Brian Speer named Vice President for Marketing and Communication

Speer will lead the newly established Office of Marketing and Communications

Washington College has named Brian Speer to the newly created position of Vice President for Marketing and Communication. Speer, a seasoned marketing and communications leader, brings deep experience in developing and implementing strategic communications programs and marketing initiatives that build compelling brand stories and support institutional goals.

In this critical role, Speer will have the opportunity to shape and lead the newly established Office of Marketing and Communications, with a focus on increasing the College’s brand awareness. As a member of the Cabinet, he will report directly to President Mike Sosulski.

“I’m excited to welcome Brian Speer to the senior leadership team at Washington College. His deep experience and proven results speak for themselves, and align extremely well with the College’s own immediate needs and strategic goals,” said Sosulski. “What really set him apart were his obvious passion for the liberal arts experience, his thoughtful approach to the challenge at hand, and his ability to innovate and evolve. He is exactly the right person to lead our marketing and communications as we look ahead to the next decade and beyond.”

Speer has extensive higher education experience, including serving as Vice President for Communications for Muhlenberg College, Vice President for Marketing and Communications for Wilson College and Director of Integrated Marketing for Colby College.

Just as he is being tasked with in this new position, Speer successfully transitioned a small, public-relations focused office to a strategic, full-service, centralized communications team at Muhlenberg, his most recent higher education post. While there, he implemented a new brand narrative for prospective students, launched a fresh website design and moved the institution towards a unified brand voice. Prior to that role, he was entrusted with a similar department build-out at Wilson College, where he also implemented a digital marketing program, redesigned the website and established a social media strategy that supported enrollment, retention, advancement and alumni program goals.

“This is a great time to join Washington College and build on the strong foundation of the College,” said Speer. “I’m excited to work with President Sosulski and the campus community to more clearly define the Washington College experience for students and their families. Through all of my conversations on campus I have felt a real sense of energy and enthusiasm about the opportunities at the College and look forward to working with the communications staff and campus partners to increase the institution’s reputation and express its brand story.”

Speer holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Ohio University. Working in communications and design for more than 25 years, his work has received numerous awards from the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), the University and College Designers Association (UCDA), and the Society of Publication Designers (SPD) among others.

Speer’s start date with Washington College is August 1.