When John McNamara bought advertisements from Toledo Free Press for Raceway Park and Hollywood Casino Toledo, he both identified and agreed with the goals and mission of the paper.
Now, as new Toledo Free Press sales manager, McNamara is an integral part of expanding the brand he said he considers respected, reputable and ethical.
While attending Bowling Green State University, McNamara worked for the athletic and marketing departments, working in game day operations. He later worked event security, a position that required him to manage and relate to people.
“Every job I have ever had has always been relating to people, whether it was customer-related or guest services- related,” McNamara said. “I’ve always loved working with a lot of people around. I’ve never been one to sit behind the desk.”
After McNamara studied marketing in college, he and his wife, Jaimee, decided to stay in the Toledo area, and he began working at Raceway Park.
“At Raceway Park, when I was signing corporate partnerships, I wanted to make sure that we added as much value to the client as possible, to give them exposure for their company, and help their business be successful,” McNamara said.
Toledo Free Press publisher Tom Pounds said he’s known McNamara for a number of years because Raceway Park partnered with Toledo Free Press. The two stayed in contact when McNamara began his work at Hollywood Casino as a manager in the marketing department.
“He’s young, connected and very professional,” Pounds said. “He’s got great leadership skills and is very forward- thinking.”
McNamara said having experience on the other side of sales offers him a different perspective on selling ads and understanding clients’ concerns.
“You have revenue goals at the casino, so it’s a similar setting. You’re not selling ads. You’re selling gambling,” he said. “I think I come from a unique perspective on it because I don’t come from a traditional ad sales background. I come from the other side of the table, where I was buying media and working with sales reps and sales managers from multiple different advertising mediums.
“So I’m going to bring that approach to our clients, as a peer, because I was in their seat and I know what they’re looking for. I understand tight budgets and how they’re trying to maximize their marketing dollars. That’s what I want to do here.”
Renee Bergmooser, Toledo Free Press senior sales representative, said she and Pounds were impressed with McNamara’s charisma and personableness when she met him at Hollywood Casino, but never thought she would have the chance to work with him at Toledo Free Press.
Concern for the buyer is what McNamara said drives the way he conducts business.
“In anything, if your client is successful, you’ll be successful,” McNamara said. “If they’re not, you’re not. So my main goal in any business I’m in, especially now at Toledo Free Press, is I’m not here to sell an ad to someone just to make money. I want to make sure that whatever I’m doing is helping the client. Because at the end of the day, if it’s not helping the client, it’s hurting them. And if it’s hurting them, it’s going to end up hurting us as a company. So my main focus is making my clients successful, whatever that may take.”
