Economy Be Damned, McMurry Has Stellar Year

JANUARY 5, 2010

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.