2018 - Now

Creative/Strategy Director
Joined Lafayette American just after founding as Strategy Director, helping clients develop new brand strategies (Stellantis, Water Works), rebrand themselves (Argo, Detroit Opera, Action Network, Toledo Museum of Art), attract talent (Chewy, Amazon, Henry Ford Health, Kelly), launch new lines (Merrell, Netflix, Owens Corning, Spotify). Even ghostwrote a book (Livongo). After hiring the brilliant thinkers and makers who now superpower L|A’s strategic capabilities, I now straddle creative and strategy, which means I get to do all the fun stuff I want.

2015 - 2018

Managing Partner, Executive Creative Director Head of Digital & Social for Ford, overseeing creative in all non-traditional platforms, along with the occasional, non-traditional Super Bowl or Olympics commercial.

Managing Partner, Executive Creative Director
Head of Ford’s Content Studio, overseeing creative in all non-traditional platforms, along with the occasional, non-traditional Super Bowl or Olympics commercial.

2011 - 2015

EVP, Executive Creative Director
Creative lead on Ford in Asia Pacific. Opened the Blue Hive office in Shanghai, regional hub for WPP's Ford business. Restructured creative operations on the account throughout AP (including JWT, Ogilvy, Y&R, Mindshare, and Wunderman). Then started up Hudson Rouge's Shanghai branch and launched Lincoln in China.

2009 - 2011

Freelance Creative Director/Copywriter
Brought in by Team Detroit just before the 2008 auto industry crisis and co-created Ford's Drive One campaign, one of many decisions by Ford that may have helped them avert the crisis. Other gigs: Chiat, LA (Nissan); DDB, SF (Wells Fargo); JWT, NY (Microsoft pitch); Traffic (Mitsubishi); Highland Group (Caterpillar Footwear, Steelcase).

2007 - 2009

Creative Director
Helped build Innocean’s first U.S. office during transition of the Hyundai from GS&P. Produced a ton of work, including campaigns for the Sonata Turbo; the brand's 2010 World Cup sponsorship; Hyundai Momentum; and the launch of Equus, Hyundai's luxury sedan.

2000 - 2007

Group Creative Director
Brought on as lead on Apple a year into Think Different. Launched iTunes, OS X, iLife. Jeff Goldblum, white iBooks, colorful iMacs. Introduced Infiniti M and G35. Helped land Sara Lee and helmed Jimmy Dean. Ran Visa after winning the business. Also produced work on PlayStation, Nissan, Uncle Ben’s, Harmon/Kardon, JBL, and Filemaker.

1997 - 2000

Creative Supervisor Ammirati > Lintas > Lowe. One job. Three agencies. Several different bosses. Loads of work on many accounts: UPS, RCA, GMC, Labatt (Rolling Rock, Dos Equis), Brut Antiperspirant, Heineken, Burger King, Four Seasons, Bacardi…

Creative Supervisor
Ammirati > Lintas > Lowe. One building. Three agencies. Several different bosses. Loads of work on many accounts: UPS, RCA, GMC, Labatt, Rolling Rock, Dos Equis, Brut Antiperspirant, Heineken, Burger King, Four Seasons, Bacardi, and Sprite.

1993 - 1997

Copywriter
Advertising grad school, during its prime. Worked primarily on Saturn, but also produced work on EV1, Crystal Geyser Water, Peet's Coffee & Tea, Stroh's, Old Milwaukee, Mirage/Treasure Island, Nature Made Vitamins, and Alamo Rent-a-Car.

1991 - 1993

Proofreader/Copywriter
Learned to emulate the style of every writer in the agency. Soon found myself as a proofreader with three experienced art directors as partners. Then found another job, as a copywriter. Accounts: Reno Air, Dell, Symantec, Round Table Pizza, Sutter Home Winery.

1991

University of Oregon - B.S., Journalism

1990

Intern - Chiat/Day, SF

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