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Dear Colleagues, As we mark the ARF’s 90th anniversary, I am writing to share a decision that I made almost 10 years ago. This will be my final year serving as CEO & President of the ARF, with my retirement to take effect in early 2027. This timing is consistent with the ten-year commitment I made at the outset of my appointment in February 2017 and the transition is being planned in close coordination with the Board of Directors. I will remain fully engaged in the role through the appointment of my successor, ensuring continuity of leadership, preservation of institutional knowledge, and an orderly transfer of responsibility. The Board and I have been preparing for this moment with a shared commitment to stability in execution and clarity in direction. The timing coincides with a period of meaningful institutional renewal. As we enter our tenth decade, we are also relocating our offices to beautiful newly-renovated space in the Empire State Building – a move that reflects both our legacy and our future ambitions. Like the ARF, the Empire State Building was established in the 1930s but continues to modernize. As a LEED building, the ESB is an icon that meets the energy and environmental demands of the future. It feels like an apt place for the ARF’s next decade of operations. Together, these three milestones – 90th anniversary, move to ESB and planned CEO transition – signal an organization that continues to evolve with intention while remaining anchored in its core purpose. Over the past decade, I have sought to reaffirm the ARF’s founding mission: to further, through research, the scientific practice of advertising and marketing. That commitment has informed our investments in research and data science, the expansion of our organizational scope through the integration of CIMM and MSI, and the development of programs that connect rigorous inquiry with practical application. The ARF today is, I believe, more expansive in its reach and more exacting in its standards. What lends confidence to this transition is the strength and coherence of the institution itself: an engaged and discerning membership, a highly capable staff, and a governance structure attentive to the long-term trajectory of the field. The challenges confronting marketing and media are increasingly complex, but the ARF is well positioned to address them with the discipline and empiricism that have defined it for 90 years. Leadership must, at appropriate intervals, renew itself. The time has come to entrust this role to a successor who will carry forward the work with fresh perspective, while preserving the principles that have guided the organization across its history. It has been a distinct privilege to serve the ARF and to work alongside so many of you. We couldn’t do any of this without the ongoing support of our members and the individuals who have dedicated their time and energy to the pursuit of excellence. I look forward to the year ahead and to ensuring a transition that leaves the organization well prepared for what comes next. With appreciation, Scott
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