by encouraging the creativity of others.
“As a businessperson, I have ideas to share. But as a leader, I can shepherd the thinking of creative people to achieve greater results,” Marlin says of the network that generated $65 million in 2011 revenues.
Earlier this year, Marlin guided his team of roughly 100 employees to become the agency of record for Unilever Food Solutions, a food-service division of multinational conglomerate Unilever (NYSE: UN and UL). Marlin Network beat out Springfield-based Noble & Associates Inc. as well as two Chicago firms to earn the right to represent brands such as Hellmann’s mayonnaise and Lipton teas in a multimillion-dollar deal that could boost 2012 revenues by 20 percent.
Unilever joins a notable client list for Marlin Network that includes Otis Spunkmeyer Cookies, Bush Brothers Beans, Splenda, Nestlé Professional and Starbucks.
Marlin and his team also have built a reputation for helping in the community. In 2011, they donated 2,200 hours of logged time to help local charities, and groups the company now supports include Springfield Regional Arts Council, Care to Learn, Camp Barnabas and the CoxHealth Foundation.
Marlin Network also has committed to the community in other ways, such as working with Missouri State University to be part of Brick City, the downtown campus of MSU’s Art and Design Department in the school’s IDEA Commons, which brings together innovation, design, entrepreneurship and the arts. Marlin says his network has benefited from its relationship with local schools and students.
“Our intern programs offer full-time and part-time positions that give young, talented people hands-on experience. We make them a simple promise: You work hard and share your talents, we will help you build the experience you need to start your career,” Marlin says.
Last year, Marlin relinquished ownership of the company in favor of starting an employee stock ownership plan.
“Everyone has talents to share, and if you can create an environment that they can trust in and feel open to share their respective talents, wonderful things can happen,” Marlin says.
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