Nick Kastner

From financial services to national retail, small businesses to international conglomerates, Nick Kastner has worked with organizations in developing and implementing marketing strategies that positively impact every area of their organization for nearly 25 years. Nick actively serves as director of brand and digital strategy at Forum Communications – a full-service marketing agency that helps organizations find their voice in today’s crowded marketplace.

After initially pursuing music, Nick Kastner received his Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Business Administration with a concentration in marketing from Piedmont College. During his senior year he was provided a choice, an unpaid internship at popular Top 40 radio station Star94 in Atlanta, GA managing the station’s mascot – a monkey – during live events, or, an internship with a local bank in marketing research and technology. While his love, and interest, in the music industry never died, he turned down the opportunity to be a monkey handler, and, took the internship at the bank which set his career in motion.

In addition to his undergraduate degree, Kastner received his Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Managerial Leadership from Piedmont College and is also a graduate of the American Bankers Association School of Bank Marketing and Management at Northwestern University (Evanston, IL) where he became the School’s first instructor of digital marketing. He holds active certifications in Google Ads Display, Google Ads Video, Google Ads Search, Google Analytics Individual Qualification, HubSpot Inbound Certification, and is also a Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) and Certified Agile Marketing Specialist. In industry, he is a member of the Harvard Business Review Advisory Council, the University of North Georgia’s Digital Marketing Advisory Board, and Juror / Judge for the AIVA Davey and Communicator Awards. Nick has spoken at a variety of conferences and workshops both locally and nationally and is a published author and contributor including articles or contributions in publications ranging from ABA Bank Marketing Magazine to INC. Magazine. He has also co-written academic journal articles on agile project management and video usage in B2B industries. His latest efforts in media are his podcast – Sneakers and Strategies – and – he is working to finish a book on the use of digital analytics.

Fun Facts: Nick has been a musician since middle school and alongside his former bandmates has opened for acts ranging from Bon Jovi to Drivin N Cryin, Reel Big Fish to Blues Traveler, and has experience competing at national tournaments in the popular trading card game Magic: The Gathering.

Over the course of his career, he has received numerous awards and accolades for his efforts including the Piedmont College Alumni Pacesetter Award; the James H. Donnelly Award of Excellence from the American Bankers Association; member of the 2011-2012 Leadership Hall County Class; Presidential Innovation Award from University of North Georgia; Outstanding Process Improvement Award from the University System of Georgia; Greater Hall Chamber Silver Shovel Award; and over 20 industry awards as a project strategic lead.

With community involvement being a core component of his mentor Mike Banks’ life, Nick has also worked to do the same serving on a variety of boards including board chair for Interactive Neighborhood for Kids (INK); marketing chair and board member for John Jarrard Foundation (now Jarrard Burch Foundation); marketing chair and board member for Habitat for Humanity – Hall County; vice chair of University of North Georgia’s Staff Council; marketing committee member for the Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce; board member for Family Resource Center of NE Georgia; chair and vice chair of Piedmont University Alumni Association; and deacon and small group leader at Riverbend Church.

Additional to his work at Forum, Nick has served for over 15 years as an adjunct instructor at the University of North Georgia (UNG) teaching both undergraduate and graduate marketing courses. He served as the first instructor of digital marketing at UNG and the original architect of the University’s digital marketing program. He is currently developing a new course on AI and Agency in partnership with the College’s faculty. Kastner, and his wife Brandy, have two children, Grace and Lorelei, who live in Gainesville.