David Sladack SVP, Group Account Director
Retail channel marketing strategist for dealer group and franchise coop brands, from Ford to Cub Cadet-and obviously Zippo. "This campaign started out as just a product video. Then we worked with our client in stepping back and defining their real challenge in the marketplace. As a result, a more consumer focused and dynamic solution came to life."
Kevin Corfield Senior Copywriter
He's spent 16 years on both sides of the country helping build brands big and small... including ones that fit in the palm of your hand. Having done a lot of surfing growing up, he still likes to catch an occasional wave or two despite the dismal swell in Pittsburgh's three rivers. "The hand warmer campaign shows the product as hero in a way that's surprising, honest and entertaining."
Tom Karcher Digital Retoucher
Since 1998, Tom has been making visual images pop and bringing the winding roads of the West Virginia and Pennsylvania mountains to their knees on a variety of bikes. "It's visual storytelling at its finest-when you see it you get it."
Since 1998, Tom has been making visual images pop and bringing the winding roads of the West Virginia and Pennsylvania mountains to their knees on a variety of bikes.
"It's visual storytelling at its finest-when you see it you get it."
Brett Compton VP, Atlanta Creative Director
He brings a rare combination of left-brain strategic thinking and right brain innovation to solving marketing challenges. He brings the same balance of science and creativity to his avid pursuit of fly-fishing. "It connects because most outdoorsmen are just "weekend warriors," seldom in actual danger but driven by their alter egos as rugged mountain men, always prepared to take on anything nature throws at them."
He brings a rare combination of left-brain strategic thinking and right brain innovation to solving marketing challenges. He brings the same balance of science and creativity to his avid pursuit of fly-fishing.
"It connects because most outdoorsmen are just "weekend warriors," seldom in actual danger but driven by their alter egos as rugged mountain men, always prepared to take on anything nature throws at them."
Jay Giesen Executive Creative Director/Visual Arts
His 21 years of creative experience are as diverse as his love for sports and the outdoors--from hunting deer to dunking a B-ball. His ideas and leadership have helped successfully market brands ranging from AAA to Zippo. "It's definitely the Zippo attitude that resonates with outdoorsmen. It shines through every execution, from print to broadcast."
Charles Holet Account Manager
For five years Charles has been bringing together client marketing challenges and Brunner strategic and creative solutions. Outdoor power equipment for Cub Cadet and Zippo's new outdoor product line are a natural fit for him. "The planning, strategy and creative teams worked together to find a simple idea that transcends borders, languages and cultures."
Karen Smith Broadcast Production Manager
She's not only a radio/TV/online production pro but equally as adept at managing the schedules, talent, directors and budgets essential to resource management in broadcast. "It's a big idea that became a campaign when we came together with the client, the talent, the director and editors as a collaborative team. It shows in the power of the work."
Dave Vissat VP, Creative Director
For 30 years this guy has been making brands famous through outstanding ideas executed with design and craftsmanship that are truly rare today. He knows the outdoor world as a Scout leader, camper and backcountry hiker. "This campaign is simple, emotionally driven and transcends all languages which is necessary for the launch in both European and U.S. markets."
Frank Compton Chief Creative Ambassador
His title fits. No one stands more for market shattering ideas within Brunner and beyond. And speaking of beyond, he's chased elk from the Canada to Colorado. "This is a great campaign because it's built on the simple notion that consumers are people and as emotional beings, they want to be entertained."
Michael Brunner CEO
Michael is a visionary. And, anyone who knows him would describe him as a savvy business person, who is client-centric and who can spot a big idea coming from a mile away. According to Brunner President Scott Morgan, "I don't think we've ever presented Michael with a challenge he couldn't tackle, except maybe qualifying for the PGA tour, but then again, if he really put his mind to it, who knows." Okay, maybe that's a stretch. The bottom line is that there is nobody better to help a client chart the best course for their brand and their business."
Scott Morgan President
"Scott has played an integral role in keeping Brunner on the cutting edge of industry trends for as long as he's been here," said Brunner's Chief Digital Officer Rick Gardinier. "He's highly competitive - maybe it's his athlete's mindset - but the agency and our clients certainly benefit from it." Anyone who knows Scott would be quick to agree that he isn't satisfied just being in the game - he's always thinking about the best strategy to win. Gardinier added, "You don't just want him on your team. You want him leading it."
Mary Kay Modaffari EVP, Pittsburgh Managing Director
Without ever losing sight of the big picture, somehow Mary Kay never misses a detail. "She knows all, she sees all, and better yet, she's not afraid to roll up her sleeves to make it all happen for clients," says Brunner CEO Michael Brunner. "Then she gives everyone else the credit." That's just one of the reasons Mary Kay is so well respected and admired among our clients and staff.
Petra Arbutina EVP, Director of Communications Planning
"Think energy multiplied by infinity, and you get a sense of Petra's passion for the business," says Executive Creative Director Jay Giesen. "She's a whirlwind of ideas, who continuously blows clients away with her thinking." Petra is the first to espouse that media today is everything and everywhere - and most important, she constantly reminds us that media literally incorporates the word "idea."
Rick Gardinier SVP, Chief Digital Officer
According to Petra Arbutina, EVP, director of communications planning, "When it comes to digital strategy, Rick has been on the cutting edge since before Webster's ever recognized 'Google' as a word." Rick is also known for his ability to build bridges between the technological and creative sides of the digital space, which makes him the perfect person to run our innovation arm, BhiveLab.
Jeff Maggs Chief Client Officer
According to Brunner's Atlanta Managing Director Rich Fabritius, "Don't be fooled by Jeff's brawn because it comes with a lot of brains behind it." A great account "conductor" in his own right, Jeff brings tremendous leadership, energy, enthusiasm, and strategic insight to Brunner clients. Rich adds, "He always has the client's best interests in mind, and he's never afraid to speak up when it comes to doing the right thing to ensure their success."
Rich Fabritius Atlanta Managing Director
He's a southern gentleman from the North, who uses his incredible people skills and profound problem-solving ability to foster collaboration and innovative thinking among the people around him - both clients and colleagues alike. According to Pittsburgh Managing Director Mary Kay Modaffari, "Rich knows how to get people working together and push them to think at the highest levels to deliver innovative and highly effective marketing solutions to our clients. It doesn't matter from where you hail. You want Rich on your side."
"Big" not only describes the man (he stands at 6-feet, 7-inches), but also the ideas that emanate from his mind. "He is the Mount Rushmore of creativity with a soul as solid as granite," says Brunner Chief Client Officer Jeff Maggs. "His passion for big thinking and great work drives the culture of our agency, which in turn, drives the success of our clients."
Rob Schapiro Executive Creative Director/Content
Prior to joining Brunner in 2011, Rob spent 14 years at the Martin Agency in Richmond. He has an outstanding reputation in the advertising industry, having created highly effective campaigns for leading brands, such as Saab globally, Miller's MGD brand, Hanes Apparel and their Barely There brand, ESPN's Summer and Winter X Games, and the United States Tennis Association. Rob's work has been internationally recognized by The One Show, Communication Arts, British Design & Art Direction, Cannes, the Kelly Awards, Athena, Archive, Graphis, the Webbies and the FWA.
Gordon Robertson VP, Group Creative Director
"Gordon is a craftsman, and clients can see that he loves what he does," said Pittsburgh Managing Director Mary Kay Modaffari. "He always manages to find a way to push past the boundaries while being sensitive to clients' needs. Spend some time with him and you will quickly recognize what a thoughtful and positive approach he takes to everything."
He is among a handful of creative directors in our business who actually worked in account management. "Brett is a paradox," said Atlanta Managing Director Rich Fabritius. "He's a highly regarded and award-winning creative director who started as an account guy. His best subject in school was math." Anyone who knows Brett would tell you that there's no pretense and no ego with him, just a true pro who wants to move the client's business forward.
Louis Sawyer Chief Strategist
"He is fondly known by his colleagues as the professor because he is so passionate about branding," said Brunner President Scott Morgan. His track record of helping clients build brands while keeping an eye on the need to drive sales has made Louis a much sought-after branding expert. He has a knack for quickly seeing through all of the clutter and getting to the heart of a client's problem in what seems like Mach speed.
Shari Boyle VP, Public Relations
"Shari has become an invaluable resource in helping so many of our clients understand the new reality of managing a brand's reputation in the digital age," said Brunner President Scott Morgan. "Shari continues to push her team to master the newest digital tools of the trade while continually reinforcing the importance of not losing sight of the fundamentals of the public relations practice."
David Lied VP, Shopper Marketing
"I don't think I've ever seen anyone bring so much enthusiasm and positive thinking to the job," said Petra Arbutina, director of communications planning. "He puts his whole heart and soul into every aspect of every project or campaign." You can't count on seeing David in the office very often, though. You're more likely to find him out wandering the aisles of a retail outlet somewhere, talking with consumers about their experiences "at shelf" and the "path to purchase" that led them there.
Ken Johns SVP, Digital Strategy
"Ken is one of those rare traditional account guys who 'got' digital very early on and consequently led many of our clients into the digital realm long before their competitors ever logged onto the Internet for the first time," said Chief Digital Officer Rick Gardinier. Today, Ken remains equally grounded in emerging, digital, and traditional media. He is the kind of talent every agency today is scrambling to find - someone who has a finger on the pulse of current digital trends while keeping a foot in the traditional world, always ensuring that the solutions we deliver to our clients produce results.
Katie Bicknell SVP, Measurement and Analytics
Katie was instrumental in developing the Business Intelligence offering at Brunner to help clients take advantage of customer data and meld it with market research to deepen understanding of key targets, define new opportunities, and uncover high-potential markets. "I've been working with Katie for a long time, and I don't care how many times you've looked at your data," said CEO Michael Brunner. "Give it to Katie, and I guarantee she'll see something you didn't see before." Today, Katie uses her superior analytical skills to further enhance Brunner's measurement and analytics capabilities.
John Roden SVP, Chief Quality Officer
"John is a technology visionary," said Chief Digital Officer Rick Gardinier. "He could be talking about Web services and cloud computing with renowned technology experts one minute and then discussing innovative business solutions with a Wharton-educated executive the next minute." There is a new term in our industry used to describe the charge of bridging the gap between big ideas and technology - "Creative Technology." We can show you example after example of how John has been living and breathing Creative Technology ever since he joined Brunner more than a decade ago.
Tracy Gross VP, Director of Communications Planning
"Tracy's diverse background has provided her with the well-rounded perspective every communications strategist needs to be successful in today's complex and continuously evolving media environment," said Petra Arbutina, EVP, director of communications strategy. Tracy herself attributes this perspective to having served in a broad range of roles during her career on both the client and agency sides of the business, including media planner and buyer, marketing director, and digital strategist. "In addition to possessing a strong knowledge of a broad range of marketing disciplines, Tracy is tireless in her efforts to foster innovative thinking and collaboration among her colleagues and passionate about delivering the best possible communications solutions to her clients. "