VIRGINIA HAYNES MONTGOMERY, President
Virginia has over 20 years experience in marketing communications for top companies in travel, finance, real estate and cosmetics and is known for her professionalism and expertise in the art of public relations. As a result, her contacts extend to a large network in many different areas. This enables her to expose her clients not only to the conventional publicity vehicles but also to non-conventional vehicles, which enhance and increase their reach.
Her rapport with the U.S. media has been cultivated and finely tuned over a number of years with the development of strong contacts in many lifestyle areas. She works closely with her clients to ensure all efforts are on the mark and that they reflect the company’s management philosophy and competitive approach to the marketplace.
Virginia has led workshops and served on panels at meetings in the financial services industry. She has an intuitive ability to identify a client’s competitive points of difference to enable them to take advantage of trends. Virginia was selected for inclusion in the 2001 edition of Who’s Who Among America ’s Women in Business. She is an associate member of the Society of American Travel Writers (SATW) and currently treasurer of the Northeast Chapter.
PEGGY HEALY, Executive Vice President
Peggy began her career with J. Walter Thompson Company, then the world's leading advertising agency. She left to attend graduate school in Washington, D.C. but returned to the advertising world as an account executive with Geer, Dubois handling diverse financial clients. Her career took a turn when she joined Bloomingdale's as public relations director and rose to become operating vice president overseeing the fashion retailer's public relations, special events and community relations. In that capacity she helped orchestrate large-scale international promotions including L'Esprit de France, India: the Ultimate Fantasy and Israel, the Dream. She moved to Texas with J.C. Penney Company as a full-time in-house consultant where she worked with media to build recognition for J.C. Penney's transition from a mass merchandiser to a national department store.
She also organized a press trip to India with 10 journalists and two photographers, covering some dozen cities from Srinigar to Bangalore. She subsequently consulted to luxury retailer Neiman Marcus. She was a member of the board of directors of North Side Savings Bank for 16 years. Co-author of three cookbooks including Salute to Italy Celebrity Cookbook, she has been selected numerous times for inclusion in Who's Who in America, Who's Who of American Women and Who's Who International.
KATHERINE REES, Junior Account Executive
Katie joined Montgomery Communications fresh from a marketing internship at Development Counsellors International. With a solid public relations background, Katie has assisted with press trips, media tours and special events for cities and states throughout the U.S.
Like everyone at Montgomery Communications, Katie has a passion for travel and culture. Notably, she studied abroad in Greece where she was able to pursue her classical civilization interests, and is currently learning Modern Greek. Katie has increasingly become more active in her trips, including completely planning her month-long trip to Italy. Other travels include England, Scotland, Wales, Australia, Alaska and Hawaii.
A 2010 graduate and Division I lacrosse athlete of the College of William and Mary, Katie earned her B.A. in English with a minor in Classical Civilization.
Baltimore native, present New Yorker, always an adventurer.