In a Charleston Gazette article dated March 3, 1997, Linda Arnold stated: “I never had a grand plan to get to this point. It evolved. I think certain people and certain circumstances are in your life for reasons and it’s up to us what we do with it.”

Linda Arnold is founder, chairman and CEO of The Arnold Agency, a multi-million dollar, full-service advertising agency in Charleston. Founded in 1988, the agency works hand-in-hand with clients across West Virginia and as far away as Montana. Nationally The Arnold Agency is one of the top go-to firms for public health and tobacco cessation advertising, having produced campaigns for multiple statewide health promotion efforts.

Linda admits that from the start she had lots of people believe in her. If you’ve ever met her, you’ll recall her energy, enthusiasm and passion for life. She believes in the power of relationships – whether it’s with friends, family, coworkers or clients.  

In her mid-20s, she landed a job as communications director for then-Governor Jay Rockefeller after several years working for public interest groups in Washington, D.C. As one of the state’s youngest gubernatorial communication directors, Linda said she learned a lot from her role, made lots of regional contacts and gained the confidence and courage she needed to start her own advertising agency.

She launched The Arnold Agency in 1988. She said even with the encouragement received from friends and fellow-professionals, it was a tough road at first. The Arnold Agency was comprised of Linda, an administrative assistant and one other employee. Linda pounded the pavement searching for clients, even scouring the phone book for potential companies to make her pitch. Eventually, with her focused drive and ambitious spirit, she parlayed the company’s humble beginnings into a meteoric rise to success.

 As Linda enlisted new clients, additional team members were brought on board. Over the past two decades, the agency branched into various avenues of advertising including food service, health care and banking. Most recently, with her guidance, the agency has become a national leader in tobacco cessation advertising. Working with the West Virginia Division of Tobacco Prevention, the agency has developed advertising campaigns that successfully changed the social norms of how individuals perceive tobacco use. As a result, call volume to the West Virginia Tobacco Quitline has increased by nearly 50 percent. Similarly, working with the Montana Tobacco Use Prevention Program, the agency effectively produced and placed an integrated campaign promoting the importance of clean indoor air as the state transitioned to smoke free. Linda’s unique vision, spirit and fervor for living sets the foundation for the creative work the agency has developed in this arena.

Since the company’s inception, Linda has placed value on every employee. She recognizes each team member’s strengths and abilities and directs their responsibilities and opportunities to grow accordingly. She doesn’t forget the people who helped her get where she is today and strives to be a cheerleader and passionate advocate for all staff members.

On any given day at The Arnold Agency, it’s not uncommon to for Linda to gather team members for a staff rally. With the beat of her ceremonial drum, she assembles staff to celebrate achievements, commemorate milestones and share successes. As opposed to many leaders in organizations, Linda doesn’t sit behind her desk and rubber stamp anything – if team members pull an all-nighter to prepare for a presentation or client project with a short turnaround, she’s right there doing what needs to be done, whether it’s editing copy or making copies.

In addition to her role as CEO, Linda is a bi-weekly columnist for The Charleston Gazette. Her column, Living Life Fully, provides readers with the resources and attitude needed to be passionate about what life brings their way. Topics range from outlook and emotional state to being a good friend.