ASR Media Productions Celebrates Ten Years in Business
The Lehigh Valley-based production company reflects on ten successful years of sharing stories.
ASR Media Productions (ASR) was founded by Ashley Russo in 2012 with the help of a few other women and a visionary client. Flash forward to 2023; ASR is now celebrating its tenth anniversary in business. With over 7,000 videos created, 250+ television episodes produced, more than 150 clients, 23 Mid-Atlantic Regional Emmy® nominations, five Emmy® wins, and ten million online impressions and counting, ASR has solidified its role as the number-one video production company in the Lehigh Valley.
The production company was born from a passion project between St. Luke’s University Health Network (SLUHN) and Ashley Russo. Chief Marketing Officer Ken Szydlow wanted to start a 30-minute health and wellness program, which would soon become The PEAK TV, to air on WFMZ-Channel 69. Szydlow knew Russo was the perfect partner for the project. She would act not only as the show's host but also as executive producer and brought Szydlow’s vision to life. While developing this project, Russo saw the need for a production company in the Lehigh Valley and started growing clients who believed in the power of video marketing. This effort and her formidable passion built video into a Lehigh Valley marketing cornerstone— synonymous with the brand now known as ASR.
The team at ASR started with three people: Ashley Russo as CEO, Katie Santana as videographer and editor, and Tina Hasselbusch as a director of marketing. As needed, the company hired freelancers and operated with a skeleton crew, but ASR soon grew exponentially and it was time to build the ASR family. The current team at ASR consists of a project manager and an eight-person production crew with three full-time editors and two full-time producers, bringing the staff to 11 professionals. Katie Santana has been there for all ten years and now acts as vice president of production and operations. Tina Hasselbusch is now the owner and president of Social T Marketing & PR, a marketing and communications firm and derivative brand of ASR. Social T has seen great success since its founding in 2017 and continues to manage ASR’s marketing and public relations initiatives. Additionally, ASR has employed over 40 interns; nine have gone on to work as full-time employees at the company, with some even being nominated for Mid-Atlantic Regional Emmys®.
ASR was founded on Russo’s passion for the Lehigh Valley and a mission to help local businesses and nonprofit organizations share their stories. This urge to help still exists within her team today, who spend ample time giving back to the community around them. The company has given over $1 million in kind to nonprofits. They prioritize volunteering both individually and as a team at local organizations like New Bethany Ministries, Habitat for Humanity of the Lehigh Valley, and Volunteer Center of Lehigh Valley, and sit on multiple boards and community committees. Ashley Russo and PPL President and CEO Vincent Sorgi, are wrapping up their time as Campaign Co-Chairs for the United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley (UWGLV). Between their daily work helping local businesses with premiere video marketing and volunteering personal time, ASR continues to exceed its mission to make a difference in the local community.
Throughout its ten years, ASR has worked with a number of important partners and early adopters of their services, such as The Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce, Lehigh Valley Style, American Hairlines, and UWGLV. UWGLV was the first nonprofit to build video production into its marketing plan, setting a precedent for other nonprofits and businesses across the Lehigh Valley. Having this budget set aside allowed ASR to go above and beyond when sharing the organization’s impactful stories, resulting in a lasting partnership. Most recently, Discover Lehigh Valley has sponsored The PEAK TV’s Peak at the Valley segment, giving audiences a deeper look at the Lehigh Valley’s exciting and historic locations.
In its current state, ASR continues to produce quality content every day, ranging from corporate and nonprofit overviews, exciting event coverage, stunning drone footage, and compelling employee and client testimonials. The PEAK TV continues to thrive, now gearing up for its 22nd season this summer. Russo hosts her own podcast, Unscripted with Russo, which shares the untold stories of Lehigh Valley business leaders’ successes. Her partnership with SLUHN has stayed strong over the years, with ASR also producing an informative health series, St. Luke’s HealthNow. It recently aired its 38th episode. The series gives viewers a deeper look at SLUHN’s practices, including new technological advancements, patient services, and more.
Russo and the team at ASR look forward to a future of opportunity, whether that means an opportunity for the team to become more skilled, for clients to create content that drives their mission, or for the local community to share more important stories.