Kathleen Wilks, a marketing executive with real estate and independent agency expertise, has joined The Long & Foster Companies as its Chief Marketing Officer (CMO). Wilks will head marketing, branding, communications and advertising programs across the Long & Foster enterprise, including its real estate brokerage and other business lines. She will support the companies to drive their integrated services strategy with a focus on adding ongoing value for the firms’ agents and customers.
“I am thrilled to return to The Long & Foster Companies – where I started my real estate marketing career and will now lead their enterprise branding, communications and marketing efforts. After being immersed in the industry for the past decade, I understand and value the importance of connecting with both the consumer and agent audience,” Wilks said. “I can’t wait to start working with this incredibly talented group of people, and share the company’s impressive history and values to drive brand loyalty, market presence and growth.”
As part of Long & Foster’s leadership team, Wilks will lead its enterprise marketing in supporting the brokerage’s over 9,000 real estate agents. With her guidance, the company will ensure Long & Foster’s agents continue to have the best resources available to grow their businesses and support area homebuyers, sellers, renters and owners. Additionally, Wilks will collaborate across the Long & Foster enterprise on the launch of LF1, the companies’ all-inclusive customer experience that brings together everything and everyone an individual may need on their home-buying or selling journey.
“Kathleen’s passion for marketing and branding shines through in every interaction she has and combined with her enthusiasm for the real estate industry, she’ll provide immeasurable value and vision for Long & Foster and our long-term strategic direction and success,” said Jeff Detwiler, president and CEO of The Long & Foster Companies.
Wilks comes to Long & Foster from Washington Fine Properties, where she oversaw the brokerage’s marketing and communications. In that role, Wilks developed marketing strategies to make the brand more approachable and its agents more successful. Those initiatives included overhauling the company’s social media presence, expanding its advertising programs into the digital arena and increasing its earned media exposure.
Before working at Washington Fine Properties, Wilks led Wydler Brothers Real Estate as its president and CMO. While there, Wilks developed and implemented a major rebranding effort, from a new website launch to the debut of comprehensive advertising and public relations campaigns. Wilks also spent much of her career running The Dan Rosenthal Co., a creative agency, as SVP and Director of Account Management. Her accounts included a division of Marriott, Sigma Tau Pharmaceuticals and CoStar. She also had a brief stint at CNN.
Wilks has a degree in marketing from Georgetown University. She has lived in the D.C. area for over 30 years and currently resides in Chevy Chase, Maryland, with her husband and three children.