20 years with bGG: Maria Dauer

Posted January 29th, 2010

In December 1989, bGG Advertising founder B. Allan “Al” Sprague opened the doors of bGG. But he wasn’t alone. Maria Dauer, bGG Advertising’s CFO, helped him open those doors. So in celebration of bGG’s 20th anniversary, how can we not also celebrate Maria’s 20 years of dedication? We couldn’t. We sat down with Maria to get some insights on what it was like to get bGG going in those early years, and what were some of her more memorable moments over the last 20 years with bGG.

Can you tell us what it was like in the beginning and how bGG came to be?
I was working part time as administrative assistant for Al Francoer and Al Sprague, who were partners at Signal Advertising in Manchester, while finishing school in 1987.  It was not my intention to stay at Signal Advertising because I had my sights to go live in the Big Apple after graduation.  After a few trips to New York, I decided the big city life was not for me, so I stayed with Signal Advertising while thinking about what my next move would be. Fast forward to 1989, when one day Al Sprague mentioned to me he was going to start his own agency and he would like me to join him.  He also asked one of the art directors to follow him.  The three of us scouted for office space and found a 500-square-foot office in Bedford.  Al and I then went shopping for used furniture and bought some equipment at an auction. On December 1, 1989, The Bedford Granite Group opened its doors for business for the very first time.

What where those early years like at bGG?
The early years at bGG was a lot of work.  Being a young agency, Al did all the leg work of getting new business as well as providing client services to his current accounts.  I was his go-to person doing all the bookkeeping duties as well as administrative responsibilities.  The weather inside the office was hazy most of the time because Al was a big smoker.  And when he was on vacation it was crystal clear.

What made you decide to follow Al?
I don’t know.  I just thought it was the right move to make.  You never had to second guess with Al and there were no gray areas with him.  He was a wonderful boss and full of life; quite a character and certainly one of a kind.

Over the years, how have you seen the agency change?
We started as a 3-person team and grew to 14 people.  The first workplace was 500 square feet leased office space with one window and a bathroom.  Our kitchen was the size of a closet. I think it was a closet when we first got there. But over the years we expanded to the entire second floor as the business grew.  Today, bGG operates in a two-story building in Manchester’s North End. When we started, there was no internet, we were a pen and paper operation for those first few years. I remember we had a darkroom the size of a small bathroom for the art department. So transitioning into the digital age, with the internet and desktop publishing was quite a big change. And Al was never a fan of technology and change so we had to drag him along (laughs).

Are there things that are still the same?
The people and the culture.  We started out with a family culture in 1989 and we have that family atmosphere today. We have always taken pride in being low key; casual and family-oriented in our workplace environment.  There is a great camaraderie among employees and each one looks out for one another.  Another thing which stands out with this group is our love of FOOD!  Any excuse to gather at the table is a welcome treat. Be it someone’s birthday or an intern’s last day.  Luckily, the Food Gods must be on our side because we never have tipped the scale…well, okay, maybe just a littl bit. (laughs)

With that said, it is a fun work environment but we also take our work very seriously and diligently. We are workhorses. There is always time for fun, but at the end of the day, we make sure the work is done and our clients are happy. Keeping a happy medium between work and play helps us stay effective at what we do.

Can you tell us some of your memorable moments?
Oh, do I have memories!  I don’t think I have enough fingers and toes for all the fun and memorable moments at bGG.  There were the trips to Mohegan Sun in a rented RV for agency day; the baseball games at the Fisher Cats stadium suite; the trip to the Jewelry building in Boston; the agency BBQ at Al’s house and bGG’s own summer barbecues every Friday; and the duck tour in Boston just to name a few. All the agency Christmas Parties, which grew to be quite a social event on their own throughout the years. But the moment that tops them all and is dearest to my heart was when Al walked me down the aisle on my wedding day. That I’ll never forget.

Related posts:

1. 20 years ago… What did you do New Year’s Eve 1989?
2. 20 years ago… Video games dominated the Christmas season
3. 20 years ago… “portable” computers
4. 20 years ago… National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation hits theaters
5. 20 years ago… Archie, the world’s first search engine is developed