Tricia Barrett calls herself a servant leader for her clients, employees and the community. As a CEO, she believes it’s her duty and obligation to make a difference by using the talents and enthusiasm of her 140-person workforce, as well as her own.

Crowley Webb’s Chroma program, which began after the 2020 death of George Floyd, chooses a minority-led organization each quarter to receive free creative services. Those projects are rewarding for staff who enthusiastically embrace the cause, she said.

Barrett became CEO in June 2003 and owns the agency with partner Matt Low. After graduating from John Carroll University, she worked at ad agencies in Cleveland and Rochester before returning to Buffalo in 2003 to Crowley Webb.

One of her initial projects was Praxis Communication of Nashville, a startup that was recruiting clients for clinical trials. Praxis approached Crowley Webb about becoming a client, which almost never happens, Barrett said.

From 2003-10, Crowley Webb worked for Praxis, which was eventually sold to the agency. Today Praxis is larger than the Crowley Webb side of the business and supports more than 180 clinical trials worldwide. Big claim for fame, she said, was working on the Moderna Covid vaccine.

As president of Praxis, she remains involved in financial oversight but not as much as day to day since her efforts have shifted to the entire enterprise.

Power 250 rank: 245

Power 200 Women: 160

When hiring, look for: A good cultural fit. I recognize the importance of bringing in people with different backgrounds and experiences. We have this saying that ‘Sameness leads to sameness.’ We can teach someone what they need to know.

Goal for 2024: Create organizational structure for the agency. We grew a lot coming out of the pandemic – went from 83 up to 148 at our peak. We added to our leadership team knowing that we were going through succession planning. Now we have this management group of 15 people to allow people to grow and thrive and create paths and opportunities.

People don’t know: I have a minor in oceanography. I did a semester on a 134-foot sailboat in the Caribbean to study nautical science and maritime studies. I ended up being published in the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. I never used (the minor) but it looks good on the resume and keeps people intrigued.

I am the youngest female living descendant of the first mayor of Buffalo, Ebenezer Johnson (1786-1849).

Travel plans: Riverboat cruise in Portugal in the fall. I did my first river boat cruise to see the Christmas markets in 2022. That was like being in a Hallmark movie every day.

Favorite subject: Spanish at Williamsville South High School with professor Senor Jose Alvarez. He’s why I pursued a Spanish minor.

When not working: I love to entertain. I’m a sailor in the summer and a skier in the winter. Spending time with my nephews who are 10 and 12 is my ultimate joy.

Where to look for talent: We made the smart decision to hire an HR person once we hit 100 employees. We have really made an effort to diversify the agency, so we’re looking in nontraditional places. We’ve formed a pipeline with UB for our analytics department. We’ve also started a partnership and apprenticeship program with Say Yes Buffalo, Buffalo Prep and Villa Maria College.

As a boss: Once I learned about servant leadership, I wanted to be the ultimate servant leader. I think I’m kind and caring and fun. Ultimately, I believe my job is to serve my employees every single day. I’ll figure out how to get my work done after that.

When dealing with clients: Our job is to build their brand. So whatever it’s going to take to move that needle and deliver on whatever KPI they’re looking to hit, that’s the focus. It’s OK to disagree; you just can’t be disagreeable along the way. We do better when we’re partners. We become an extension of their team.

Most amazing part of the job: I still get excited to get up and go to work every day. It doesn’t feel like work. If you’re going to spend this much time in a place with the people you surround yourself with, it better not feel like work.

Keeping the team cohesive with a positive attitude: Even though we all knew each other, we really didn’t understand each other. We did a nine-month leadership development program that focused on learning about ourselves first. We had monthly group sessions where we focused on learning about how to ensure we’re all rowing in the same direction. And then try to have a little bit of fun while we’re doing that.

Elevator speech: We are a group of passionate, hardworking, talented advertising enthusiasts who find joy in building brands on behalf of our partners that drive results. And we have a lotta fun doing it. We have this mantra: “Hard work works hard.”