Get to Know Amy Newton – Account Executive at Houck Transit Advertising

Q: Share a bit about your career experiences.

A: I have been in sales for several years.  I started my career selling advertising for the first women’s magazine in Wisconsin, Wisconsin Womanmagazine. I love working with all types of businesses, networking, and getting involved in the community. The magazine was a family-owned business and I worked with them for 10 years. Because of my extensive networking and success in sales, I was recruited to work for Adams Outdoor Advertising. I sold not only billboards, but my focus was selling the city bus advertising for Madison Metro while Adams Outdoor had the contract for the advertising sales in Madison. I had a successful career in advertising sales and fortunately, during my time selling city bus ads for Madison, I had made connections with the Houck Transit’s team.  They recruited me to come on board and sell their Wisconsin Markets. I live in Janesville, love Wisconsin, and enjoy working with businesses to promote their companies and career opportunities. I personally have experienced the awareness that bus advertising works because when I left Wisconsin Woman and started selling bus ads on Madison Metro, my bosses wanted to highlight that I was now selling bus ads. My face was on the side of 6 city buses for 3 months and I experienced an overwhelming amount of comments and even made new connections. Having had that experience, I could sell city bus advertising with even more confidence because I believed in the product and had personally experienced a positive outcome with bus advertising. 

While working in Madison and having made many connections, I started a Girls Night Out Madison networking group (GNO). Our mission was to have fun, connect, and give back. It was very successful. When I took on the role with Houck Transit, I expanded my connections by starting Girls’ Night Out Rock County. I had moved to Janesville and realized the need for connecting women and the needs that the local nonprofits in Rock County had.  I did not know many women in this community, so I attended the chamber events in the community and met a handful of women who helped me start Girls Night Out Rock County.  GNO Rock County hosts monthly and bimonthly events where we raise money for local charities and learn of ways we can volunteer in the community. We just celebrated GNO Rock County’s 10^th anniversary. In that 10 years’ time, we have raised $200,000 for local charities and have helped many women in Rock County connect. 

In March of this year, I was nominated for the Athena Award through the Business Forum. I was honored to be a part of this celebration. I was nominated by one of my former managers. I have volunteered for many organizations. Alzheimer’s Association, March of Dimes and YWCA and helped raise money for several local nonprofits.

Q: Share about your family.

A: I am married to Pete Newton coming up on 30 years! We reside in Janesville. We never had children. Over the past 10 years while working for Houck we lost both sets of our parents.  My husband and I chose to have my mother who had dementia live with us and we had caregivers help with her care.  My mother-in-law lived in a local senior home for five years and we were also very active in her care and visited often. Since my caregiving roles have ended, I found I still have a passion for seniors who just need someone to be there for them. I am filling that need to caregiver by being a regular visitor at the senior home where my mother-in-law lived for several years. I love them all and love to spoil them with candy and fun conversations.

My husband has I love to travel and in the summer, you will find us most weekends on our pontoon called “The Yachts of Fun”   We love the water!  I have five siblings, 13 nieces and nephews, and two great-grandnieces. They call me crazy Aunt Amy!   I have many circles of friends and have a title as The Director of Fun.

I am thankful for all the opportunities God has given me just at the right time in my life. I have realized that every experience in my life professionally has led to a great career at Houck. My networking circle that was huge in Madison has now expanded throughout all of Wisconsin because now I sell city bus advertising throughout all of Wisconsin. I am blessed to be working at a company that understands and values its employees and supports us not only in our work life but also in our personal lives.

Q: Tell us about the work you do at HTA. 

A: As for my career at Houck, I have watched our company grow by leaps and bounds and just celebrated my 10th anniversary with the company. The countless marketing opportunities that businesses have to advertise can be challenging.  I truly believe city bus advertising can be a great experience for all types of businesses. Transit advertising reaches all ages, backgrounds, and income levels.  I have had the pleasure of working with the smallest of nonprofits and the opportunity to promote some of the largest companies in Wisconsin.  There is nothing more exciting than to hear my clients say they see their ads on the buses and have heard great feedback.

Q: What have you found to be a favorite experience at Houck Transit Advertising so far?

A:  One of my favorite experiences has been when I was able to be a part of a cancer center opening.  We had a bus signing.  The dignitaries of the community and patients and supporters of the cancer clinic signed the full wrap bus, and it was very emotional for many. Bringing tears of joy and excitement for the future.