Cary, N.C., March 20, 2008 − MicroMass Communications, Inc., a leader in behavioral science-based relationship marketing in the healthcare industry, has hired Jeff Burkel to the newly created position of chief operating officer. He will direct the agency's operations, including the technical services, operations services, product management, quality assurance, quality control and production/studio teams. He reports to Jay Bigelow, president.

The position of chief operating officer was previously combined with that of chief financial officer under Phil Stein, who held the position of CFO/COO. In order to better manage its growth, the agency has recently created two separate positions, with Stein in the role of chief financial officer exclusively, and Burkel leading operations.

"Having Jeff aboard will help us continue to provide the unmatched service our clients have come to expect, said Bigelow," adding that Burkel will help MicroMass generate optimal use of technology, increased efficiencies and consistent results for the agency's growing list of accounts.

Burkel has 14 years of experience in systems and operations management, with significant knowledge from both the agency and corporate sides. Before joining MicroMass, he spent four years at Blattner Brunner, a marketing communications and branding firm based in Pittsburgh, Pa., most recently as chief operating officer and chief financial officer. While there, he was instrumental in the agency's growth, helping successfully acquire and integrate other agencies under its roof.

Before that, Burkel was founder and principal of Agency Management Group, a leading Pittsburgh-based consulting services firm specializing in mergers and acquisitions, business strategy, operations and staff development for marketing communications firms. He also spent ten years at Accenture/Arthur Andersen in Chicago, developing marketing, business and information systems strategies for a wide range of clients, including marketing communications groups.

Burkel holds a Master of Business Administration degree with a concentration in operations management from Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y., and a Bachelor of Science in marketing from the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign.