Our Story
Our partners' victories have propelled us to new heights each year since 2015-and we're still raising the bar
Founded in 2015 by David Hughes, AdMax Local (AML) is a premier digital marketing agency that delivers tailored, results-driven solutions for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), franchises, and white-label partners. Our comprehensive services include paid search, paid social, SEO, local listing management, and landing page optimization. These meticulously designed services help our partners thrive in an increasingly competitive market and ensure their strong and effective digital presence.
In 2023, AML acquired Real Eyes Digital, expanding our service capabilities in paid social, creative services, and national search expertise.
In 2024, Hughes launched his latest endeavor, Amp'd Local. A SaaS company that sets itself apart by leveraging a custom playbook, built on over 100,000 data points, to provide precise budget allocation guidance that maximizes ROI. This includes monthly marketing tasks aligned with your business objectives, time and cost estimates for better planning, and step-by-step instructions crafted by experts.
Our Leadership Team
David M. Hughes - Founder and Chairman, AdMax Local
David Hughes is the Founder and Chairman of AdMax Local, a SaaS platform and services company focused on providing hyper-local advertising services and results for SMBs and local advertisers. Hughes is also the Chief Growth Officer for ForwardPMX, a multi-national Data and Performance Marketing Agency. Hughes was the co-founder and CEO of The Search Agency (TSA) which was acquired by ForwardPMX in late 2019.
Hughes graduated from Harvard Business School and sits on several non-profit and corporate Boards.
Patrick Hodgson - Vice President, Client Services & Marketing
Patrick is a seasoned digital marketing leader with expertise in AI-driven advertising, performance marketing, and multi-channel strategy. With over 17 years of experience, he has worked across industries including sports, non-profits, esports, local businesses, and eCommerce, focusing on data-driven campaigns that drive revenue growth. His previous roles at Allison + Partners, and the Tiger Woods Foundation have shaped his approach to marketing strategy, blending creative storytelling with analytical precision.
Patrick earned his MBA from Pepperdine University and holds a Project Management Professional (PMP®) certification. His commitment to innovation is reflected in his AI certificate from the University of Oxford. Patrick is also equipped with a series of digital marketing certifications, including Mead Lead Trainer, Meta Blueprint Media Planning, Meta Blueprint Media Buying, Google Analytics, Google Ads,
Melinda Schwartz-Oliver - Director, Franchise Partnerships
Melinda is the Director of Franchise Partnerships at AdMax Local, bringing over 30 years of expertise in channel marketing, global event marketing, and content creation, along with 15 years as a small business owner. She drives strategic initiatives that optimize performance and accelerate business growth across the entire funnel. A proven leader, she develops and implements comprehensive go-to-market and channel marketing strategies, oversees hyper-local, cross-channel paid, and organic media campaigns, and leverages data analytics to maximize ROI for both SMBs and Fortune 100 companies. Her experience spans industries including cable television, telecommunications, technology, in-home services, education, and non-profits. She is a Certified Digital Marketing Professional.
Gurpreet Singh - Chief Technology Officer
Gurpreet has over 18 years of experience in building engineering and product teams and leading them to deliver customer focused SAAS solutions based on actionable insights and customer feedback. Gurpreet has been associated with AdMax Local since its inception and heads up product development & engineering departments, who also manages the India office of AdMax Local located in Bangalore. He has an Engineering degree in Computer Science from Anna University.
Donna Sechrist Hughes - Director of Operations
Donna has over 30 years of experience in product management, marketing, and operations. Her career began in the management training program at Ford Motor Company and progressed to a software startup, a leading online real estate platform (Realtor.com), and a top automotive research and pricing site (Edmunds.com). She joined AdMax Local in 2023 as Director of Operations and manages finance, HR, and general operations. Donna received a Business and Marketing degree from Pennsylvania State University.
