Don’t be fooled by the beautifully restored Suffern mansion where The Byne Group makes its home. Hardly quaint, this marketing and PR firm is splashed all over social media and is known for its forward-thinking “360 degree” approach that covers it all: branding, print, web design, social media and PR services.
“I believe we are unique…we have had a social media strategist on staff for over seven years already,” says owner Ann Byne, a woman of many hashtags (#wannabegardener, #pbsaddict). A Pratt grad who honed her skills in 1980s NYC, she moved to Rockland to raise a family 30 years ago, launching her firm in 1990 because “I wanted to create a culture that embraced innovative problem solving, where we worked hard, had fun and where family always came first.”
This also meant going local: Today her diverse client base includes such familiar names as SUNY Purchase and Nyack Hospital, for which she recently created breast awareness campaigns that appeared both in print and online. She also has served on nonprofit boards, including United Hospice of Rockland (where she created a pro-bono ad campaign).
Byne attributes her growth to her talented staff (eight women!). “It allows me to focus my day on big picture issues. I get spurts of creativity at the office but my best ideas come when I’m least expecting it: while gardening, walking my dog, or just daydreaming. I have learned to take inspiration that may seem random very seriously.”
