When I’m not at the office, you can find me…
Spending time with my wife, two boys, and our fur son hiking, biking and camping. I’m odd in that I can spend a day outdoors snowboarding or mountain biking, but I can also use that time curled up on the couch watching movies of all genres.
What issues impacting our community today really get you fired up, and why?
Lack of access to quality mental health care is an important issue to me. So many people struggle daily, and few get the help they need. I hope to see a day where access to therapy and treatment is much easier to obtain, but also, the quality is of the highest caliber.
Which SE2 value resonates most with you?
Being curious and resourceful. Curiosity is a major characteristic of my personality and is a crucial component of creating impactful work. Being resourceful can open new doors to improve ad campaigns and marketing materials in ways that may not previously have been thought possible. I once used Hot Wheels cars to recreate a famous movie scene from a classic ‘80s comedy for a social campaign. The interactions with the posts were the best we had ever received – all from a little ingenuity and $6 in toys.
“Curiosity about life in all of its aspects, I think, is still the secret of great creative people.”
– Leo Burnett
Ad agency veteran evolves from selling cereal to marketing social issues
Born and raised in the upper peninsula of Michigan, a.k.a. the U.P., I traveled downstate to attend the University of Michigan on an athletic scholarship.
Growing up in a small rural community, I couldn’t wait to be exposed to all the culture that Ann Arbor had to offer. The people, the art, the food, and more filled my soul with what I had been missing in my youth.
After graduation, I started my advertising journey as a junior copywriter. I worked on everything from health care and banking to travel and clothing for ad agencies big and small across the Detroit area. In 2010, my wife and I moved to the west side of the state, where I worked at a digital agency on clients like Kellogg cereals, Huggies diapers, Cottonelle toilet paper, and Pringles.
After living in Michigan our entire lives, my wife and I felt the pull to experience a new place with new opportunities. In 2014 we moved to Colorado, where I began working for DISH Network. While there, I was part of a core team that helped to grow the in-house ad agency from a 20-person production team to a 60+ person full-service agency.
After eight years at DISH, I realized I wanted to do more with my abilities and put some good out into the world. In an industry so focused on creating trendy ads for popular brands, I had a calling to do the opposite. I’ve always been interested in social issues and began to look for marketing opportunities in that area. When I saw the creative director opening at SE2, I immediately knew that was where I wanted to be.
I’m excited to be part of such a dynamic and influential team that has created so much change in Colorado for the better.
