Monthly Luncheon January 2012

Diane joined The Richards Group in 2000 from Temerlin McClain, where she was executive vice president and managing director primarily responsible for JCPenney and Adams Golf.

Stretching the left-brain/right-brain theory to its limits, Diane has spent most of her career in the creative discipline of the advertising business, beginning in New York at Grey Advertising as a copywriter.

After spending a year convincing America's children that they couldn't possibly exist without Star Wars action figures, she moved to Dallas to join Tracy-Locke. During the next eight years, she developed award-winning creative work for clients such as Frito-Lay, Haggar, The Dallas Morning News, Phillips Petroleum, Taco Bell, and Pepsi, becoming senior vice president and senior creative director in 1985.

With nine more years of creative responsibility at Bozell and again at Tracy-Locke, as executive creative director, adding Hogan, Tabasco, and Budget Rent A Car to her previous list of clients, she left the advertising business to run the photography division of a wholly owned subsidiary of Kodak, The Image Bank. With responsibility for marketing, creative content, and operations, Diane saw The Image Bank as a unique opportunity to gain broader business experience (increasing the capabilities of her left brain). Visiting franchisee offices in 72 cities in 35 countries, she filled two passports, spoke passable French, ate Chinese food you don?t get in this country, and learned why you use two hands to pass a business card in Japan.

Five years later, her right brain began to miss advertising. So she now combines her passion for outstanding creative with her addiction to strategic analysis at an agency that completely understands her schizophrenia. She now handles Fruit of the Loom, The Home Depot, The Salvation Army, and new business development.  In 2010, Diane was named by The Dallas Business Journal, as one of the 25 most influential women in business.

Diane graduated from the University of Rhode Island with a double degree in English and education. She and her husband, Kent, are avid golfers, baseball fans, and travelers. (She is left-handed but plays golf right-handed. Figures.)