Phoenix—Business growth during this recession is rare, but in McMurry’s 25th year in business, growth coming in all varieties has remained a constant factor. In 2009, the company added 116 accounts, acquired two companies, and ranked even higher in national and local culture and business expansion rankings.

“We cut a path through the 2009 headwinds, did things others weren’t doing, and as a result, our accomplishments put us in a great position for continued growth as the economy swings around and makes everything a little easier,” says CEO Chris McMurry.

Last May the company acquired Orlando-based Cyrus, a firm specializing in interactive solutions for the healthcare industry, and relocated the operation to McMurry’s Scottsdale office. That deal, and the organic sales that ensued, doubled the size of WebEdge—the company’s technology product that allows hospitals and medical practices to deploy branded, sophisticated websites quickly and affordably.

In June, the Great Place to Work Institute and the Society for Human Resource Management again honored McMurry, this time as the No. 5 Best Small Company to Work For in America. It was the fourth straight year the company landed in the Top 10 of this national ranking.

For the second straight year, Inc. magazine ranked McMurry among its 5,000 fastest-growing companies in the country, boosting it to No. 3,063, 110 positions higher than the prior year. McMurry was also named the largest advertising agency, B2B marketing communications firm and Web design firm in the Phoenix area by the Phoenix Business Journal. A full list of company awards and rankings can be found on mcmurry.com.

In October, McMurry acquired New York City-based Spark, a firm specializing in Web, experiential, broadcast and corporate communication video. It was the company’s 12th acquisition since 1998, and with it came a portfolio of more than 3,000 videos for many of the world’s leading brands. Between inherent demand for Spark and within the existing McMurry clientele, the company expects to produce 500 videos annually.

Staff members were honored for their professional contributions and the company’s continued success. CEO Chris McMurry received the John Caldwell Award from the Custom Publishing Council for lifetime achievement in content marketing. Saul Morse, COO/Interactive Services, was named CIO of the Year by the Arizona Technology Council, and was among Computerworld’s “Premier 100 IT Leaders.”

In 2007, McMurry established a five-year goal to give $1 million in cash to charities. Just three years later, the company has given $850,915 and is tracking toward reaching the goal in 2010, a year earlier than planned. In fact, come the five-year mark, it appears McMurry will exceed $1.3 million in giving to charities. CEO McMurry says this, of all the achievements, is among the most impressive, given that the recession played a role in two of the three years since the goal was established.

The company also rolled out its new, morphing, customizable corporate logo last January, which is adaptable to seasonal, opportunistic and strategic applications and allows staff members to create their own personalized logos. The logos can be viewed on the company’s website, which also debuted during the year.

About McMurry
McMurry, with four offices in Arizona and New York, offers a complete line of marketing communications services to a variety of clientele, including GlaxoSmithKline, The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Co., Amtrak, CBS, Aon, CVS Caremark, Waste Management, Liberty Mutual, PNC, 24 Hour Fitness and Thomson Reuters, as well as resources to more than 10,000 corporate professionals. The company has specialized practices in healthcare, finance and insurance. It is among the largest independent marketing communications companies in the U.S. and is recognized by the Great Place to Work Institute and Society for Human Resource Management as one of the top five "Best Small Companies to Work For" in the U.S.