Merritt Island, FL, May 29, 2008 — Melinda McNab Ridgley has been named Vice President/Accounts at Brandt Ronat + Company, a firm specializing in Analytical Creative™—a strategic creative development process aimed at providing organizations with evidence-based actions in communications planning, advertising and decision-making.

As Vice President, Ridgley will continue to take on executive-level business functions within the firm, with a primary focus on senior level management of client relationship development.

“Melinda Ridgley is an exemplary thinker, experienced in planning and helping organizations execute strategic marketing across many types of opportunities both locally and internationally,” said Linda Brandt, CEO of Brandt Ronat + Company. “Mel’s expertise in both external and internal communications initiatives serves our current clients well and positions her to help Brandt Ronat expand into other markets, including continuing to grow our healthcare marketing segment.”

Meet Melinda Ridgley for a short question and answer session here.

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Brandt Ronat and Company's Linda Brandt has been recognized as one of Brevard's 100 most influential business leaders, while Melinda Ridgley was identified as an up-and-comer for the same list. The list attempts to pinpoint Brevard businesspeople with a wide sphere of local influence who facilitate change, have a successful track record, and who rally others to act, among other things.

You can read the Space Coast Business article here.

The Space Coast Advertising Federation recently held the 24th Annual ADDY Awards and Brandt Ronat + Company was honored in several categories including significant work featured here for the New Town of Viera, a master planned community located in the heart of Brevard County, Florida.

The Viera Company - Viera, Even Better.
Category: Campaign, Mixed-Media, National Consumer

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This campaign represents some interesting situational strategic shifts and background.

Situation:
Throughout the real estate boom our local market drove new home sales at a ratio of 6 out of 10 new home buyers coming from Brevard County. This strategically drove a large media presence and expenditure locally in print. But as the change in the real estate market started to present itself, we were flexible enough to shift our strategy to focus on a more expansive national audience. Additionally, we needed to find economical ways to make that outreach happen. So, in part we shifted our focus to the interactive arena and www.floridatoday.com which at the time was averaging 900,000 unique visitors a month to their site. This shift allowed us to cover the national audience as well local market at approximately a third of the cost of newspaper print.

Results:
• Our interactive banner ads click thru ratios consistently rank 2 to 3 times higher than the national average
• Website traffic on www.viera.com has doubled in a down real estate market in only one calendar year

Find out more about Viera at www.viera.com

Other 2008 ADDY Award Winners for Viera:

The Viera Company- Your Guide to West Viera Expansion
Category: Newspaper Specialty Advertising, Insert

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Click to view an online version of "Your Guide to West Viera Expansion"

Viera Builders, Inc - Integrity, Quality, Innovation Ad Series
Category: Newspaper Campaign, Color

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by Wayne T. Price
FLORIDA TODAY

The Economic Development Commission of Florida's Space Coast named Bryan and Melinda Ridgley as its volunteers of the year.

George Mikitarian, the commission's board chairman, said the Ridgleys were recognized for "their service to the EDC, with a new type of passion, commitment, determination and a gut for knowing what's right when they see it."

The Ridgleys formally received their recognition Wednesday night at the commission's annual investors meeting in Melbourne.

The couple traveled across the country and spent a considerable amount of time reviewing the policies and practices of other economic development commissions to see what systems worked best and how to apply them locally.

They also worked on recruiting new investors to the commission and helped in retaining members.

Bryan Ridgley, 31, was born and raised in Brevard County and is the broker-owner of Ridgley Commercial Realty in Melbourne.

Melinda Ridgley, 30, is an accounts supervisor at Brandt Ronat + Co. on Merritt Island.