Nixa's DL Media gains billings from AdBuilders' fall

One advertising agency’s demise is another advertising agency’s gain.

Six-year-old Springfield firm AdBuilders unexpectedly closed its doors in late July amid swirling rumors. The fact is Nixa’s DL Media Inc. has 50 new clients because of it.

Advertising firm Schilling/Sellmeyer & Associates Inc. outsourced its media buying to AdBuilders during the last five years. Now, Schilling/Sellmeyer has handed those responsibilities to DL Media, which places advertising through local and national media for a dozen other advertising firms.

“This is a big deal,” said DL Media President Dianne Davis.

Davis’ agency annually buys $5 million in media space for advertising, which accounts for 90 percent of its business. The new business adds up to $2 million annually to DL Media’s portfolio, said Don Schilling, Schilling/Sellmeyer president and CEO.

“They’re very professional. I’m really pleased with them so far,” Schilling said of DL Media.

Bittersweet windfall

AdBuilders President Brent Atterberry’s decision to close his agency apparently caught everyone off guard. Davis and Schilling said Atterberry has dropped out of contact with them and other colleagues, many of whom he allegedly owes money.

“The amazing thing is that he fooled everybody,” Davis said.

Neither Davis nor Schilling would guess how much money Atterberry owes or to whom he owes it.

“There are people who are going to have to go after him, and he’s going to have to go through his legal issues there,” Schilling said.

No lawsuits or bankruptcies had been filed by press time.

Springfield Business Journal’s attempts to reach Atterberry and one former employee were unsuccessful. Another former employee declined to comment.

AdBuilders clients included Maxon’s Diamond Merchants, Discovery Center of Springfield, Missouri Eye Institute, KennCo Contractors and Wickman’s Garden Village. Two of those clients were contacted but declined to comment.

While Davis said she’s grateful for the windfall of business coming from Schilling/Sellmeyer, she also regrets the way it came to her.

“I feel bad for the clients, and I feel bad for the whole situation,” she said. “It’s a bittersweet reality.”

Atterberry opened shop in late 2000 with Stacy Boysen-Krauck, Mitzi Lorenz and Kim Claybrook. Boysen-Krauck and Claybrook left the company in mid-2001. The four previously worked for Republic Media Group Inc.