Draft New York has announced the opening a satellite office to accommodate its phenomenal growth over the past two years. The agency's entire Verizon Communications team - approximately 140 people - has been relocated to a new satellite office at 150 East 42nd Street at 3rd Avenue, taking over some of the former space of sister Interpublic Group agency FCB.

Nancy Grebey, who heads the Verizon account as EVP, Group Account Director, has been named managing director of the satellite office and will be responsible for day-to-day operations.

Draft is Verizon's agency of record for its direct response and product advertising efforts to the mass market across all major lines of business. This year Draft will celebrate its 10th anniversary as Verizon's lead agency.

Draft's Verizon team was relocated to its own space to create some elbow room in the agency's main office. Over the past two years, staff has more than doubled, making for some tight quarters at 919 Third Avenue.

Staff increases have come as a direct result of several major new business wins. Draft New York's new business streak began in late 2002 when it was awarded CRM and small business duties on Bank of America, an account which has grown steadily to now encompass all African-American marketing duties, Hispanic direct marketing, and general consumer print, out-of-home, and broadcast.

In 2003, Draft landed UnitedHealth Group's AARP-targeted marketing responsibilities. The agency went on to win direct and digital work from Verizon Wireless (which is a separate company from Verizon Communications). Draft New York was then awarded all direct marketing for the Small & Medium Businesses and Enterprise divisions of Hewlett-Packard. And late last year the agency won the global Computer Associates business.

"Our office is seeing a growth rate unprecedented in our history," explained Laurence Boschetto, president and COO of Draft New York. "This has come as a result of the incredible people we have hired and the cohesive teams we have built - both of which have resulted in significant new business wins. In addition, Draft has a fundamental understanding of consumer behavior through our unique Behavior Path Marketing® process. This point of differentiation is what has drawn these leading advertisers to our agency."

The Verizon team will have everything they need on-site in their new quarters, including HR and office services representatives and computer technicians. All department representatives will report in to Nancy Grebey. The team will even have its own in-house coffee bar similar to the one at Draft's offices at 919 Third Avenue. Both coffee bars raise money for charity, with the company covering all related costs, including baristas.

Draft has long-term plans to find new office space to accommodate the entire New York staff. But until then, the main and satellite offices will stay connected from a business perspective through twice-daily courier service and inter-office phone connections, and from a social/cultural perspective by shared events. The two offices each host their own Happy Hours every week - 919 Third Avenue on Fridays and 150 East 42nd on Thursdays. The offices each have a standing invite to attend the other's cocktail hours. Staff will also be invited to other events to keep everyone connected. And meetings will be held at both offices to encourage people to visit each other.