Dave has been steering client strategies for more than 20 years. As company founder, Dave is an integral driver of the IMRE brand and leader of
the client services team. His strategic vision has helped grow IMRE from a small PR shop in 1993 to a top-ranked, fully integrated agency serving national client brands
today. Dave is on the National Board of Directors for the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), is former President of the Maryland Chapter of the PRSA, past-chair
of the Mid-Atlantic District of the PRSA and frequently participates on judging panels for regional and national awards competitions. He served as an adjunct professor
at Johns Hopkins University and Towson University.
Meet the Expert:
Dave Imre
Partner & Chief Executive Officer
The secret to a great brand is...
Exceptional customer service and transparency. To be a top brand, you have
to act like a top brand, and that means understanding and embracing the customer.
Do you have a method for coming up with ideas and solutions for clients?
I confess—it’s the shower. I try not to waste water, but my morning shower
offers rare moments of clarity and insight amidst the steam. I play out the upcoming day in my
mind and often come across new ideas that have been percolating in my subconscious. The instructions
are simple: Think, wash, repeat.
What gets you up and into work in the morning?
Nothing pleases me more than helping clients and employees realize their
true potential. I see each day at work as a chance to help them reach a new milestone.
What got you into this business?
I set out to be a TV producer, to make magic happen behind the camera.
Marketing was an adjacent space that I sort of fell into—and then quickly fell in love with.
What was a big influence in your career?
I worked for the City of Baltimore, promoting Lexington Market, a major
part of Baltimore’s redevelopment in the early 1980s. I was proud to contribute to the
community. I could literally experience the difference that came about because of our work.
What was your “finest moment?”
I’d have to say launching my own business and seeing it succeed by
attracting top national talent and top national-brand clients.
What talent do you wish you had?
Mind reading would be nice. But I’d settle for a slightly longer
attention span. What’s the next question?
If you had to live on a desert island, what would you miss most?
My iPhone. I cannot fathom living without connectivity.
Tell us about your pets.
I have four dwarf goats (great training for managing agency talent), one
darling Jack Russell Terrier and one street-wise foundling beagle.
What do you do for fun outside of work?
I sit on my front porch—preferably on summer evenings—with my feet up, a
glass of Shiraz and The Wall Street Journal in my lap. Now that’s living.