ROCKLAND — As Dream Local Digital continues its North American expansion, they have created a leadership position for a chief revenue officer and hired Ron Belyea, formerly digital director of the Sarasota Herald Tribune (FL) and vice president and chief operating officer of VillageSoup Media in Rockland.

Dream Local Digital, which has just celebrated its tenth anniversary and expanded to a footprint of more than 60 markets throughout the United States, recently closed a round of investment funding to heavily expand their sales and marketing efforts, according to a news release. The creation of this new role is the first of several moves the company will be making in 2019 to fuel growth.

Belyea is a Maine native whose background includes more than a 25 years in Maine and Florida print and digital marketing solutions. He lives in Sarasota, Florida, with his daughter Lilli, and his dog Buffett. In his free time, he can be found at a nearby beach watching the sunset or in any given Sunday attending a Polo match in Sarasota.

"I am excited to join the team at Dream Local Digital,” Belyea said in the release. “Dream Local Digital is a leader in helping businesses leverage digital media to grow their businesses and free them up them to do what they do best run their business! Dream Local Digital has grown rapidly in the last 10 years and I look forward to bringing the knowledge and experience I have gained in the industry to continue the rapid growth and accelerate it!"

Shannon Kinney, founder and client success officer, said in the release: “This is a very important time in the history of Dream Local Digital, and I cannot think of another person I’d rather work with to make this happen. I could not be more thrilled about this addition to our team. I’ve known Ron throughout my entire career, including working together in the newspaper business, several collaborations during the early days of Dream Local Digital here in Maine, and then again in his capacity in Sarasota where he was a reseller partner of ours. I have the highest respect for his talent and experience, and know he’ll make an outstanding addition to our already stellar leadership team. Ron’s deep experience in media and working directly with clients selling digital solutions will make him a tremendous asset for our media partners, and I look forward to getting out in the field with him. We have significant growth goals ahead of us, and I’m confident as a team we can hit them.”

Dream Local Digital is a digital marketing agency offering social media management and advertising, search engine optimization and advertising, website development, strategic planning, display advertising, email marketing, mobile marketing and video services to small and medium sized businesses nationwide directly and through their reseller network made up largely of media companies.

Belyea, who will remain based in Sarasota, will lead the internal sales team, and also work with media company and agency reseller partnerships throughout North America to drive revenue growth and value to partners and customers nationwide.

His background combines print and digital leadership, sales, and working with customers directly to grow their businesses, making him an excellent fit for this new role, according to the release.