Ashley Horn Named Vice President of Marketing and Communications

L.I. Smith & Associates (LIS) is proud to announce the promotion of Ashley Horn to Vice President of Marketing and Communications, effective May 1. Previously Marketing Coordinator, Horn, has been with LIS for just over two years. During this time, she has been integral to the expansion of LIS’ marketing and recruitment efforts, as well as an immense growth in company culture. 

LIS President Patrick Smith remarked, “Ashley has been incredibly successful in her time here. We have seen great incomes in outreach and our internship programs, largely due to the increase in corporate communications. She has my full trust as she continues to build the marketing department and enhance our brand and company culture.” 

As Vice President, Horn has been tasked with the continuous responsibility of building LIS’ vision and voice, while protecting and growing the company’s brand and reputation. In addition, she will continue to manage all internal staff communications and engagement, public relations, business development, and recruitment initiatives.  

“I am thrilled to take on this new role and to continue telling LIS’ story,” said Horn. “This is truly an exciting time for the company, as we have a talented group of diverse staff members and are continuing to grow across the board. I look forward to this new chapter.” 

The experienced marketer has a diverse background in communications, with an emphasis in higher education and nonprofit fields, which assisted her greatly as she laid the foundation for LIS’ internship program. The program launched in 2022 and provides a hands-on learning opportunity for students studying within the civil engineering, surveying, communications, or marketing fields. In its first year, two collegiate summer interns and one high school intern were hired. Now, in its second year, the program has doubled in size.  

Marketing and Communications Intern Martha Jane Hooper stated, “Ashley has made a big impact on not only the marketing department, but LIS as well. Through her guidance, I have been able to learn so much about the marketing industry and I am beyond excited to see what else she will accomplish in this role.” 

Hooper, along with fellow Intern Katie Bullion, now work directly with Horn in the marketing department. Prior to their onboarding, Horn was the only staff member in the field, managing all marketing tasks on her own. Thanks to the success of the internship program, what began as a department of one has now grown into a successful and fully independent marketing department. 

“MJ and Katie have been detrimental to our department’s growth, and I am very proud of them. Mentoring those two has truly been a rewarding experience thus far, and I know they will continue to have a positive impact at LIS,” Horn commented.  

Horn is currently a doctoral student at Regent University and holds a Master of Arts degree in Strategic Communication from the University of Tennessee at Martin. She is a member of the Society for Marketing Professional Services (SMPS), serves as a board member for the American Advertising Federation (AAF), a volunteer for the Paris-Henry County Arts Council (PHCAC), and is a graduate of Leadership Henry County (LHC).