BroadBased Communications creates executive owner partnership

September 27, 2016

Jan Hirabayashi & Chris Ramaglia

BroadBased Communications, one of Jacksonville’s oldest marketing firms, announces that Chris Ramaglia, executive vice president, has become a minority partner in the firm through an acquisition of shares. The company is celebrating 20 years in business in the Jacksonville market and until now has been 100 percent owned by CEO and founder Jan Hirabayashi. Hirabayashi remains in her position and retains majority ownership. Monetary and percentage ownership details were not made public.

BroadBased is based in Jacksonville and has occupied offices in the Riverplace Tower for the last 15 years. The firm has evolved from a full-service design and advertising firm to a leading business-to-business and business-to-consumer digital marketing partner. The firm helps clients grow their businesses through lead-generating solutions that integrate mobile, online and email strategies merged with traditional marketing channels.

“Since joining the BroadBased team as EVP, Chris has led the development of digital marketing strategies that have far exceeded our clients’ expectations for lead generation and sales growth,” said Hirabayashi. “His expertise has been pivotal in the continuing evolution of BroadBased as a firm that not only embraces new technologies, but also understands their strategic positioning as part of a comprehensive marketing solution.”

Ramaglia joined BroadBased in April 2015 to lead the firm’s adoption of new technologies and manage the continued evolution of digital marketing strategy. He has 15 years of business development and project management experience in the digital space, having previously held positions at DiscoverTec, Time Warner Telecom, and the former Alltel Communications.

BroadBased restructured its business model in 2015 to focus on digital solutions in the rapidly changing web-based environment. In the recent past, clients relied primarily on print and traditional marketing pieces to tell their stories. Digital solutions now encompass strategies from websites, social media and email marketing to online re-targeting, web-based content marketing and marketing automation. BroadBased specializes in helping clients reach customers and prospects through these digital platforms via strategic, targeted campaigns. No other firm in the market combines 20 years of traditional advertising and marketing with this level of cutting-edge technological prowess.

“As an agile, client-focused firm, BroadBased Communications has created an ideal space to incorporate rapidly evolving and emerging digital technologies into customized, highly targeted solutions that achieve our clients’ specific objectives,” Ramaglia said. “I’m grateful to Jan for having the vision and courage to embrace technology-driven marketing strategies and for providing me with the opportunity to invest in a successful company that is helping lead the way in the digital age.”

Ramaglia is a long-time resident of North Florida and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English composition from Florida State University.

Hirabayashi remains majority owner of the firm, which appears annually in the Jacksonville Business Journal’s list of top advertising and marketing agencies and the annual list of top women owned businesses. Hirabayashi was also honored as a Jacksonville Business Journal’s Woman of Influence in 2008. Founded in 1996, BroadBased has been a leading woman-owned business in the city with Hirabayashi serving as a mentor and participant in several women-owned business projects including The Jacksonville Women’s Business Center and the organization’s Athena PowerLink program.

With headquarters in Jacksonville, Fla., BroadBased Communications is a full-service marketing and communications firm that helps growth-minded organizations bridge the digital divide and capture the potential of new marketing technologies and platforms. The company serves clients of all sizes in diverse industries, including transportation, manufacturing, IT, staffing, higher education, healthcare, finance and more. For more information call 904-398-7279 or visit www.bbased.com.

Jan Hirabayashi

Jan Hirabayashi

Managing Partner

Jan Hirabayashi founded BroadBased in 1996 and is the company's managing partner and lead marketing strategist.

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