# Jake McKenzie

> Jake McKenzie is the Birmingham-based CEO of Intermark Group, where he has built a career around a durable proposition: marketing works better when it begins with how people actually think. A Vanderbilt psychology and political science graduate with a master's degree from Birmingham-Southern College, he moved through account service, founded Intermark's digital division, served as chief operating officer and became CEO in 2009. His work has joined behavioral science, creative advertising, data and media for brands including Toyota, Lexus, Mohawk, Krispy Kreme, Progressive Insurance and Physicians Mutual, while a newer Intermark Legal practice applies similar principles to jury research and trial strategy.

- **Role:** Chief Executive Officer at Intermark Group and Intermark Legal
- **Organizations:** Intermark Group, Intermark Legal, Intermark Interactive, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Birmingham, Tech Birmingham, University of Alabama College of Communication and Information Sciences Board of Visitors, Kiwanis Club of Greater Birmingham
- **Education:** BA in Psychology and Political Science, Vanderbilt University, Master of Public and Private Management (MPPM), Birmingham-Southern College
- **Known for:** Founded and led Intermark Group's digital division before becoming chief operating officer and then CEO., Helped shape work for brands including Toyota, Lexus, Mohawk, Krispy Kreme, Progressive Insurance and Physicians Mutual., Named to Birmingham Business Journal's Top 40 Under 40 in 2001.

## Career timeline

- **1995-1997** — Worked as a graduate assistant at Birmingham-Southern College while completing an MPPM.
- **1997-1998** — Joined Intermark Group as an account supervisor.
- **1998-2000** — Worked as an account manager at Intermark Interactive.
- **2000-2004** — Led Intermark Interactive as president after founding Intermark's digital division.
- **2005-2009** — Served as chief operating officer of Intermark Group.
- **2009-present** — Serves as chief executive officer of Intermark Group.
- **2021-present** — Serves as chief executive officer of Intermark Legal, applying behavioral research to jury and trial strategy.
- **2024** — Oversaw Intermark's rebrand and move to a Highland Avenue South office with an in-house behavioral research lab.

## Achievements

- Founded and led Intermark Group's digital division before becoming chief operating officer and then CEO.
- Helped shape work for brands including Toyota, Lexus, Mohawk, Krispy Kreme, Progressive Insurance and Physicians Mutual.
- Named to Birmingham Business Journal's Top 40 Under 40 in 2001.
- Received the Birmingham Advertising Federation's Advertising Executive of the Year honor in 2004.
- Selected for Leadership Birmingham in 2007.
- Created the concept behind Mohawk's Zoo Challenge, which put SmartStrand carpet in animal enclosures and built a social campaign around Ricko the Rhino.
- Expanded Intermark's behavioral-science positioning into Intermark Legal's jury research and trial strategy work.

## Latest updates

- **2025-08** — Presented a Justia webinar on advanced voir dire techniques, including psychographics, narrative testing and mock voir dire.
- **2025-03** — Shared Intermark behavioral-science work on competition and gamification in connection with March Madness.
- **2025-02** — Highlighted Intermark's psychology-based analysis of Super Bowl LIX advertising.
- **2024-04** — Intermark Group announced its rebrand and move to a new Birmingham office with a behavioral research lab.
- **2024-01** — Discussed AI, data and behavioral science in professional-services marketing in an interview with Setup.

## Links

- Website: https://www.intermarkgroup.com/team/jake-mckenzie/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jakemckenzie
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/IntermarkGroup
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/IntermarkGroup

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/jake-mckenzie
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-09-22