On the Move: U-Haul Hires New Director of Strategic Digital Marketing

Rhea-AI Summary

U-Haul has appointed Eric Keosky-Smith as the new Director of Strategic Digital Marketing, part of its expansion strategy to enhance digital presence. Keosky-Smith previously served as Chief Growth Officer at Hownd, Inc., and has extensive experience in both local and European markets. His primary focus will include boosting the company's Moving Help and CollegeBoxes services. This hire follows the appointment of Carrie Martz as an Advisory Board Member, who brings over 35 years of branding experience. U-Haul aims to leverage top talent for continued growth in the DIY moving sector.

Positive

• Appointment of Eric Keosky-Smith as Director of Strategic Digital Marketing expected to enhance marketing strategies.
• Keosky-Smith focuses on key services like Moving Help and CollegeBoxes, which could improve customer engagement.
• Carrie Martz's addition to the Advisory Board strengthens U-Haul's marketing expertise.

Negative

• None.

PHOENIX, Dec. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- U-Haul® International continues to make a splash with big-name hires as the Phoenix-headquartered company expands its operations.

Eric Keosky-Smith is the latest addition, signing on to be Director of Strategic Digital Marketing for the industry leader in DIY moving and self-storage.

UHAULJOBS.com: Move Your Career Forward

Keosky-Smith arrives at U-Haul from Hownd®, Inc., where he was Chief Growth Officer for the Tempe-based software company. Before that, he was Vice President of Moses®, Inc., a Phoenix ad agency. While his insights have benefitted several other companies across the Valley, he also founded or co-founded a number of profitable businesses and amassed seven years of experience in European markets.

"U-Haul is committed to hiring top talent, and I am confident Eric is just that," noted Jessica Lopez, U-Haul Chief of Staff. "We are proud to welcome Eric to Team U-Haul. He is an expert and I have no doubt he, together with our amazing team, will take U-Haul to the next level of all things digital marketing."

Keosky-Smith will be based out of the U-Haul Midtown Campus at 2727 N. Central Ave., home to corporate operations since 1967.

"I'm very excited to work with one of the most iconic brands in the country," Keosky-Smith said. "In an organization as large and established as U-Haul, there is always room for improvement. My goal is to help pull together the many top-flight internal digital resources to further improve our customer service and ability to scale. I've already been amazed at how incredibly dedicated the team is in helping consumers get the best possible value, in everything U-Haul they touch."

Moving Help and Collegeboxes

Keosky-Smith's focus will fall largely on growing two essential programs under the U-Haul umbrella: Moving Help® and CollegeBoxes®.

Moving Help has been the No. 1 choice of customers seeking labor services for loading and unloading during their moves since 2002. MovingHelp.com offers a network of 6,700 local, independent Moving Help Service Providers across all 50 states and 10 Canadian provinces. With more than 5 million jobs completed and 2.3 million customer reviews, customers have access to the largest network of moving labor services in North America through Moving Help.

Collegeboxes, the No. 1 student storage and shipping provider in U.S., was established in 1999 and has been powered by U-Haul since 2009. Currently, 433 partner schools are offering their students coordinated and convenient access to delivery, pick-up, storage and shipping services. Customers can create an account at Collegeboxes.com to initiate an order, and FedEx® will ship boxes and moving supplies to the student's home or college address.

Company Bolsters Its Marketing Expertise

The hire of Keosky-Smith comes on the heels of U-Haul parent company AMERCO® appointing Carrie Martz as an Advisory Board Member earlier this year.

Martz has a 35-year track record of building successful brands. She founded The Martz Agency in 1980 and sold her advertising and public relations agency in 2013 to Bob Parsons, the founder of GoDaddy®. Martz has since founded Clean Light Laboratories®, LLC, which brought to market a UV-C sanitizer proven to kill SARS-CoV2. She continues to work with companies on brand development and their digital footprint.

Martz served on the board of Cancer Treatment Centers of America Western Region for eight years, and also served on dozens of non-profit boards adding value to their cause-related and social impact programs, including 20-plus years with Phoenix Suns Charities. She received the Phoenix Chamber Athena Award; Stevie International Marketing Woman of the Year Bronze Award; and Arizona Chamber of Commerce Athena Small Business of the Year Award.

Arizona Jobs Available

U-Haul has 356 openings in IT, Retail Customer Service, Manufacturing, Call Center Support and numerous other professional roles in the Phoenix area. Oxford Life Insurance Company and Repwest Insurance Company, subsidiaries of AMERCO, are also hiring for multiple positions.

Veterans and military spouses are offered preference in the U-Haul recruiting and hiring process. U-Haul was founded by a U.S. Navy veteran and his wife in 1945, and many of the first U-Haul Team Members and customers were veterans returning from the war. Today, U-Haul directs a portion of its philanthropic support to veteran organizations and initiatives, and has been honored repeatedly as a leading veteran-friendly U.S. employer.

About U-HAUL 

Since 1945, U-Haul has been the No. 1 choice of do-it-yourself movers, with a network of more than 23,000 locations across all 50 states and 10 Canadian provinces. U-Haul Truck Share 24/7 offers secure access to U-Haul trucks every hour of every day through the customer dispatch option on their smartphones and our proprietary Live Verify technology. Our customers' patronage has enabled the U-Haul fleet to grow to approximately 176,000 trucks, 126,000 trailers and 46,000 towing devices. U-Haul offers nearly 825,000 rentable storage units and 71.6 million square feet of self-storage space at owned and managed facilities throughout North America. U-Haul is the largest retailer of propane in the U.S., and continues to be the largest installer of permanent trailer hitches in the automotive aftermarket industry. U-Haul has been recognized repeatedly as a leading "Best for Vets" employer and was recently named one of the 15 Healthiest Workplaces in America.

Contact:
Jeff Lockridge
Sebastien Reyes
E-mail: publicrelations@uhaul.com
Phone: 602-760-4941
Website: uhaul.com

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SOURCE U-Haul

FAQ

Who is Eric Keosky-Smith?

Eric Keosky-Smith is the newly appointed Director of Strategic Digital Marketing at U-Haul, previously holding the position of Chief Growth Officer at Hownd, Inc.

What will be Eric Keosky-Smith's focus at U-Haul?

He will concentrate on enhancing U-Haul's Moving Help and CollegeBoxes services to improve customer service and scalability.

What experience does Eric Keosky-Smith bring to U-Haul?

Keosky-Smith has extensive experience in marketing and business growth, including seven years in European markets and leadership roles at other companies.

How does U-Haul plan to improve its digital marketing?

With the hiring of Keosky-Smith and the expertise of Carrie Martz, U-Haul aims to strengthen its digital marketing strategies and enhance customer engagement across its services.