Winston Churchill once said, “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” For those of us who aren’t Churchill connoisseurs, what he’s saying is that the true value of life exists in the giving of ourselves for the benefit of someone else.

Here at Centro, we embrace this viewpoint on life through The Centro Giving Tree – a philanthropic program that also embodies our own Corporate Manifesto. We believe that we can make the world a better place. The future of our lives, our community, and our country lie in our hands, and we have the ability and responsibility to change them for the better.

Blossoming from that belief stemmed The Giving Tree, which encourages employees to commit their fundraising time and efforts to various associations and organizations. In return, Centro matches a portion of some of the funds raised. To help facilitate this community giving, there are regional liaisons in each office across the country. With donations to over 29 different organizations, the Giving Tree has managed to be a huge success. Check out a brief recap of some of our initiatives below:

• Centro sponsored three of our own in the Polar Bear Plungebenefiting the Chicago Special Olympics.
• The James Gameswere held to benefit the Jackson Chance Foundation, which helps provide money to families who need to pay for parking to see their babies at the NICU. We raised around $2000, and are also making an additional $2000 lump sum donation.
• We hosted Gage Park High Schoolstudents for a career day.
• Centro participated in the Griffith Tutoring Programfor ACT tutoring sessions.
• We sponsored two students at buildOn’s Youth Service Programin Chicago.
• Ten Centrons visited Guatemala to work with De La Gente/As Green as it Gets. The Giving Tree donated $2500 to this wonderful nonprofit and assisted with multiple fundraisers including a week of coffee tasting and sales. The Centrons had a great time helping out with a number of different activities, such as working in the coffee fields harvesting ripe coffee cherries, clearing fields and preparing the fields for new plants. Some also worked on building the first secondary school in the community.
• We hosted BINGO night at the Chicago office to raise funds for PAWSand The Anti-Cruelty Society.
• Centro established an amazing yearlong partnership with Paint My Mind’s Shared Walls Exhibit.The partnership included featuring three rotations of art by different local artists in the office. The funds raised from this helps fund the free art exhibitions the organization installs in public spaces like schools, libraries, community centers, and parks.
• We hosted a bake sale to raise funds for the Make-A-Wish 
• $365 in donations went to the ALSice bucket challenge fundraiser. In addition, a $1000 donation was made to The Water Project to offset all of the water dumping.
• Thanks to Aubrey Lehrman with the great assist in offering headshots to Chicago Centrons with all proceeds benefitting This nonprofit offers tuition free after-school tutoring, workshops, field trips and in school help to Chicago students between 6 and 18 years of age.
• The Giving Tree donated $1000 to sponsor participants and nurses to attend the Jackson Chanceping-pong tournament, and our executive team stepped up with another $1000 in sponsorships with Ben Pashman winning the whole tournament!
• Eight Centrons tutored Chicago first grade students in reading skills for a program called Innovations for Learning.This program  lasts the entire school year.
• The Boston office took part in the Light the Night Walk,which benefits the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. A total of $1260 was raised and donated.
• The east region raised funds for the Massachusetts Down Syndrome Congress.
• The west region hosted fundraisers for Camp Kindle, a camp that helps kids cope with HIV/AIDS.
• Connections for Abused Women and their Children (CAWC)is committed to ending domestic violence through a self-help, empowerment approach where sheltering, counselling, and advocacy is provided to women and children affected by domestic violence.
• The Chicago Sun-Times Letters to Santaprogram works with schools, social service agencies and shelters in poverty-stricken neighborhoods to identify children who are in need of assistance. We’ve sponsored 50 letters from the Columbia Explorers Academy, a K-8 school located on the southwest side of Chicago, where 97.9% of the students who attend come from low income families.
• Bag a lunch!  The LA office got together in an assembly line and bagged 100+ lunches to donate to OPCC.
• The LA office participated in think LA’s summer beach clean-up event, Save the Surf.
• Centro LA hosted a pumpkin carving event in the LA office called Carve for a Cause. The cost was $10 for the pumpkin and a raffle. All proceeds were donated to
• The LA office hosted a 3-week drive for canned foods, clothes, and toys to benefit, Toys for Tots,  West Side Food Bank, and Vietnam Veterans of America.
• The Dallas office volunteered at the North Texas Food Bank, sorting food items.
• We participated in a Saturday bowling tournament to raise money for Big Brothers Big Sistersand raised $1,281!
• Centro Dallas hosted a happy hour to raise money for a local animal organization, Dallas Pets Alive, that rescues animals who are about to be euthanized and places them into homes. They raised $700!

In part one, we recently touched on how Generation Z is emerging as the new moneymaker generation for marketers – and for a variety of reasons, including their ubiquitous social presence. But did you also know that more than half would give up social media for a year and do double the homework if it guaranteed they’d be able to buy a house when they're older? In fact, 97% of post-millennials believe they will one day own a home. That’s a quite a sacrifice for a generation growing up in a highly digital world. On top of that, Gen Zers are also planning for their futures by learning more about money at an early age, as well as saving and gathering assets that will grow for possibly four or five decades. That being said, this young generation is on the path toward solving a multitude of economic problems our society currently faces – as well as those we’ve encountered in the past. Learn more about this highly motivated generation>>

Hey there, folks! Culture month is in full-swing and today, we bring you a fresh edition of Working at Centro: A Day in the Life.

In these brief accounts, we’ll introduce you to a variety of job titles as well as the amazing people who hold these positions. From account supervisors to media planners, event coordinators and more, we’ll offer a behind-the-scenes look at what it’s really like to work at Centro.

Today, we are introducing you to Callie Crisp, supervisor of account management in our New York office. Take a look at how Callie learned of Centro, why she loves working here, and how she tries to make the company an even better place to work on a daily basis.

What is your current role at Centro? Give us a snapshot of what this role entails.

As supervisor of account management, I work closely with a team of account coordinators and account managers to help define strategy and provide innovative media solutions to our clients, all while delivering Raving Fan service. My day-to-day activities include meeting regularly with my team and our sales group to review strategy, planning for upcoming campaigns, attending client meetings, working with our internal teams to drive innovation, and utilizing emerging technologies when they’re pertinent to our clients’ objectives.

What sparked your interest in Centro and your particular position?

I came to Centro with a brand marketing background, and one of the main challenges in my prior role was managing vendor relationships with all of our different publisher partners without the use of some kind of software. I was stuck in Excel and email all day long, which didn’t leave much time for exploring larger partnerships or new opportunities. Once I started working closely with Centro and was exposed to the company’s streamlined approach for managing digital media campaigns, I realized it was uniquely positioned in the industry. I was also at that point that I knew I wanted to be a part of Centro’s team as it continued to grow. The role I jumped into has given me the unique opportunity to work with a variety of different clients and members of our internal teams to explore new opportunities and innovations in the industry.

Centro offers a wide spectrum of perks and benefits. Which one is your favorite/what have you found to be the most useful perk?

I love the fresh fruit delivery. It’s something so small but definitely makes all the difference during a busy day! Having access to a healthy snack when you’re about to hit the afternoon slump or when you are in the middle of a big project is amazing.

What did you do on your ‘Change the World’ day? Or what are you planning to do?

I’ve used my Change the World day to participate in some really cool activities. Last year I actually worked with one of the agencies our team supports for its own community service day. Together we spent the day cleaning up a park in Brooklyn. It was a long day of hauling mulch and weeding but it was so much fun to connect outside the office with some of the people we usually only exchange emails with.

What is your favorite hobby outside of work? How has Centro encouraged you to pursue your goals outside of the office?

I love yoga and made a commitment to go at least two times per week. Through its fitness and health assistance program, Centro has helped make that a more realistic possibility! Previously, I tried to work it into my schedule wherever possible, but was not always motivated. Now, having a gym around the corner with plenty of great classes has been a huge motivator for me. It makes recharging after a day in front of the computer much easier.

If you could add one new thing to the office, what would it be?

A Centro living room! This will probably make me sound like the laziest person on the planet, but I definitely do some of my best work from the couch when my feet are propped up on a coffee table. Given the open floor plan, our office is already very collaborative. I wouldn’t be opposed to having a couple of overstuffed chairs for use when we need to get away from our desks.

If you were trying to convince someone to work in your group at Centro, what would say to them?

I’d definitely encourage anyone interested in working with our team to start by reading the manifesto. It’s a great starting point for understanding who we are as a company and what we stand for. Additionally, the benefits, overall culture, and Centro’s position within the industry really speak for themselves! We have a fun, skilled team in place and are always excited when we have the opportunity to bring a new personality and skillset into the mix.

Twitter or Facebook?

Facebook. I mostly use my Twitter feed as an aggregator of industry news and current affairs. I tend to rely on Facebook to stay connected to friends and family.

Apple or Android?

Apple. I’m set in my ways. I don’t really have strong feelings about either option, but the thought of changing to an Android now sounds kind of miserable.

Coffee or Tea?

Both, please! I love iced coffee, even in the winter! I typically start my day with that and then move to green tea later on in the day. The more caffeine, the better.

Gryffindor or Slytherin?

Gryffindor!

Here at Centro, the phrase “raving fan service” is used on a daily basis. Of course, we all strive to provide raving fan service to everyone we encounter – that’s a given. But what does it really mean? Instead of giving you a textbook definition, I would like to share an experience I had recently.

The experience began with a simple email chain between the members of my publisher solutions team and one of our publisher partners. What started out as a simple introduction of a new team member quickly turned into a seemingly endless thread of photos of cute animals. After a few back and forth exchanges, the topic turned to pandas.

At that point, something incredible happened. One of the partners asked if the members of the chain would consider donating to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). Within just 15 minutes, the first member of the Centro team donated and sent the confirmation along to the rest of the chain. What ensued was a firestorm of giving and within the next couple of hours, more than half of the people on the email chain had donated to the WWF!

This brought me back to our Manifesto, particularly the section on Idealism:

We believe we can make the world a better place. The future of our lives, our community, and our country lie in our hands, and we have the ability and responsibility to change them for the better.

This small, random act of kindness epitomizes what it means to be a Centron – one who seeks to change the world because they are able and willing to try. Not only that, but one who is able to forge a relationship with others well beyond day-to-day business correspondence and go above and beyond what is expected to deliver the best service possible.

To me, that is raving fan service.

Welcome back, friends! We’re giving you another peek into the different jobs at Centro with the newest addition of Working at Centro: A Day in the Life.

In these brief accounts, we’ll introduce you to a variety of job titles as well as the amazing people behind them. From account supervisors to media planners, events coordinators and more, we’ll offer a backstage look at what it’s really like to work at Centro.

Today, we are introducing you to Joe Didato, our director of platform solutions. Take a look at how Joe learned of Centro, why he loves it here, and how he tries to make the company an even better place to work on a daily basis.

What is your current role at Centro? Give us a snapshot of what this role entails.

I am the director of platform solutions.

In this role, I’m a part of the platform direct sales team, which helps technology companies, marketers, search teams and mid-size agencies understand and utilize the SiteScout platform. We’re growing fast and I couldn’t be more excited to be a part of it!

What interested you in Centro and your particular position?

This is a new move for me and, to be honest, it was a bit natural given my interest in SiteScout from the very beginning. I have a few years of mobile experience, which made even more sense given the platform has advantages and distinction in the marketplace as a DSP for mobile. I recognized this discrepancy early on and it’s been great telling the marketplace about it.

I competed with Centro for a good part of my career working at Internet Broadcasting and Cox Digital Solutions. I was always impressed with the continuous innovation Centro brought to the market, so I thought it would be great to join the party.

Centro offers a wide spectrum of perks and benefits. Which one is your favorite/what have you found to be the most useful perk?

To be honest, I haven’t really taken full advantage of all the perks. I like the healthy food options in the NY offices, and appreciate the active support from the T&D team!

What did you do on your ‘Change the World’ day?

I’m embarrassed to say I didn’t do much. But something is in the works for this year!

What is your favorite hobby outside of work? How has Centro encouraged you to pursue your goals outside of the office?

I don’t necessarily have a favorite hobby. However, I’m very much into music – I just haven’t really pursued creating it. I have a friend who even started a piano software company, (called playgroundsessions.com – check it out!) and it would be great to find the time to start. I’m also very into traveling and cook a ton. I built a great kitchen extension for my house recently, and Centro’s employment helped me in this area for sure! I’ll need to work on developing that big dream and connect with Centro on how to achieve it in 2015.

If you could add one new thing to the office, what would it be?

Every Friday afternoon we put on some cool tunes. I wonder if we could build on that in some way?

If you were trying to convince someone to work in your group at Centro, what would say to them?

I would say that we’ve got our own incredible culture inside Centro. We have a lot of fun, we work hard and fast, we’re passionate and innovative and we work within the one of the hottest elements of digital media today.

Twitter or Facebook?

Twitter. I’m getting tired of Facebook #overfacebook.

Apple or Android?

Apple, but I certainly respect Android! I like that there’s competition and I’m hopeful Microsoft makes some in-roads to create even more.

Coffee or Tea?

Coffee, more coffee!

Gryffindor or Slytherin?

Gryffindor

Read more on iMedia Connection 

We're back with the latest chapter of our #CentronShorts series. Throughout this series, we are striving to bring you a brand new look at Centro's culture and the people who make it so unique. Their stories are here for you to learn just who Centro is at its core. But don't you worry - we are keeping the #foodgrams and #selfies out of this one. Please enjoy this week's post!

#CentronShorts: The stories behind the shots The Journey of Self-Improvement by Kevin Bonder What do you see when you look at this picture? Certainly, a clear blue sky and swelling water in the background. It’s quite beautiful in Hawaii. You may also see a guy who loves working out. Look closer, there’s more. What I see is a scar. Something more permanent than the thickest ink or fittest body. The bumps and ridges of this scar tell my story of pain, perseverance and personal growth. To me, a scar is a lesson learned, a risk taken, or a challenge accepted. The small incision that once tore me open, now makes me feel truly accomplished. “We desire to grow and learn continuously. Our happiness is determined by the amount of personal investment made in our own growth.” The first time I read that, in Centro’s Manifesto, I felt a deep connection to my own philosophy. No matter what we encounter in life, we keep going no matter how hard it gets. Whether training for a sport, recovering from a major surgery or building a software platform that will revolutionize the digital media industry, there will be struggles and failures, new lessons learned and triumphs to celebrate. But above all, there will always be improvement. Visit Kevin's page, @kevinbonder for more.

A photo posted by Centro Media Inc. (@centromedia) on Aug 13, 2015 at 8:22am PDT

Centro, a company offering enterprise-class software for digital advertising, has acquired GraphScience. GraphScience’s software, now available through Centro, “helps marketers harness customers’ social media data to dynamically create and optimize, in real-time and at scale, thousands of personalized ads on Facebook,” according to a statement provided to MMW.

Read more on Mobile Marketing Watch 

Why should you be happy at work? Organizations around the world are heavily investing in employee engagement, health and wellness, and well-being programs.

Centro is mentioned in the embedded video.

Read more on Forbes