John Alpaugh, former chief marketing officer (CMO) of PetSmart, Inc., has joined CyberMark International as its new CEO.
Alpaugh purchased CyberMark, one of the country’s leading Internet and digital marketing companies, from founder Kimberly Judd-Pennie, who will stay on in the role of chief customer officer, with responsibility for sales and customer relationships.
In 1994, Judd-Pennie launched CyberMark from her kitchen table, and the company quickly became a pioneer in search engine optimization (SEO). Today, CyberMark is among the country’s most knowledgeable and experienced full-service Internet marketing providers and has been named one of the top SEO companies by panel of independent professionals. In addition to SEO, CyberMark provides website development, pay per click advertising, social media and reputation management and video production.
“The rapid development, change and innovation in digital marketing creates significant growth potential for CyberMark, our clients and our employees,” said Judd-Pennie.
“To make the most of those opportunities, we need a strong senior leader with substantial experience and proven skills in marketing and business leadership. John is the perfect person to take the company forward.”
As CMO and senior vice president of PetSmart, Inc., the nation’s largest retailer of pet supplies and services, Alpaugh was part of an executive team that delivered average annual growth in shareholder value of more than 30 percent.
Alpaugh said CyberMark also is poised for growth, as it occupies a space not served by other Internet marketers.
“While most Internet marketing companies specialize in one or two areas, CyberMark offers affordable, full-service digital marketing solutions for small and medium sized businesses,” Alpaugh said. “But what really sets us apart is our partnership approach with our customers. We learn their businesses and provide a customized digital marketing solution for each customer.”
The company is known for long-term relationships with its clients, exceptional customer service, strong business ethics, and transparent communication about its practices and results. CyberMark received the Arizona Better Business Bureau Ethics Award in 2011 and, in 2012, was a finalist for Arizona State University’s W.P. Carey School of Business “Spirit of Enterprise Award, ” which recognizes businesses that positively impact the state’s economy while exhibiting ethics, energy, and excellence in entrepreneurship.
Under Alpaugh’s leadership, CyberMark will look to grow through new client acquisition, and by developing new and emerging services that can create value for clients.
During his 16-year tenure at PetSmart, Alpaugh held senior-level positions in marketing, consumer research, merchandising, and strategic planning and business development. Prior to that, he was a brand manager with Procter and Gamble. He has a bachelor of Business Administration degree from the University of Cincinnati, and a master of International Marketing Management from the Thunderbird School of International Management.
