Roy Spence is Co-Founder and Chairman of GSD&M, a national and leading marketing communications and advertising company.
He is also now Co-Founder and CEO of The Purpose Institute, a consulting firm that helps people and organizations discover and live their purpose. Along with Haley Rushing, Spence co-authored the Wall Street Journal bestselling book, It’s Not What You Sell, It’s What You Stand For: Why Every Extraordinary Business is Driven by Purpose.
Under Spence ’s leadership, his agency has helped grow some of the world’s most successful brands like “Don’t Mess with Texas”, Southwest Airlines, Wal-Mart, DreamWorks, the PGA TOUR, BMW, the U.S. Air Force, LLBean and the Clinton Global Initiative. Spence has been a trusted advisor to legendary leaders including Sam Walton and Southwest Airlines founder, Herb Kelleher. His counsel has also been sought by U.S. presidents and leaders in the State Department.
Spence has received a lifetime achievement award from the Austin Advertising Federation and was named Adman of the Century by Texas Monthly magazine. He was inducted into the McCombs School of Business Hall of Fame in 2012.
Spence is also a Gallup senior Adviser working with their teams on global strategy and on the mission and purpose of the most important companies and institutions in the world. He is Gallup’s expert on Purpose.
Spence ’s passion is entrepreneurship. He deeply believes that entrepreneurship is the miracle of America. His mantra is “Don’t Do Mild” in work or life; follow your dreams, follow your passion, and follow your purpose.
Spence is a member of the board of directors of the Lyndon Baines Johnson Foundation. He is a Distinguished Alumnus of the University of Texas. Spence and his wife Mary have three children, Courtney, Ashley and Shay.
