John Stakel appointed President of Imagine

Experienced executive to lead growth and operational excellence at marketing solutions company

Published on Mar. 6, 2026

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Imagine, a marketing solutions provider, has announced the appointment of John Stakel as its new President. Stakel brings over 30 years of global finance and operating leadership experience, including a 17-year tenure at Smurfit WestRock where he played a key role in transforming the company from $2 billion to $18 billion in revenue.

Why it matters

Imagine is a fast-growing marketing solutions company that provides a range of services from creative design to commercial printing and retail environments. Stakel's appointment signals the company's focus on scaling growth and operational excellence as it aims to serve its global brand clients.

The details

As President, Stakel will oversee Imagine's day-to-day performance and help drive the company's next chapter of growth. During his time at Smurfit WestRock, Stakel led enterprise-wide transformation initiatives, M&A integrations, logistics optimization, and large-scale ERP projects, contributing to over $800 million in committed value creation.

  • John Stakel was appointed President of Imagine on March 6, 2026.

The players

John Stakel

An experienced executive with over 30 years of global finance and operating leadership experience, including a 17-year tenure at Smurfit WestRock where he played a key role in transforming the company.

Don McKenzie

The Chief Executive Officer of Imagine, a marketing solutions company.

Imagine

A trusted partner to the world's most successful brands, Imagine designs, produces, and delivers beautifully crafted print and digital solutions that inspire action and get results.

Smurfit WestRock

A $30 billion global leader in paper and packaging where John Stakel previously worked for 17 years.

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What they’re saying

“John has operated at scale and delivered results throughout his career. He is a strong cultural fit—humble, rigorous, collaborative, and results-oriented. His experience driving enterprise-wide transformation, managing large-scale integrations, and leading complex organizations makes him the ideal leader to help Imagine execute on our growth plan. We are excited to welcome him to our team.”

— Don McKenzie, Chief Executive Officer (businessinsider.com)

“Imagine is a company known for its strong customer relationships and tremendous growth potential. I'm excited to join the team and work together to help drive Imagine's next chapter of growth.”

— John Stakel (businessinsider.com)

The takeaway

Imagine's appointment of an experienced executive like John Stakel as President signals the company's focus on scaling growth and operational excellence as it aims to serve its global brand clients through its range of marketing solutions.