RKD Group buys creative agency Whiteboard, names co-founder as CMO
What's the deal? RKD GroupDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, a North American fundraising and marketing firm serving mission-driven organisations, has acquired creative agency WhiteboardDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →. The deal takes effect immediately, with financial terms undisclosed.
Who's who? Founded in 1970, Plano, Texas-based RKD Group serves over 250 organisations across healthcare, social services, animal welfare, and humanitarian relief. It helped clients generate more than $4.3 billion in revenue in 2025 and employs over 350 people across the US.
Whiteboard, founded in 2010 in Chattanooga, Tennessee, is an award-winning creative agency that has helped over 600 organisations with branding, digital experiences, and storytelling. Its clients include TED Conferences, Smile Train, and Flame Broiler.
The key hire: Whiteboard co-founder Eric Brown becomes chief marketing officer of RKD Group, reporting to chief executive officer Kevin Jones. Co-founder Taylor Jones will lead Whiteboard as president, with the agency continuing under its own brand.
What's the endgame? RKD Group wants to add conceptual creative and branding capabilities to its existing fundraising, analytics, and donor intelligence services. The combined roster includes Susan G. Komen, The Salvation Army, and The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network.
"Whiteboard brings exceptional creative acumen and strategic thinking that will bolster the deep philanthropic expertise RKD Group already offers clients," said Jones.
Why now? Both companies point to a crowded attention economy. "Mission-driven organizations must deal in eye-catching, thoughtful creative that delivers impact," Jones said. Brown framed the move as a way to pair scale with fresh thinking: "This move allows for a meeting of like minds motivated to bring consumer-grade creativity to a space too-often dominated by the same set of marketing tactics."
The signal: The deal reflects consolidation in the nonprofit services market, as fundraising firms fold in creative and digital shops to offer clients a single, integrated suite. For RKD Group, buying rather than building creative talent is a bet that donor attention now hinges as much on storytelling as on data.
Read more: PR Newswire
