Buck Laird, Principal
Laguna Pacific Advisors
Honolulu, Hawaii
www.LagunaPacificAdvisors.com
Buck Laird is the former Managing Director of Anthology Marketing Group based in Honolulu, Hawaii and now serves as an advisor to Anthology's advertising unit, Laird Christianson Advertising. He co-founded the agency in 1989 and choreographed its steady growth. It is now the largest advertising practice in Hawaii with a staff of more than 50 full-time professionals and twenty major clients.
Laird relinquished his full-time duties at Anthology in early 2008 to focus on his portfolio of pursuits, which included the creation of The Laird Company, LLC doing business as Laguna Pacific Advisors. The firm specializes in consulting services in the areas of Advertising, Brand Stewardship, and Entrepreneurship.
After graduating from the Cornell Hotel School in 1964, Laird served as a U.S. Navy supply officer aboard a Pearl Harbor based ship. Following his discharge, he held various posts with Marriott Hotels in Texas and Washington, D.C. In 1973 he returned to the Islands with InterIsland Resorts where he was instrumental in developing the Surf Resorts Hawaii brand for the company's four-star resort portfolio.
Laird’s advertising career began in 1978 at a small Honolulu-based agency and progressed to his appointment as Senior Vice President at Starr Seigle McCombs prior to the start-up of Laird Christianson Advertising. Over the course of his advertising tenure, Laird has directed the advertising accounts of AIG Hawaii, Avis Rent a Car, Centex Destination Properties, Emerald Hotels, Hawaii Chevrolet Dealers, Hilton Hotels Hawaii, Holiday Inn Hotels Hawaii, KFC International, Marriott Resorts Hawaii, Marriott Vacation Club International, Prince Resorts Hawaii, Wailea Destination Association, and many other Hawaii-based resort, hospitality and consumer brands and services.
In 2004 Laird was presented with the American Advertising Federation's Silver Award for advertising excellence and lifetime achievement. In 2008 he was inducted into the Sales and Marketing Executives International's Hall of Fame.
Laird has also been active in many community service roles, including some 20 years as a director and officer of the Susannah Wesley Community Center and over 15 years with the Hawaii Chapter of American Red Cross.
He is married to author/educator Donivee Martin Laird and they have two married children. The Lairds enjoy skiing and cycling, but most of all visiting their growing family on the mainland. They can often be found working and playing at their Canadian home on Quadra Island, British Columbia.