Our staff is hand-picked based on the quality of their work, their expertise, and their level of passion. Our team is comprised of the type of people who legitimately care about our clients and what we do.
Our project managers, designers, website specialists, and digital marketing experts work as a team to accomplish your goals.
Unlike other firms where the staff wears multiple hats, each of our team members is able to focus on their specialty area then collaborate to provide the client with the best outcome possible.
President/CEO/Creative Director
Dave founded The Marcom Group in 1998 building the company into one of the most well-respected advertising agencies in California’s Central Valley. Dave is a problem-solver—there’s no challenge he’s not willing to meet for a client. If he doesn’t have a solution for you, he’ll find it through one of his extensive connections in the business community. Over his career, he has worked with many established businesses, including Rain For Rent, John Soules Foods, Aera Energy, Castle & Cooke, Golden Empire Transit, Bakersfield Chamber of Commerce, Grimmway Farms, Kern County Department of Human Services, and Tejon Ranch.
Before establishing The Marcom Group, Dave observed business leaders and other professionals and learned what made them successful and even unsuccessful, giving him lessons he would later apply to his own business. He understood the value of discipline, punctuality, and networking in a professional environment. Using that knowledge and an extensive skill set, he has made Marcom a recognized leader in the creative industry. Dave is experienced in every aspect of the advertising trade, from sales and marketing to graphic design and web development. Never afraid to learn something new, he continues to build on his professional skills. Dave graduated from Leadership Bakersfield in 2003, which gave him a better understanding of his community and his role in it.
He is currently or has been a member, board member, president, or advisor for numerous non-profits, including American Heart Association, Bakersfield Police Activities League, Rotary Club of Bakersfield (co-creator of the Non-Profit Leadership Forum), Active 20-30 Club (past president 2003), Petroleum Club of Bakersfield (past president 2009-2021), PCB Foundation, Children’s’ Advocates Resource Endowment, Victory Family Services, Bakersfield Symphony Orchestra, Bakersfield College Art Department, Epiphany Foundation, and Mendiburu Magic Foundation. He is also a partner of Kern EDC.
He is a co-owner of Valley Ag Voice, a Landmark Forum Curriculum for Living graduate, and was a nominee for Beautiful Bakersfield’s Business Person of the Year for 2020.
Learn more about Dave on the interview from Small Business Celebration.
Project Manager
Chamil joined Marcom in 2015 as the main communication liaison between the client and the rest of our team. She focuses on ensuring all aspects of the project are organized and that each member of the team understands the client’s needs.
Before Marcom, she worked as the Marketing and Advertising Director at Capital Dental Group for two years. She also served in the Peace Corps in Tanzania and taught English as a second language in several countries before returning to her roots in Bakersfield and becoming an essential member of the Marcom team.
When she isn’t working, you can find her at estate sales, cultural food festivals, cooking or spending time with her family.
Project & Digital
Marketing Manager
Born and raised in Bakersfield, Jaqs has been an essential part of the Marcom team since 2017. With a sharp eye for detail and a talent for keeping things on track, she plays a key role in ensuring projects run smoothly—on time and within budget. Jaqs also leads social media efforts and manages digital marketing campaigns, making sure each strategy aligns with your brand’s goals. Outside the office, you’ll find her working on creative art projects, hanging out with her dogs, Niles and Ivy, or playing guitar with her band.
Lead Designer
Keith has been with Marcom since 2013 and has a Bachelor of Arts degree in 3-D Animation from California State University, Northridge (CSUN). He brings a professional approach to his design work and values creating the best possible design for each individual client. He often acts as a creative director, guiding and teaching co-workers and clients alike things he’s learned from his experience in the industry. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time outdoors in nearby Moonstone Beach or Balch Park with his wife and four kids. He also enjoys listening to rock music and trying foreign cuisines, especially local-favorite Basque.
Multimedia Graphic Designer
A graphic design graduate from CSU Fullerton, Josh has over 20 years of experience in the industry. After college, he worked for a marketing agency where he produced marketing and tradeshow materials for financial institutions and healthcare organizations. He honed his skills for 11 years as a staff graphic designer before moving on to a payment processing company in Cincinnati, where he worked as an in-house designer for over seven years and created co-branded marketing materials for companies like Comerica Bank and Capital One. Josh joined Marcom in 2018 and uses his extensive experience to help clients realize their brand identity through a variety of creative and media solutions. In his free time, Josh enjoys watching foreign movies and listening to jazz.
Tech Director
With 21 combined years at the company, Chris is a long-standing member of the Marcom team. He has extensive experience in web development, IT support and server administration. From performing website updates to navigating eCommerce and WordPress platforms, he assists our clients with all of their IT needs. Chris enjoys finding new and unique ways to troubleshoot IT issues whenever our clients have problems.
Client Relations and Business Development
In 2024, Marcom Branding welcomed Kara as our new Brand Advisor. She primarily focuses on helping our clients build their brands with the right promotional products, from logos and brochures to tradeshow displays and fully customizable promotional items. Kara enjoys spending time in the Bakersfield community, developing relationships with local businesses, and identifying how she can help them succeed with our variety of professional branding services. Born and raised in Porterville, Kara attended Bakersfield College before earning her Bachelor’s in Health and Wellness from the University of Arizona Global Campus. She worked in the hospital or rehabilitative setting for five years, providing nutrition services to ensure patients received the proper diet for their needs. She enjoyed building and maintaining relationships with each patient and watching them achieve their goals, a passion she has carried into her current role at Marcom Branding. In her free time, Kara enjoys reading, painting, or spending time with her family, including her two puppies, a pug named Ember and a golden doodle named Asher.
