About // XLER

About Bill Oechsler (pronounced "x-ler")

A well-known and respected strategist, Bill is no stranger to the business side of brand building. Insightful and engaging, his ability to dig deep into the essence of a brand and craft strategies that help penetrate the minds and hearts of consumers is evident in the success of his clients.

Prior to founding his marketing and brand consulting firm, Bill served as the executive vice president of marketing at Zondervan, a HarperCollins company owned by News Corporation. There, he oversaw all marketing efforts spanning the global communications company’s Bible, book, children's, and new media groups. He was also responsible for all branding, corporate communications, Internet marketing, market research, creative communications, and events.

Before joining Zondervan, Bill served as president and chief strategic officer of Hanon McKendry/The Brand Consultants. In that role, he led many of the strategic initiatives for corporate clients such as Owens Corning, Hush Puppies, CAT Footwear, National Heritage Academies, Furniture Row, and Rubbermaid as well as high-profile nonprofits like World Vision, US Conference of Catholic Bishops, Promise Keepers, Alliance Defense Fund, Knights of Columbus, and Focus on the Family.

Bill began his marketing career at Leo Burnett USA, one of the nation’s foremost advertising agencies. While there, he helped create some of the most memorable and effective brand-building campaigns for clients like McDonald's, Sony, Philip Morris (Marlboro), Reebok, Procter & Gamble, and Walt Disney World.

National recognition for marketing communications includes two Effies, an Obie, a Gabriel, a Silver Anvil, a New York Festival World Medal, two Pollies, two Print Magazine Awards, three Tempo Awards, a Web Award, a Webby Worthy Award, Marketing Sherpa's Silver Mouse, four Audies (including Audiobook of the Year), and more than a dozen Telly Awards.

Bill graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a BS in speech (organizational communications sequence) and an MA in journalism (public relations sequence with an emphasis on health communications and social marketing). While studying at the University of Texas, he served as project director for the university’s Office of Survey Research as well as research consultant for the South Texas Health Research Center at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio.

Bill has been an invited speaker for Council of Christian Colleges and Universities, Internet Ministry Conference, National Religious Broadcasters, Religious Managers Conference Association, US House Republicans, Dorothy A. Johnson Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership, Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce, Aimwest, Heritage Foundation, Public Relations Society of America of West Michigan, Compass Film Academy as well as other academic institutions, nonprofit organizations, and professional associations.

Bill has served on a variety of boards including Global Publishers Alliance, Life International, Orphan Justice Mission, Grotenhuis, Catholic Human Development Outreach, and Ferris State University's College of Business, Advertising.

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