Military veteran-focused communications and marketing firm ScoutComms announced that Brian Wagner, who joined the company in 2014 and previously served as Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, will become the company’s first President, taking over responsibility for all business operations and overseeing day-to-day operations of the eight-year-old public relations, marketing and research firm.
The move is part of an ongoing reorganization of the firm that will free up CEO and founder Fred Wellman to concentrate on serving as senior client advisor and pursuing new business opportunities for the nation’s leading communications, marketing and research firm focused on veterans and military families. In addition, the agency will consolidate its two current Virginia offices into a single, new location in Alexandria, Virginia this summer.
“Brian has been absolutely critical to our success since he joined the team,” said Wellman. “His steady hand and uncanny ability to anticipate challenges and address client needs has allowed me to be a more focused CEO and play off my key strengths and interests while serving our diverse client base more effectively.”
In addition to leading ScoutComms, Wagner currently serves as a U.S. Navy Reserve Public Affairs Officer. In April, Wagner was named Junior Public Affairs Officer of the Year for the Navy Reserve after deploying to Afghanistan from 2017-2018.
Wagner began his career as a policy advisor for Congressman Brian Baird (D-WA), and went on to hold various public affairs and public relations roles, including serving as Vice President with McBee Strategic. He is a partner at the Truman National Security Project and is a member of Team RWB and the VFW.
“Five years ago, a scrappy entrepreneur convinced me to leave a larger agency to help build a unique company that cares deeply and intensely about supporting organizations working with veterans and military families,” said Wagner. “It has been an exhilarating experience to participate in ScoutComms’ evolution as we have grown to serve new types of clients, qualify as a certified Benefit Corporation, launch our ScoutInsight market research team, and expand into government contracting.
“I am honored to help lead this company forward because I believe in ScoutComms’ mission, in our people and in our clients. There is no small agency in the nation that blends topical expertise with professional competence to the same positive effect as we do. We have served some of the nation’s largest corporations, as well as some of the smallest non-profits, and I believe that we have positively benefited and faithfully served every single one of them with the same level of passion and commitment,” said Wagner.
Wagner is also currently pursuing his Master’s in Business Administration through the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University – Bloomington.
