C.O.nxt Acquires Milwaukee-based Digital Forward Agency Jigsaw

HARTLAND, Wis. (March 1, 2023)—C.O.nxt, an employee-owned strategic communications agency based in Hartland, Wis. focusing on clients in the food system, is excited to announce the acquisition of Jigsaw, a digital forward agency located in Milwaukee with a diverse roster of clients.

C.O.nxt’s team of employee-owners believes in sparking greatness and finding new opportunities to be bigger and better for their clients. C.O.nxt will continue its focus in the agriculture and food space, a legacy that spans more than 30 years. Jigsaw brings nearly 20 years of expertise in banking, healthcare, higher education, and other service industries. Together, the teams at C.O.nxt and Jigsaw are now armed with even more vision, more talent, more capabilities, and more passion.

Together, Marcy Tessmann, President and CEO of C.O.nxt, and Steve Marsho, President and founding partner of Jigsaw, have decades of leadership experience in the agency space. In addition to her duties running the agency, Tessmann is a frequent facilitator of strategic workshops to help clients develop plans for brand management and marketing communications, sustainability, and DEI and crisis communications. Likewise, Marsho works with local, national, and global clients with their strategic and brand planning.

“We are very excited to welcome the Jigsaw team and are looking forward to expanding our business,” says Tessmann, of C.O.nxt. “Acquisition is part of what makes an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) healthy and thriving. We are bringing together a full team of exceptionally talented, hard-working, and fun people with shared values.”

This acquisition will diversify C.O.nxt’s business, bring in expertise across different industries, and bolster capabilities. C.O.nxt and Jigsaw will combine resources to provide best-in-class services to their client portfolios while maintaining their roles within their respective industries.

“We’re enthused for the future of Jigsaw as it joins forces with C.O.nxt and are certain this venture will result in new opportunities for our clients and staff,” says Marsho. “We are excited to have the opportunity to grow as part of C.O.nxt by deepening our expertise and expanding our employee base.”

All Jigsaw employees will benefit from entering the C.O.nxt ESOP. C.O.nxt formed its ESOP five years ago and it has grown significantly throughout that time. A culture of ownership runs deep at C.O.nxt and its current team of employee-owners is excited to extend that culture to the Jigsaw team.