s2 ACQUIRES ALEXANDER MARKETING, A LEADER IN BUSINESS-TO-BUSINESS MARKETING

s2 Financial Marketing has acquired Alexander Marketing Services Inc. (AMS), the largest business-to-business communications firm in western Michigan. AMS is a 25-person communications group with a specialized focus on providing marketing solutions for industrial and technology clients.

In the words of Steve Schmieder, s2 president and managing partner, this acquisition “fits strategically with our business strategy, which is to build upon a foundation of highly specialized agencies focused on specific vertical niches. It’s an excellent addition to the business-to-business space we have targeted for further growth.”

AMS will continue to operate under its own name from its headquarters in Grand Rapids, while continuing to support and grow its operations anchored by offices in Chicago and Raleigh, North Carolina. From the s2 perspective, AMS presents an opportunity to maximize shared resources between the two firms, especially in the areas of project management and production.

An integrated suite of project management application software will help streamline the administrative tasks of both firms, while access to a national production network will introduce added group buying power, resulting in a cost savings for printing of all types.

The synergy of the two firms’ shared resources will be evident in a number of other areas as well, enabling our clients to tap into a “deeper bench” of skilled professionals with established experience in account service, public relations, interactive marketing, media planning and buying, graphics production, design, copywriting, and creative direction.