Execs and Accounts for March 28, 2003

Carat Interactive has promoted Greg Smith from managing director of the New York office to head of national media practices. In the new role, Smith will oversee media planning and buying across Carat Interactive’s five US offices — in Boston, New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Atlanta — and he will develop new initiatives and cross-platform programs for Carat’s clients.

“Greg has established himself as an opinion leader within Carat Interactive, as well as with Carat colleagues, and the clients he serves,” said Sarah Fay, president of Carat Interactive.

Before joining Carat Interactive, Greg started the non-traditional media planning group at Zenith Media Services and was a founder of Darwin Digital, where he oversaw strategic planning, media and research.

Acklands-Grainger, Canada’s largest distributor of industrial, fleet and safety products, has tapped integrated agency True North to handle its marketing communications for 2003. The major focus of the assignment is the introduction of a new enhanced catalog and an aligned Web ordering service. True North will develop a marketing plan to support the mid-year launch of the catalog and Web site.

“The choice of True North was driven by a demonstrated understanding of our business, their strategic and creative thinking and the fit of the key people with our culture,” said Steve Ince, VP of marketing for Acklands-Grainger.

PR agency The Castle Group has added Infinite Data Storage, anti-virus software developer Sophos and text-to-speech developer Rhetorical Systems to its client roster. The firm also recently hired Beth Monaghan as account manager and Ken Langdon as account executive.

For more breaking news on account action and executive moves, visit ChannelSeven.com.