When you spend time with Mary Stengel Austen, you come away with one feeling. “That woman is affable.” After thinking it over, you might find other words which describe her: smart, realistic, enthusiastic, tough minded, determined, articulate, strategic, focused. But you’ll always include affable in your memory of her because that’s what she is.
Perhaps she has to be that way because of the two most significant challenges in her life: managing five small children and managing one of the largest ad agencies in this part of the country, Tierney Communications. Affable is good, perhaps necessary.
Having grown up in this area, she then graduated from Lafayette College and was directed to a job in sales for age copier company. Quickly convinced that she was not made for a direct sales role, she found her way into the former Spiro agency and found the career that challenged her, enthused her and excited her. Obviously, she loved what she did and, after a few other steps forward, she still loves what she does as president and CEO of Tierney and its 135 employees.
Mary sees great opportunity for the advertising business but she insists that...