Jill Adams co-founded Adams & Knight more than 25 years ago and now leads the integrated marketing agency as CEO. The firm has grown into one of the larger agencies in the region, providing branding, digital, media and public relations services to clients across industries.
In 2025, Adams said the company sustained top-line revenues and improved bottom-line efficiencies despite market uncertainty. She cited work helping clients launch technology-driven offerings, generate national media coverage, deploy revenue-focused websites and integrate marketing technology tools to support sales efforts.
Looking ahead, she identified artificial intelligence as both a challenge and opportunity. The firm is integrating AI across departments to improve efficiency while emphasizing training, security and maintaining strategic and creative talent.
What qualities are most essential for effective leadership today?
The ability to optimize both technical and human resources is more in demand than ever. That’s going to take honing a more unique combination of leadership skills. We need leaders who can inspire commitment and contributions from five generations of workers — and continually enhance their performance with an ever-evolving suite of AI-driven technologies. Not an easy skill set to master!
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What do you value most about living or doing business in Connecticut?
I love so much about living and working in Connecticut. This is my adopted home and our chosen location for building a business. I so appreciate Connecticut’s quality of life, its commitment to public education, its abundance of arts and culture. I take comfort in being surrounded by smart, talented people who care about the world — and their communities. And I wake up grateful every day for its natural beauty. For me, that’s what makes Connecticut a great place to build a life and a business.
What is one change that would make Connecticut more competitive economically?
I would love for Connecticut businesses to believe in Connecticut businesses. We need to develop Connecticut talent, support Connecticut entrepreneurs, choose Connecticut partners, promote Connecticut leaders. How can we get others from across the country and around the world to do business with Connecticut if we don’t toot our own horns and drive our own economic growth?
Go-to news media outlets: NPR, New York Times, BBC and HBJ (of course!)
Favorite podcasts: I like to recommend podcasts and substacks that help you be a better citizen as well as a professional — like those from historian Heather Cox Richardson, Prof G and almost anyone I’ve ever been exposed to at the Connecticut Forum (truly a gem in our community)!
Hobby or leisure activity: Hiking my two Aussies and attending live theater.