Austin Native And Advertising Exec Lands Position At Local TV Station

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Latonia Partee, an Austin community native recently joined the ABC 7 Chicago account executive team. For Partee, the appointment is a dream come true. She interned in the community affairs department at the station while a student at Columbia College Chicago. (Photo by Thelma Sardin)
Latonia Partee, an Austin community native recently joined the ABC 7 Chicago account executive team. For Partee, the appointment is a dream come true. She interned in the community affairs department at the station while a student at Columbia College Chicago. (Photo by Thelma Sardin)

Latonia Partee, recently joined the ABC 7 Chicago account executive team, a dream come true for the Austin community native who interned in the community affairs department at the station while a student at Columbia College-Chicago. Partee boasts over twenty three years of experience in advertising and has worked at several corporations including GroupM, Burrell Communications and Zenith Media Services, Inc.

Vincent Sollecito, Vice President, Sales & Marketing at ABC 7 Chicago had only great things to say when he expressed how he felt about Partee joining his team.

Latonia is a talented, savvy negotiator who engages her clients in new opportunities across all mediums, said Sollecito. With extensive experience in television, cable and radio, Latonia has earned an outstanding reputation for excellence in the market. Naturally, we are thrilled to have someone of her caliber as part of the team at the Number #1 station in Chicago.

Partee is a proud West Side native. She attended grades K-8 at the former Resurrection Elementary School which is now the site of Christ the King High School, 5088 W. Jackson Blvd. While in high school, she attended Norte Dame High School for Girls on the citys North Side.

When speaking with the Chicago Citizen, Partee reflected on her fond memories of growing up in Austin.

I love my neighborhood, Partee said. I havent been over there in a while but growing up was really great.

Like many other successful professionals, education is important to Partee and she feels that she would not be in the position shes in now without it.

Ive been in advertising since I graduated college in 1988, said Partee. Without it (education) I wouldnt be here. Had I not gone to college I wouldnt have been able to start my career.

The media expert told the Chicago Citizen that she encountered racism during her nearly two decades in advertising and there were times where she was the only Black person working in the media department at an agency.

What Ive found is that everybody does not like you because of the color of your skin, Partee said. I have to stay professional; however, one instance I did come across a rep that was known to be racist. He didnt want to shake my hand and didnt want to work with me on the phone. So I told a manager and no longer worked with the person.

In 2009, MarketingCharts.com listed key findings on its website from a study titled, Research Perspectives on Race and Employment in the Advertising Industry, conducted by research firm, Bendick and Egan Economic Consultants.

The study exposed several findings as they relate to minorities and their placement in the advertising business:

About 16% of large advertising firms employ no black managers or professionals, a rate 60% higher than in the overall labor market.

Eliminating the industrys current Black-White employment gap would require tripling its Black managers and professionals.

Partee recommends that students who are interested in advertising should major in communications.

You need to know by your second or third year in college what you want to do and focus on that, she said.

She also emphasized the importance of internships and how networking can be beneficial.

I had three internships in the business, Partee said. She added that the exposure helped her land her first job in advertising in 1988.

Her internship at ABC 7 Chicago seemed to be a good omen which Partee said she loved and learned about how the entire station operated.

I wasnt paid but it did give me the opportunity to meet a lot of people at the station, she told the Chicago Citizen.

Partee is excited and optimistic about her future at ABC 7 Chicago.

Its a wonderful place to work and Im looking forward to many years, she said.

By Thelma SardinTwitter: @thelmasardin

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