CLEVELAND, OH – May 5, 2022 – Dix & Eaton announced today that Chief Financial Officer Jim Brown has had his responsibilities expanded to include chief operating officer of the Cleveland-based firm. Brown will continue to serve as CFO as he assumes the added COO responsibilities. In addition, Natalie Cristiano has been promoted to senior account executive and Carissa Siddell has joined the firm’s marketing communications practice as an account executive.
“As a stellar financial leader, Jim has a differentiated skill set that has provided strong fiscal and strategic guidance to the firm, our board of directors and me personally,” said Dix & Eaton CEO Chas Withers. “As he has steadily grown his leadership impact over the years, the addition of the COO title recognizes and reflects the integral operational role he plays within the firm and his extensive involvement with our enterprise decision-making.”
Brown, who is in his 21st year with the company, is a key partner on firm strategy and has oversight responsibility for all financial and several administrative functions, including accounting, billing, financial management and IT. He also coordinates legal, audit and tax needs along with providing shareholder, board and management reporting.
“His solutions-oriented mindset and ability to quickly synthesize information have been a tremendous asset,” added Withers. “Jim is a collaborative, trusted partner who embodies the firm’s commitment to make a difference through exceptional client service.”
Cristiano joined the firm in 2019 as an account executive specializing in content strategy. In this role, she has been instrumental in assisting clients with results-driven messaging and authentic storytelling related to corporate communications, investor relations, sustainability/ESG communications and media relations.
“As a trusted partner and skilled marketing communications practitioner, Natalie works hand in hand with clients across several of the firm’s practice areas,” said Withers. “Her commitment to adding value to every engagement and ‘always-on’ personality have earned the admiration and respect of her clients and colleagues.”
Siddell joined Dix & Eaton in early February as an account executive and brings experience in organic and paid social media, project management and copywriting to the firm.
“Carissa has been a key addition to our team,” said Withers. “Her diverse skill set and experience in the rapidly evolving digital media landscape have helped our clients stand out and achieve their goals.”
About Jim Brown
Brown began his career with Dix & Eaton as the firm’s controller, focusing on accounting and firm processes. He was then promoted into a vice president of finance role in which he oversaw the firm’s accounting, billing and treasury services. In September 2013, he was named the firm’s CFO and joined the firm’s leadership team.
Brown is a certified public accountant, a member of The ESOP Association and a Leadership Cleveland 2021 class member. Before joining Dix & Eaton, he worked at Ernst & Young LLP, where he worked in the audit group and was part of several large public company accounts.
About Natalie Cristiano
Cristiano joined Dix & Eaton in 2019 with a background in content development, broadcast media and academia. Prior to joining the firm, she was director of donor engagement at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Cleveland. Before that, she worked as a news producer for WXII, an NBC affiliate in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
A Northeast Ohio native, Cristiano holds a master’s degree in journalism from Boston University and a bachelor’s degree in journalism and communications from the University of Connecticut.
About Carissa Siddell
Before joining Dix & Eaton, Siddell served in a series of progressive digital marketing roles with Digital Air Strike in Scottsdale, Arizona, where she helped develop and grow clients’ social media presence. She is a graduate of the University of Iowa, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in communication studies and obtained an event planning certificate.
About Dix & Eaton
Dix & Eaton is a strategic communications consultancy specializing in sustainability communications, change management, investor relations, crisis communications, media relations and marketing communications. Working as trusted partners focused on driving results, Dix & Eaton combines deep experience, foresight and creativity with digital intelligence and analysis to help clients realize the full power of communication and generate greater return on investment. Founded in 1952, Dix & Eaton is 100 percent employee-owned and has twice been named the nation’s best midsized firm.