Wray Ward’s Leslie Gillock has been recognized as being one of the region’s 50 Most Influential Women by the Mecklenburg Times. The award honors Gillock, the agency’s vice president and director of insights, for her outstanding business leadership and community service.

“Leslie is an incredible person and valued member of our company, industry and community,” said Jennifer Appleby, president and chief creative officer for Wray Ward. “She is smart, strategic, energetic and caring, and we are so grateful for the many ways she readily shares her talent.”

A business leader for the Charlotte area for nearly 20 years and for the textile industry for 35 years, Gillock brings a keen mind and rich experience to her position at Wray Ward. She launched the agency’s Insights group – its first comprehensive in-house research and discovery discipline – four years ago to help Wray Ward and its clients better understand the business climate and consumer purchase habits. She shares those learnings with marketing teams to devise marketing plans and measurement tactics based on strategy and real-time information.  

The position allows Gillock to tap into expertise gained in her past roles as vice president of brand management for Springs Global and vice president of marketing for Fruit of the Loom. At Springs, Gillock oversaw the re-brand of the 75-year-old Springmaid brand and its subsequent placement at Target; she also managed licensing relationships with properties including Walt Disney World Resort, Cindy Crawford and Kate Spade. At Fruit of the Loom, Gillock began her career in finance before moving into marketing and climbed the ranks to become the company’s fourth-ever female vice president.

Gillock lends her expertise to the industry, serving as guest speaker and contributor for nonprofit industry organizations including the Kitchen & Bath Industry (KBIS) Show and Home Improvement Research Institute (HIRI), and she is a regular contributor to the Wray Ward blog.

A graduate of the McColl Center for Art + Innovation’s Innovation Institute, Gillock serves on the board of directors for Community School of the Arts and is a member of Women In The Home Industry Today (WITH-IT). She also is a volunteer for the annual Mentoring Monday, in which business leaders connect with young professionals to help them network and grow in their careers. Additionally, she served on the board of Tropicana Sportswear International, a $500 million menswear company for whom she served as the first female board chair.