The Guild Group’s former comptroller was sentenced this week for embezzling $1.3 million from the agency last year.
In a July 26 sentencing, Phillip Liu was given the maximum penalty, 58 months in prison and full restitution of the $1.3 million stolen from Guild’s 401(k) retirement fund. Liu pleaded guilty to the embezzlement in late May 2004 (June 8, 2004 Xtra).
No one else has been found complicit in the crime, although the U.S. Treasury and Labor departments continue to investigate the White Plains, NY-based agency, said Guild spokesperson Heidi Udell.
Meanwhile, Guild has hired Donald Kelly as chief financial officer, a new post replacing the comptroller role. He had been CFO and VP-strategic business development at Teamstaff, Somerset, NJ. Kelly takes Guild’s financial reins from accounting consultant Jim Barbera, who stepped in after Liu was arrested and fired.
Guild also promoted Geoff Grant to executive VP-general manager overseeing all financial functions, procurement, strategic planning and corporate compliance. The 20-year Guild veteran had been head of account services and led Guild’s New Media group. He replaces General Manager Tony Yannantuono, but has a broader management role that includes client service.
The agency hired Jay Siegel as executive VP-new business development and strategic planning, replacing Helen FitzPatrick, who left earlier this year to join Zipatoni, New York. Siegel had been president of JSA Marketing Group and earlier was a category and division promotion manager at General Foods (now part of Kraft).
Also new is Tom Hayduk, director of trade marketing overseeing Guild’s agency-of-record work for the Kraft Collaborative Marketing Team, both general and ethnic marketing. Hayduk had been with Ryan Partnership and earlier was managing director at TracyLocke, both based in Wilton, CT. His trade-marketing responsibilities had been handled by Lew de Seife, who left Guild in 2004 to join EastWest Creative, New York.
Lastly, Guild hired Cory Kallet as VP-account director, a new post supervising Guild’s work for Post Cereals and assisting with new business. Kallet had been at DVC Worldwide, Morristown, NJ, and earlier worked at Einson Freeman, Upper Saddle River, NJ.
Guild ranked No. 78 in the 2005 PROMO 100 with 2004 net revenues of $9 million.
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