Last month we celebrated a very special milestone; the 11th work anniversary of Street Media Group’s COO, Troy Hammond. In 2011, owner Gary Young founded Street Media Group, and in 2013, he partnered with Troy to build an innovative and local outdoor advertising company. Today, the two are still leading the way at Street Media Group, offering some of the most experienced and successful leadership in today’s OOH landscape.
Since accepting the role of Chief Operating Officer in 2013, Troy’s converted problems and challenges into opportunities, improved our organization both operationally and financially, and continues to develop a progressive and success-driven mindset within our team. His success is built upon a strong foundation of experience in the OOH industry that’s taken him along a path of countless challenges and victories. In honor of his eleven years with Street Media Group, we think it’s fitting to offer a glimpse into his remarkable journey.
Troy’s story in outdoor advertising is one of passion, persistence, and entrepreneurial spirit that began in the most hands-on way possible.
Growing up in Cheyenne, Wyoming, Troy became close friends with the Flack family, owners of Flack Outdoor Advertising. As a teenager, he was hired by Flack Outdoor to climb ladders and meticulously paste billboard ads, like huge canvases of wallpaper. Little did he know that these early experiences would shape an entire career in media and advertising.
During his college years studying at Fresno State, Troy quickly showed signs of his future success in the Out-of-Home industry. While the main focus of his studies was aimed at business administration, he made time to develop his graphic art skills, designing billboard advertisements for Flack Outdoor. This early multitasking and dedication would become a hallmark of his professional approach.
After graduation, Troy gained his first sales experience with Sherwin Williams in Santa Cruz, California, a role that honed his business acumen and interpersonal skills. Then in the early 1990s, Troy’s began a deep dive into media. At a time when print was still considered the dominant advertising medium, Troy cut his teeth selling ads for the Wyoming Tribune Eagle in Cheyenne. But the world of OOH would soon come calling.
In 1997, Troy once again crossed paths with his longtime friends at Flack Outdoor, who promptly hired him as sales manager. This connection with Flack Outdoor would prove to be a pivotal moment in Troy’s career trajectory. He excelled in his role with the company through the time it was sold to NextMedia Group in 2002.
Troy’s expertise grew and so did his responsibilities. Starting as the general manager of NextMedia’s Missouri office, he soon expanded his leadership role to oversee operations across Colorado, Nebraska, and Wyoming. Along the way, Troy’s strategic vision and leadership skills became obvious. He was eventually promoted to the role of president, overseeing a highly successful company that spanned an impressive eleven states.
The corporate landscape of outdoor advertising is dynamic, and Troy navigates its changes with remarkable adaptability.
When NextMedia Group was sold to Lamar Advertising Company in 2013, many might have seen it as an endpoint. For Troy, it was just the beginning of another chapter.
Familiar with each other’s names through their winding history in OOH, Gary Young quickly approached Troy about joining Street Media Group. Buying into Gary’s vision, Troy reignited his passion for outdoor advertising, and the pair began building.
At Street Media Group, Troy found something different from his previous corporate experiences – a true entrepreneurial environment. Here, decisions weren’t dictated by distant hedge funds but made collaboratively with other experienced top leadership. A “boots on the ground” approach that resonated with Troy and his hands-on background. The ability to work directly with his team and make meaningful, immediate impact was a breath of fresh air.
Troy and the team at SMG’s 2024 kickoff meeting.
Troy’s enthusiasm for outdoor advertising continues to be driven by the industry’s incredible resilience. While other media platforms have struggled with fragmentation and shrinking audiences, outdoor advertising has done more than survive. It has thrived. And under Troy’s direction, so has Street Media Group. Technological advances like digital billboards have transformed the medium from a simple branding mechanism to a sophisticated broadcast platform. A long way from climbing ladders and posting ads.
One of Troy’s more notable achievements at Street Media Group was launching one of the first large scale interactive kiosk programs in the country. These digital displays located in the heart of downtown Denver created a platform for the city to broadcast information to locals and tourists about events, transportation, shopping centers, emergency messaging, and much more. This interactive kiosk program served as a launching point for similar developments across the country.
In addition to driving innovation in the OOH industry, Troy has spearheaded the development of dozens of digital and static billboards for Street Media Group throughout Colorado and Nebraska. His hard work has resulted in one of the most powerful digital billboard networks in the Denver DMA. Today, Street Media Group proudly offers 29 digital billboard faces, along with a robust line of other traditional OOH products, to advertisers of all shapes and sizes.
Troy (center) with his son Ben (left) and SMG owner Gary Young (right) at the construction site of DEN-110.
The fundamental appeal is simple yet powerful: consumers are spending more time on the road and outside their homes. Each billboard, bus shelter, bus ad, bench, and kiosk becomes a dynamic canvas; a message that can’t be scrolled past or clicked away but must be engaged with. For Troy, this represents more than just a business – it’s a continually evolving and powerful art form.
His journey from a teenager pasting bills in Cheyenne to a key leader in outdoor media is a testament to Troy’s hard work, adaptability, and a genuine love for his craft. Troy’s story isn’t just about advertising; it’s about recognizing potential where others might not. And he’s just getting started.
