Columbia-based Merkle acquired Salt Lake City-based Axis41, a web and app development agency focused on customer experience. This is Merkle’s first corporate acquisition since joining the Dentsu Aegis Network in August 2016.

According to a release, the move supports Dentsu Aegis Network’s strategy of building within its network a set of full-scale, people-based marketing capabilities rooted in data, analytics and technology. Axis41’s full staff of more than 170 employees, who are experts in marketing communications, strategy, design, technology and marketing integration, will join the Merkle team.

Through the Axis41 acquisition, Merkle, which positions itself as a “technology-enabled, data-driven performance marketing agency,” will become a larger and more strategic partner for Adobe and one of the few global partners with specialization in three of its technology platforms.

Founding partners, Ron Pynes, Strategic Services; Steve Wiest, Creative Services; and Reed Wright, Technical Services, will join Merkle’s senior management team. David Williams is president and CEO of Merkle.

ADG Creative in Columbia announced five promotions:

Rosemarie Carlyle has been promoted to Senior Vice President of Strategy
Mike Kawecki to Vice President of Business Management
Jeff Kasakitis to Director of Strategy
Christina Halverson to Director of Strategy
Jen Resnick to Director of Visualization Services

Founder and Chief Creative Officer Jeff Antkowiak noted that the 65-employee agency looks to the promotions as an investment in their team and clients: “We’re doing amazing things for our clients, and the only way to sustain that is to continue to build and maintain a high-performing team.”

Enradius’ third year is off to a big start, making the Baltimore Business Journal’s “Fast 50,” the annual list of the region’s fastest-growing companies. The ranking is based on reported revenue growth of private firms. Look for the official ranked list of companies when it publishes on December 2nd in the Fast 50 issue. Based in Baltimore, Enradius is a digital marketing agency specializing in geo-targeting.