Fast 15: Patrick Grace

When Patrick Grace applied to join Collective Bias, it was a young startup.

Grace was working for Tyson Foods Inc. as an intern, and leaving the more established company might have been perceived as a risk. But the move paid off in big ways.

Grace has managed accounts for his former employer, Shell Oil Co., and Johnson & Johnson Services Inc.

In July, the Little Rock native became the youngest account manager at the marketing company.

“I oversee four account executives,” Grace said.

He helps the account executives build relationships with clients, while strengthening existing ones.

“Communication is really what they pay our team to do,” Grace said.

The company works with all brands, but he said his favorite has been Shell Oil.

“The clients are awesome,” he said. “They listen to us. They’re polite. They’ve got money to spend. They trust us to be experts.”

He brought on Shell Oil when he was account executive, and it has become one of the company’s top 10 customers.

Grace was account executive for a little more than a year before moving to senior account executive.

He remained in the position for six months before becoming account manager. He was promoted to account manager because of his relationship skills and relationship management.

“I’m reliable in what I do,” he said. “I show up and work hard.” He takes initiative and “you don’t have to hold my hand.”

He’s the youngest account manager by about three years.

His goal is to join the sales team.

“My experience on the client service side paved the way for me to be successful,” he said. “I like relationships. I want to be dealing with clients.”

He likes to help make things happen and work alongside the client. “It’s high-energy. It’s fast-paced.”

While he was a senior in college, Grace learned about Collective Bias as an intern at Tyson Foods. He received several recommendations for the company from professors and mentors.

In May 2013, Grace graduated from the University of Arkansas with a bachelor’s degree in marketing.

A month later, he was an account services intern at Collective Bias.

In his free time, Grace leads a church youth group and is a mentor to college juniors and seniors.

He and his wife have been married for a year and enjoy riding road bicycles and competing in triathlons. Other hobbies include skiing, running and spending time with others.