Your Chattanooga Digital Marketing Agency Team

Steve is a seasoned business executive with a diverse education and work experience in small and middle market companies. From 2000 until 2008 he served as COO and CEO for Five Star Food Service, a $145MM food service company operating in 7 States. Prior to that, he was President of Custom Food Group, a Dallas Texas based food service company he grew from $22MM to $120MM from 1992 until 2000. He held the positions of Controller, VP Finance, and VP Human Resources for Southwest Coca-Cola and its predecessor companies from 1985 until 1992 as they grew from a $50MM enterprise to a $200MM company. He holds a BA from Angelo State University and MA from Texas Tech in Psychology and an additional 30 hours of accounting from West Texas A&M University. He joined his wife’s web development and graphic design business in 2009 and they rebranded the business as RiverWorks Marketing Group, adding online marketing services to the portfolio. Steve received training from a National Agency Network in online strategies during 2009 and since that time has served as a conference trainer and mentor for new agency owners in the network. He focuses much of his attention on branding, strategy development, project management, copywriting, and inbound marketing. He conducts many of the free internet marketing consultations. Steve views his mission as more than the delivery of online tactics. He receives great satisfaction from helping small and mid-sized companies organize their thoughts on their sales objectives and formulate marketing plans to grow their business. He understands how to translate concrete business objectives into online marketing strategies and techniques that can help accelerate growth.

After 15 years of sales and marketing experience, Jackie Errico founded Riverworks Design in 2006 as a graphic design and web development agency. In 2009, Steve Errico joined forces and we changed our company name to Riverworks Marketing Group, a full-service marketing agency headquartered in Chattanooga, TN. With 11+ years of online marketing experience, Jackie is an experienced marketing strategist, a Google Certified Partner and works closely with our Marketing Coordinators to ensure successful campaigns. She conducts some of the free internet marketing consultations and serves as project manager for many of the online marketing campaigns. Jackie’s previous work history includes a decade and a half as a sales professional with a strong track record of success and a resume which contains national sales management experience with several large food service firms including McKee Foods Corporation. She is a proud graduate of the University of Colorado at Boulder with a BS in Marketing. Jackie combines an artistic sense of appreciation for proportion and color with the ardent tenacity of a veteran sales executive. She cares about the welfare of her clients and is fully committed to their success and accomplishing the objectives of their marketing campaigns. She’s a great person to have in your corner.

Amanda Jean Sprague has been an incredible addition to our design team at RWM. She completed her formal education at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, obtaining her BFA with a concentration in graphic design. Her love for design took root during her high school years, during which she studied graphic communications and helped run her school’s screen printing shop and was editor of her school’s yearbook. Not only does Amanda excel at creating beautifully designed materials for both print and web, but she also has a knack for ensuring a great user experience for those who encounter her designs. She has a passion for the problem-solving and psychological aspects of design which can be witnessed in the perfect blend of art and functionality of her creative work. Amanda has a big love for conversational and improv podcasts, fitness, and her one-eyed cat — Terminator. She enjoys kayaking on the lake, and when she’s off the clock, she likes to flex her creative muscles creating tongue-in-cheek stickers, buttons, and the like for her online shop.

A key member of our team since 2018, Blake Jones has been passionate about web development from an early age—writing HTML and CSS at just 13 and building his first computer by 15. He honed his skills at Chattanooga State, where he studied web design, and gained experience as a freelance developer, creating websites for Minecraft servers before joining our team. Blake thrives on coding new websites and bringing innovative ideas to life. His technical expertise and creative problem-solving make him an invaluable asset to our projects. Outside of work, Blake enjoys quality time with his wife, Sarah, and their son, Dakota. He’s also an avid gamer, with a love for both Nintendo and PC games.

Meet Cory Horne, our resident Social Media expert. Cory has years of experience in the social media realm, and design experience to boot. Born and raised in Chattanooga, Cory grew up with six siblings, an experience that no doubt forged him into an easy-going, level guy poised to handle anything thrown his way. Cory studied Business Administration at Chattanooga State and has leveraged his understanding of business to help him craft social content and track analytics in more marketing-focused roles. In his spare time, Cory enjoys cars, photography, and camping with his wife. He also has a deeply-ingrained entrepreneurial spirit evidenced in his knack for flipping items– like vintage camera gear– and selling them on eBay for a little extra income. He is driven, focused, and eager to help our throng of various clients implement unique and creative social media strategies with tangible and measurable success.

Cody Schmelter is serving Riverworks Marketing in the role of Account Manager after nearly a decade of working as a photojournalist. His time spent in various newsrooms in the Southeast has given him the ability to be adaptive while maintaining a professional demeanor, while also helping him hone his affinity for details. Originally from Savannah, GA, Cody graduated from the University of Georgia in 2013 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism.

Already an asset to our team, Cody brings a fresh perspective to each project. At his core, he’s a problem solver, a roll-up-his-sleeves-style man of action, who is committed to doing whatever it takes to ensure each task he touches is expertly executed.

His personal interests include traveling, reading, cooking, coffee, and sports. He is a retired member of the Chattanooga Rugby Football Club. Cody and his wife live in Hixson with their son, dog, and two cats.

Maddie Boehm was born in Chattanooga, raised in Knoxville, and later moved back to her hometown to be closer to loved ones. Drawn to the city’s family-focused, small-town culture, she earned her combined B.A. degree in Business Entrepreneurship and Marketing from UTC and chose to stay after graduation to enjoy all the Scenic City has to offer. Since joining Riverworks Marketing, Maddie’s strategic and creative marketing expertise has made her an essential part of the team. Outside of work, Maddie loves to hike the Tennessee mountains with her husband, read books, and play with her dog Bambino and cat Sake.

Meet Madison, aka “Maddie”, a Chattanooga native and alumna of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. She graduated in 2019 with a degree in Communications, fueling her passion for strategic communication and problem-solving. With four years of digital marketing experience, she’s thrilled to join the Riverworks team as an Account Manager and looks forward to helping our clients create impactful campaigns that draw success. Outside of work, Maddie enjoys exploring trails with her dog, Murphy, indulging in a good book, and satisfying her wanderlust through travel.

A Chattanooga native, Alex brings an entrepreneurial mindset and a love for local business to his role at Riverworks. After graduating from UTC with dual degrees in Entrepreneurship and Marketing, he spent time on the road as an Area Recruitment Manager for Kappa Sigma, advising chapters at major universities like Ole Miss, Clemson, and UTK and helping launch new ones across the country. That role took him to 44 states and gave him a deep appreciation for people, problem-solving, and communication.

Before joining Riverworks, Alex worked as a freight broker, where he sharpened his skills in coordination and client service. Now, he’s excited to channel his energy into marketing that helps small businesses succeed, especially in the city he’s always called home.

Outside the office, you can find Alex gaming with friends, exploring Chattanooga, or hanging with his rescue dog, Snow.

Christiam Aedo joins our design team with more than a decade of experience in marketing as well as other interesting and creative endeavors. Originally from Lima, Peru, Christiam is really a nomad at heart. In fact, his friends have referred to him as “the man with no land,” because of his many travels. He studied fine arts at the University of South Florida with intaglio as his main love and medium, after which he attended the Creative Circus in Atlanta where he completed the Art Direction program. Before his foray into the advertising world, Christiam performed in the circus and theater for 6 years as a comedian. He also worked with his brother creating performance shows for SeaWorld, building stage props and designing costumes. Christiam is intensely creative, passionate about his work, and comfortable in an ever-changing environment. He brings a lot of energy and positivity to our team, as well as a wealth of larger-than-life ideas that translate well into effective campaigns for our many clients. Christiam speaks fluent Spanish, French, and English, has a love for dogs, and enjoys soccer and making longboards.

Julisa found her passion for web development at Chattanooga State Community College. Her detail-oriented mind easily gravitated towards it, as well as her ingrained sense of perfectionism. She brings a strong work ethic, and excitement to her job every single day. Julisa also has a passion for helping others. She has tutored college students and taught basic computer and web design classes to middle school students. With a wide variety of interests, including writing novels, playing piano, hiking, kayaking, and playing with her animals on her small farm, she keeps busy both at work and at home. Julisa brings a positive energy to Riverworks and is thrilled to be working with such an amazing team.

Hailing all the way from Trenton, Georgia, Jake joins Riverworks Marketing as our Marketing Coordinator. He grew up in a small family composed of just his older brother, mom, and dad. Jake attended Chattanooga State Community College and earned his Associate’s Degree in Marketing before transferring to Kennesaw State University to further his education. After graduating with his Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing, Jake decided to move back to Chattanooga to pursue his career in the marketing field.

Jake’s love for marketing not only comes from his educational experience, but also from his prior work experience in sales, photography, and website management. In his spare time, Jake enjoys pulling for the Georgia Bulldogs and the Atlanta Braves, traveling, playing video games, working out, running, and kayaking with his family and friends. Go Dawgs!

Katy grew up in rural Middle Tennessee with her nose constantly in a book. She started writing short stories and poetry as an elementary student, fostering a lifelong passion for language and a motivation to continually improve her craft. She chose to study Creative Writing at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, and has called the Scenic City home ever since. During her time at UTC, a poem of Katy’s was published in the University’s Sequoyah Review, which she shared with an audience during a poetry reading at Star Line Books. She began her copywriting career in 2018 as a freelancer for local digitization company, Southtree, writing several featured blog posts every week as well as web copy. Katy is excited to continue her journey with Riverworks, bringing both her creative and strategic writing skills into each project that comes her way. When she’s not writing, Katy loves to read fantasy, cuddle up with her dog Poppy and cat Axle, and watch local bands perform.

Lacey is a graphic designer and all-around creative interested in brainstorming sessions, alternative education and experimental letterforms. She graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in graphic design from UTC. Her colossal love for Chattanooga continuously inspires her to explore ways of making design more approachable and accessible in her community. She is influenced by temperate forests, her ‘Discover Weekly’ Spotify playlist and anyone who wants to talk about speculative design. She loves spending time with her dogs, finding four-leaf clovers and pushing the boundaries of how large an InDesign file can be.

Chris Olson brings over a decade of expertise in website design and development to the Riverworks Marketing team. Originally from Minneapolis, MN, Chris began designing and developing websites as a teenager, sparking a lifelong passion for creativity and technology. After graduating college, he started his career at an ad agency, where he honed his design skills and began exploring video production and user experience. Over the years, he has continually expanded his expertise to deliver impactful and engaging creative solutions.

Now calling Chattanooga, TN, home, Chris takes full advantage of the region’s outdoor lifestyle, enjoying trail running and rock climbing in his free time. A seasoned traveler, he prefers exploring off-the-beaten-path destinations that inspire his creative spirit. Chris is excited to channel his experience, passion, and fresh ideas into helping Riverworks clients succeed.

Maiya Banks, a Chattanooga native, is a creative visionary with a passion for storytelling and crafting impactful content. A 2023 summa cum laude graduate of Southern Adventist University with a degree in Mass Communication and an emphasis in Photography, her dedication to visual storytelling and strategic communication has propelled her career, leading to her current role as a Social Media Coordinator. With a natural flair for organization and a keen eye for detail, Maiya excels at creating engaging campaigns that connect with audiences and elevate brands. When she’s not curating content, she can be found exploring the world through her camera lens, perfecting her pliés as a ballet dancer, or journaling to reflect on personal growth and creativity.

Jackie and Steve gave a loving home to this tender-hearted pup just as a certain senator from Vermont was becoming popular in the 2016 presidential race. We don’t know our Bernie’s views on politics, but he sure makes our workplace a little happier with his gentle nudges for affection.