People

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  Aaron Noffsinger

  Creative Director

  If you have something to say, Aaron can find a creative way to sell it. He tackles every assignment with fresh thinking and creates campaign ideas that work on all levels – above the line and below.

  Over the past 10 years, Aaron has developed award-winning campaigns for many blue chip clients, gotten married, and somehow found the time to start a family.

  In 2009, Aaron left Leo Burnett and joined the team, bringing his creative chops to the meatpacking district in the West Loop.

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  Abbey Johnson

  Account Supervisor

  A Nebraska native and Kansas State alum, Abbey kickstarted her ad career at a Kansas City agency where she developed integrated marketing campaigns for the states of Missouri and Colorado. She knows more about Branson, state fairs and birdwatching than she cares to admit.

  Longing for big city life, Abbey made the move to Chicago. At DraftFCB, she crafted strategic platforms and produced above-the-line advertising for key MillerCoors clients, including Miller Lite, Molson Canadian and George Killian’s Irish Red. Abbey currently leads Kimberly-Clark’s VIVA Towels business, driving strategy and development for all in-market communication. She also leads the team’s collaborative efforts with the brand’s creative partner and the dirtiest guy on TV, Mike Rowe.

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  Allyson Healey

  Account Executive

  Born in Wethersfield, CT to two East coasters, Ally came to the suburbs of Chicago when she was just five years old and hasn’t looked back since. Continuing to show her love for Chi-town, she moved to Lincoln Park in 2004 to attend DePaul University where she earned her B.A. in Public Communications. After a brief stint of suburban living post-graduation, she quickly realized that city life was the only one for her.

  Coming to TRIS3CT from Zeno Group, Ally was doing digital public relations for Seattle’s Best Coffee, ConAgra and Woodfield Mall. While she loved it, she knew advertising was her true calling and quickly found herself knocking on TRIS3CT’s door.

  When she’s not anxiously awaiting the next DeVry project, you can find Ally splitting her time evenly between shoe shopping and trying to get reservations at the hotspot eatery of the week.

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  Amy Rubin

  Director, Digital Strategy & Development

  Amy loves rolling up her sleeves and getting digital all over her hands. She brings more than 15 years of digital marketing experience in agency, in-house, and start-up environments to TRIS3CT.

  She’s done it all, from hands-on design and coding to strategy development, from information architecture to account and project management. Amy’s worked for companies big and small, including Arc Worldwide, Resource Interactive, and Colossal Squid Industries. Her secret weapon is a magic wand she keeps in her desk drawer because, as everyone knows, bringing a digital beast to life requires 90% hard work and 10% magic. Even after having birthed hundreds of digital initiatives, she still maintains a child-like level of excitement every time a new online experience comes to life.

  In her analog time, Amy enjoys cooking, hanging with her dog Delilah, drinking a good IPA, and turning expensive art supplies into trash.

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  Andrew Walton

  Senior Digital Art Director

  Andrew Walton, born May 20, 1946, is an American recording artist, Emmy Award–winning television personality, award-winning actor and philanthropist. Referred to as the Goddess of Pop, he has won an Academy Award, a Grammy Award, an Emmy Award, and three Golden Globes among others for his work in film, music and television. He is the only person in history to have received all of these awards. Walton began his career as a backup singer and later came to prominence as one half of the pop rock duo Sonny & Andrew with the success of their song “I Got You Babe” in 1965. He subsequently established himself as a solo recording artist, and became a television star in 1971 with “The Sonny and Andrew Comedy Hour,” a variety show for which he won a Golden Globe. A well received performance in the film “Silkwood” earned him a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in 1984. In the following years, Andrew starred in a string of hit films including “Mask,” “The Witches of Eastwick” and “Moonstruck,” for which he won the Academy Award for Best Actress in 1988.

  Walton, throughout a career spanning over six decades, has broken many records. He is the only artist to reach number one on the Billboard charts in each of the previous six decades, and also holds this record for four and five decades. His hit dance single “Believe” is his biggest-selling recording and was the best-selling single of 1999, having sold over 10 million copies worldwide. He holds the ‘Hot 100′ record for the longest hit-making career span, with 33 years between the release of his first and most recent Billboard Hot 100 #1 singles, in 1965 and 1999 and 45 years between his first and most recent #1 ranking on any Billboard chart. Walton ended his 3-year-long “Farewell Tour” in 2005 as the most successful tour by a female solo artist of all time. With a career lasting over 45 years, Andrew has sold over 100 million records worldwide. After a three-year hiatus and retirement from touring, he returned to the stage in February 2008 at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas where he performed his show “Andrew at the Colosseum” until February 2011.

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  Brad Panarese

  Vice President, Account Director

  Brad started in design and production working in a variety of media, including packaging and retail design before eventually being coaxed into a life of strategic and account leadership. With over 13 years of consumer package and retail experience, Brad has touched many well-known brands such as Philip Morris, American Licorice, Kellogg’s, McDonald’s, Coca-Cola and more. Known for his retail innovation and knowledge of digital merchandising systems, Brad has supported the launch and rollout of various large-scale initiatives for both U.S and global clients. As account lead on U.S. Cellular, he brings this expertise to a key technology leader to assist their retail marketing efforts. Most recently, he was recognized by Stanford Who’s Who for his excellence in retail marketing and advertising. When not working, Brad enjoys family time, the outdoors and catching a good sci-fi flick. He remains active as a designer and B/W photographer when time allows.
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  Brian Kemerley

  Associate Creative Director

  “BK” began his 20-year career of graphic design, art direction and creative leadership in Philadelphia, doing award-winning advertising, product positioning and package design for brands such as Motorola, The New Jersey Wildwoods and Campbell’s.

  Moving to Chicago in 2003, he further honed his retail and promotions chops on a wide array of CPG and retail brands, including P&G, ARMY, AT&T Wireless, McDonald’s, Whirlpool, Boyd Gaming, Sara Lee and Kraft.

  That same entrepreneurial spirit brought Brian to us in 2009, where his multidisciplinary approach to the design and implementation of integrated promotions has spelled success for Kawasaki, Kellogg’s, Kimberly-Clark and ConAgra.

  An accomplished metal sculptor, motorcyclist, sci-tech geek and onetime competitive bodybuilder, this modern day Renaissance man has found good company at TRIS3CT.

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  Brian Rathell

  Digital Producer

  Brian has been into art ever since he was a kid, and into Apple computers almost just as long. Brian began college in a traditional advertising program but finally traded in his pencils, markers, Rubylith and press type to buy his first Mac, and then he transferred to Columbia College Chicago to combine design and computers. Brian started as an Electronic Artist at Ambrosi doing print production work but was always finding time to teach himself something new. Eventually Brian made the jump over to digital projects and his inner geek has been loose ever since. Constantly tinkering, reading or over-sharing about new technology he finds, you can ask Brian almost anything about what’s next… especially if it involves Macs, LEGO or NERF.

  Brian is a proud father of five, although his wife claims to be a mom of six, due to Brian’s child-like enthusiasm to most things in life. When he is not making the world a cooler place one pixel at a time, Brian enjoys spending time with his family, coaching sports, cooking food and entertaining friends at his backyard bar.

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  Brian Fourman

  Account Director

  A TRIS3CT veteran with over a dozen years of account management experience, Brian has developed a wide range of national promotional programs and award-winning integrated campaigns for a variety of clientele. Prior to joining Trisect, Brian worked at Zipatoni and TBWA\Chiat\Day on Visa (Domestic and International), Jim Beam, Jamba Juice, SC Johnson, Sony, and Infiniti Automobiles.

  During his time at Trisect, Brian has managed activities on the Pabst Brewing Company account as well as Kawasaki.

  Brian is a Graduate of the University of Illinois and holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s in Advertising/Marketing. In his free time he enjoys recording voice overs, drumming, acting, traveling, and supporting various environmental causes and initiatives.

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  Brian Gregoire

  Associate Copywriter

  Brian was born and raised in Los Angeles, CA. He graduated from the University of Colorado, Boulder with a degree in Marketing in 2007. In June 2011, he moved to Chicago to pursue an internship with TRIS3CT. After a few months, he continued the tradition of intern turned full-time employee. He currently serves as an Associate Copywriter on our US Cellular and DeVry University accounts.

  Fun facts about Brian: He has traveled to over 40 countries. He can juggle anything that comes in threes. He writes jingles and sketch comedy for online websites. He likes the smell of marshmallows in a bag but hates the taste. Before moving to Chicago, he worked as a sales rep in the wine industry.

  twitter.com/briangregoire

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  Bryan Haney

  Associate Editor/Motion Graphics Artist

  Bryan was born and raised in South Bend, IN. He attended Indiana University in Bloomington, where he received a Bachelor’s Degree in telecommunications with a specialization in video production and post-production. After graduating in 2008, Bryan immediately came to Chicago to find a home, where he freelanced for various companies, until coming to TRIS3CT.

  Bryan’s two biggest passions are film and music. He’s been a musician since he was a toddler and plays a variety of instruments. He learned to play the spoons from his uncle when he was 12 and also plays the guitar, bass, mandolin, piano and harmonica.

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  Bryann Kellum

  Account Executive

  While on her way back to Walmart’s headquarters in Bentonville, Arkansas, where she worked onsite five days a week with her clients, Bree made a little stop at the Tris3ct office and immediately wanted to be part of the team. She joins TRIS3CT from GlobalHue, a leading agency in multicultural marketing, where she focused on national marketing initiatives and creative executions for the African American and Hispanic consumer markets. Her experience ranges from Automotive Advertising (Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep) to Retail Marketing (Walmart), with a little Cause Marketing on the side (21st Citizens).

  Bree dove head first into her new role in Account Management for DeVry University, and works to increase retention and enhance the student experience through clear, concise messaging.

  Born and raised in Toronto, Bree later moved to Michigan to attend MSU. She earned her degree in Advertising, and has been bleeding Green & White ever since.

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  Cara MacLean

  Assistant Account Executive

  Although she was born in the Windy City, Cara grew up in the metro-Detroit area playing soccer and singing in school plays. Staying true to the Midwest, Cara ventured to Milwaukee to study advertising and marketing at Marquette University. Here she developed campaigns for the Milwaukee Bucks, United Cerebral Palsy and Badger State Games, in addition to a winning campaign for one of Ketchum’s Fortune 500 clients. Following in her father’s footsteps, she interned for ABC and served as an anchor on Marquette’s evening news. She also marketed for Qdoba Mexican Grill where she became well versed in local marketing initiatives and events. After completing her internship at TRIS3CT on the Kimberly-Clark and DeVry accounts, Cara is thrilled to be working as an Assistant Account Executive on the DeVry team.

  In her spare time, you can find Cara snipping fashion ads, humming Motown tunes or cheering on her Detroit Tigers and Red Wings. Having dreamt of one day moving back to Chicago, she loves hitting the streets, stepping to the beat of Sinatra’s “My Kind of Town.”

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  Cassidy Fletcher

  Associate Creative Director

  Born in New Orleans to gypsy parents, Cassidy began scribing family adventures in her Holly Hobby diary at an early age. With tours of the South and East coast, Cassidy earned her street cred by always being picked last in square dancing. Landing in Texas, after a quick dosey doe, she found herself at TracyLocke working on accounts such as 7-Eleven, Pepsi and Pizza Hut. Next up was a stint at Moroch working on McDonald’s, DFW International Airport, Citracal and new business. Then, after visiting Chicago one beautiful summer day she quickly decided it would be a great place to call home for the 9th time. Here she worked at Euro RSCG on the Sprint and Effen accounts before finding her way to the wonderful world of TRIS3CT and competitive fat truck spotting. She divides her time between messes working on the Kimberly-Clark VIVA Towels and Cottonelle Clean Care accounts as well as new business.

  Read some of her rib ticklin’, knee slappin’ stories here http://littlediddies.blogspot.com/.

  Please note: Cassidy is known to slip into her native drawl when provoked.

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  Chhavi Saxena

  Accounting Manager

  Chhavi Saxena joined TRIS3CT’s enormously populous Accounting department as Sr. Client Financial Coordinator in March 2010. She is responsible for ensuring client billing activity, addressing variances to budget, matching revenue and expenses, and preparing billing forecasts. Prior to Tris3ct, she managed all administrative and accounting duties as Staff Accountant at M-Retail Engineering, Chicago, interacting with clients such as Apple, Talbots and GAP.

  Chhavi was born in India, has lived in Dubai, and moved to the US in December, 2005. She has an undergraduate degree in Accounting from Delhi University, and a Master’s diploma in International Business from Symbiosis Institute of Management Studies in Pune, India. She is currently pursuing an Advanced Certificate in Accounting from the City Colleges of Chicago.

  When not boring others with her accounting prowess, Chhavi loves spending time with family, and enjoys entertaining friends with her home-cooked delicacies. She is a voracious reader, and a compassionate volunteer for PAWS. She is proud to call Chicago home!

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  Chris Cancilla

  Executive Creative Director

  Until riding a bike around Chicago or making panini will send his children to college, Chris will continue to pursue his other passion: Developing memorable, highly effective, award-winning marketing campaigns.

  Fluent across off-line, on-line and retail communications, Chris is inspired by today’s challenge to seamlessly unite these points of contact.

  Prior to TRIS3CT, Chris was an SVP Group Creative Director at Y&R Chicago, where he led integrated campaign development for clients as varied as Sears, Dave & Buster’s, Hilton, and The American Red Cross. Prior to Y&R, Chris was an SVP Group Creative Director at Arc Worldwide/Leo Burnett, where he led the charge on major new business wins for Visa, Capital One and Norton Software.

  While career highlights include a trip to the Grammy Awards and a visit to Skywalker Ranch, Chris is most proud of his VERB Yellowball campaign against childhood obesity — the winner of three Cannes Lions.

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  Colin Greenberg

  Production Manager

  Colin Greenberg is a Kalamazoo, MI native who spent the first 18 years of his life striving not to live in a city named Kalamazoo. All his hard work eventually paid off as he moved to attend Michigan State University, where after four years he graduated with a B.S. in Packaging. To this day, he continues the struggle to convince people that Packaging is a real degree that entails more than driving a brown truck.

  Colin has experience working for a printer of premium packaging, the world’s largest spirits producer, and the world’s largest fragrance manufacturer. When not working, he enjoys snowboarding, hockey, obscure 80s BMX movies, obscure 90s ski movies, bad music and yelling at bad television. Colin is glad to be living in a city with a name like Chicago.

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  Collin Johnson

  Assistant Account Executive

  Born and raised in Kansas, Collin thought Kansas City sports fans had to put up with a lot. Then he moved in next door to Wrigley Field, with its thousands of disgruntled, disillusioned Cubs fans.

  Before Chicago, Collin spent 13 months living in the Chinatown section of the Left Bank in Paris. He worked as a language assistant for the French Ministry of Education, and later as a tour guide. All day, every day, Collin could be spotted herding tourists across the “City of Light” by bike, Segway, and boat. The one thing he wants you to know about France is that Napoleon wasn’t short. 

  Even though he no longer goes to work at the Eiffel Tower, Collin really enjoys working at TRIS3CT. Working on Kawasaki has helped him realize that lime green really is his color. Just don’t tell his mom he’s around motorcycles all day.

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  Connor McShane

  Art Director

  Connor McShane is a true Renaissance man, aspiring to sample all that life has to offer. After graduating from Indiana University, he spent several years as a freelance graphic designer, eventually finding his way to Trisect. When not trying to satiate his need for aesthetic stimuli, he enjoys reading books by Vonnegut and listening to music by a certain Canadian super group. He is also the largest man to ever complete the Chicago Marathon.
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  Craig Miller

  Creative Director

  Craig is an award-winning creative with nearly 20 years experience in advertising, digital, promotions, direct and shopper marketing. Before joining TRIS3CT, Craig led the Anheuser-Busch Entertainment Group at DDB Chicago. While there he helped re-define SeaWorld and build Busch Gardens into a national brand. Craig also helped create the most successful beer launch in history for Bud Light Lime. He approaches every assignment as an opportunity to be creative. When not solving seemingly impenetrable branding problems, Craig can be found doting on his family or ruling a ping-pong table near you.
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  Cynthia Felsburg

  Studio Production Artist

  Cynthia was born and raised in Ohio, but spent her summers and holidays running barefoot around North Carolina. Due to her boundless energy, she was registered in countless extracurricular activities that kept her out of the house and off the furniture. She immediately took to art and dancing. At the very mature age of seven, Cynthia proclaimed to the world that she was going to be a Rockette. Unfortunately, she never grew taller than the average height of a sixth grader and was gently informed by her dance instructor that she was neither tall nor leggy. The Rockettes’ loss has been a gain for digital studios, however.

  After graduating from Ohio University with a degree in Visual Communications, Cynthia interned at a small advertising company before moving to Chicago. A small software firm plucked her from the freelance ranks for her first grown-up design job. A few years later she traded in aggregated software for tobacco, moving to Capps Digital. She spent several years working to launch new products and campaigns for Philip Morris and U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Co. in both print and web. After hearing about the incredible clients of TRIS3CT and the neighborhood’s infamous “Fat Truck” sightings, she knew it was time for a new home. The fact that Cynthia highlights March Madness Friday as her favorite holiday made her an easy hire!

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  Danny O’Connor

  Art Director

  After studying advertising at the University of Illinois, and a few Account Executive internships, Danny decided to pursue his lifelong passion and start a doodling career. He went on to study art direction at the Chicago Portfolio School where he honed his design skills and expanded his buzzword vocabulary. Danny joined TRIS3CT shortly after graduation and works primarily on Sanford Brands where he is allowed to doodle with Sharpies as much as he wants. When he’s not wearing tights and leaping from building to building, Danny spends his free time building furniture, camping, and streaming low-budget documentaries on Netflix.
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  David Jensen

  Senior Art Director

  Born and brewed in Milwaukee, David moved to Chicago in 2008 to become one of TRIS3CT’s first art directors. A graduate of Cardinal Stritch University, David got his start as a book graphic designer in central Wisconsin, where he sharpened his InDesign skills and “OhSureYouBetcha” vocab. At the “little t,” David has had the pleasure of bringing retail, web, and integrated campaigns to life for such clients as Old Style, Walgreens, Sanford, and ConAgra alongside some fabulous friends. He couldn’t be happier here.

  David enjoys solving problems, playing his drums, mid-20th century aesthetics, and the Oxford comma. He hopes to one day complete the Chicago-to-Milwaukee century ride on his (killer) 1973 Schwinn Varsity.

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  David Schaefer

  Director of IT

  David wields his techno-shamanic energies keeping TRIS3CT plugged in, turned on, and safe from robots. He’s drawing on 20 years experience prodding the present toward the technological future.

  David’s geeky beginnings on Chicago’s South side, where real pizza is served, launched at the tender age of 13 with the gift of his first computer. After soldering it to the stereo (with admirable results), he set his sites on a part-time job at the local computer store, which he pursued by hanging out there and impersonating a salesperson. When customers sought him out instead of the actual salespeople, he was hired. A short time later, David founded his own company providing IT consulting, hand- holding and friendship for clients both large and small, including setting up the first SAN video editing classroom in the country.

  When not connected to technology (which is rare, as the implants are hard to extract) David revels in cultural epicureanism. He’ll eat most anything—if you pour the right wine. He loves to travel, often for skiing and camping, occasionally to remote realms off the radar of most travelers, to places such as Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Galapagos, Azerbaijan. David has also appeared in a few films including a Stephen King movie.

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  Dave Wasserman

  Associate Creative Director

  Born and bred in the mean streets of St. Charles, MO, Dave takes on life one challenge at a time. After surviving his upbringing just outside St. Louis, or as CNN puts it, “The Most Dangerous City in America,” Dave went on to college and graduated from the University of Missouri School of Journalism.

  Since coming to TRIS3CT from Arc Worldwide in 2009, Dave has worked on a variety of business, most notably as a writer for the Scott brand. A longtime fan of toilet paper, Dave has helped create several fully integrated commercial programs for the Scott brand that include executions in broad reach, retail and digital channels. His most recent work includes the Scott Naturals
  4-Week Test Drive program.

  Dave’s favorite foods are bread and candy. A candy sandwich is what he will eat every day in Heaven.

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  Denise Guyer

  Copy Editor

  Denise began her working career as a speech therapist with learning disabled and mentally challenged children. She has 20+ years experience as a freelance editor and copywriter for Chicago concerns large and small, including World Book, Scott-Foresman, University of Chicago Press, Golin Harris (McDonald’s, Maytag, Bay’s English Muffins), and DoubleTake Design. From 2001-2005, Denise served as proofreader at GSP Marketing for a client list that included LensCrafters, Sears/Craftsman, Cintas, FTD, American Dental Association, Heritage Leathergoods and Stock Yards Packing. Prior to joining TRIS3CT in 2008, she was the copywriter for Blick Art Materials. She earned a B.A. from Augustana College (Rock Island) and an M.A. from University of Illinois. Her ultimate career goal is to sing backup for a 1970s-style soul group (think Four Tops, Spinners…).
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  Diane Ortilano

  Account Supervisor

  Diane came to TRIS3CT from Arc Worldwide, where she worked on McDonald’s national adult and ethnic retail POP businesses. She’s been around the Chicago advertising block, bringing to Tris3ct a wealth of experience from TV, radio, print, and outdoor, to retail, direct mail, and non-profit by working on well-known brands such as Quiznos, Chicago Tribune, Dell, Hillshire Farms and Summer’s Eve. In addition, Diane brings a strong multicultural experience having worked on Hispanic, African-American, and Asian initiatives for McDonald’s. Her knowledge and ethnic insights allow Diane to provide a unique perspective on her projects and the opportunities that exist in reaching out to a multicultural market.

  Although only 5’1″, Diane is always in pursuit of living life to the fullest wearing 3″+ heels. She was born in the sunny tropics of the Philippines but was transplanted to the Dairy State when she was 8 years old where she quickly adapted to living life buried in snow three months out of the year. She earned her B.A. in Advertising at Marquette University and moved to Chicago mere hours after receiving her diploma. While she couldn’t quite escape the snow, Diane makes up for it by eating her way through Chicago’s food scene and building an awesome shoe collection.

  Diane works on the ConAgra account and is often seen surrounded by Orville Redenbacher’s popcorn, Slim Jim and other various snack goods.

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  Dick Thomas

  Founder and Chief Executive Officer

  Dick has over 25 years of marketing experience, both on the client and agency sides. He launched TRIS3CT in 2005 with the belief that a nimble, creatively focused agency is uniquely positioned to respond to the ever-evolving needs of clients. Prior to Trisect, Dick was CEO of Arc Worldwide-North America, CEO of Frankel, and Global Discipline Lead for Shopper Marketing at Arc Worldwide. He has hands-on leadership experience with many world-famous brands and is a sought-after speaker worldwide on Shopper Marketing and “Hand-Raiser” Marketing. Dick loves the agency business and marketing, and has very firm ideas and convictions concerning the future of both.

  When not at work, Dick most enjoys spending time with his wife and six sons…all of whom wish he was funnier and could run faster.

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  Doug Malcolm

  Senior Planner

  Over the past 6 years, Doug has uncovered insights among people ranging from Spanish-speaking telecom customers to female whiskey drinkers. Working at DraftFCB and Leo Burnett, he led strategy efforts across the Brown Forman account, working on brands like Jack Daniel’s, Collingwood Whiskey and El Jimador.

  An innately curious person, Doug is passionate about Trivial Pursuit, sports and travel. He is a graduate of Emory University with a BA in Sociology and holds a MA in Advertising from University of Illinois.

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  Erica Ross

  Account Executive

  A NYC native, Erica is thoroughly enjoying the spacious bike lanes and authentic taquerías that Chicago has to offer. She joined TRIS3CT from Bravo where she spent her days crafting Hispanic market initiatives for clients such as Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company and Sears. Prior to embracing her passion for multicultural communications, she was busy discovering the world by eating street food wherever she went while trying to understand what makes people tick through one interesting and random conversation at a time. Now, if you want to make Erica swoon, just talk insights with her.

  If she isn’t in the office, it’s safe to assume that Erica is either in Havana working on polishing her Afro-Cuban dance technique or telling a long joke at a pulquería in Mexico City. She holds a BA in Economics from the University of Massachusetts, an MBA from Fairleigh Dickinson University and also does an amazing “Coffee Talk” accent (just ask her).

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  Erika Rosenwinkel

  Assistant Account Executive

  Erika grew up in Oak Park, a suburb just west of Chicago, where she enjoyed the pleasures of the city without having to deal with the traffic. She spent her college years at St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia studying Business Marketing while playing Division I softball and trying to find time to sleep. After her time at SJU, she had a Corporate Affairs Internship at Weber Shandwick in Chicago, where she worked on the U.S. Treasury and MILK Issues accounts. Prior to joining TRIS3CT’s team, she interned at Microsystems, where she assisted in their client affairs efforts. Outside of her “real world” job, Erika enjoys coaching rambunctious kids in baseball and softball at the Chicago White Sox Academy and eating as many types of Chicago style foods as she can find. Being outgoing, creative and adventurous, Erika believes that her time at Tris3ct will bring out all of her strengths as she works with the Kimberly-Clark team.
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  Erin Vayo

  Account Supervisor

  Leaving the blue Atlantic water and a wardrobe made up entirely of summer clothes, Erin Vayo packed up and drove 22 hours from Miami to become part of the TRIS3CT team. Originally from Cleveland, it was only a matter of time before she got the bug to get back to the Midwest. Now, she is excited to embrace the fast pace of Chicago and the joy of hunting for the perfect pair of commuter flats.

  With a BS and MBA from the University of Miami, her days as a Hurricane cheerleader led her to helping a former Miami Dolphin player market a new venture. She moved into agency life shortly after at Diaz & Cooper Advertising, a full-service agency, where she focused on luxury clients in the digital space.

  When she’s not brainstorming creatively simple or simply creative ideas for her clients, you’re likely to find Erin exploring Chicago’s neighborhoods for the best place to grab a glass of bubbly.

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  Erin Wilson

  Account Director

  After growing up in Ohio and graduating from the University of Michigan, Erin set her sights on NYC and decided to test herself to see if a small town girl could make it in advertising’s capital. After working at various agencies big and small, she settled at McCann Erickson developing integrated marketing campaigns for L’Oréal Paris haircare and styling brands. When she got the itch for change, she moved across the pond to London to work again at McCann on L’Oréal. She broadened her personal care expertise further leading above the line campaigns for the skincare business.

  Nearly three years later her Midwest roots were pulling her back and she decided to settle in Chicago at TRIS3CT. After only a few short days, she already felt at home. Her co-workers have discovered that she has some wicked baking skills and can be very competitive.

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  Gary Curtin

  Director of Marketing Operations

  Gary has extensive experience managing digital studios, agency workflow, print production and sourcing in support of integrated marketing programs. Gary has been instrumental in the assembly of TRIS3CT’s studio and production capabilities, making it possible for the Company to expand its existing relationships and take on new, large, tier one clients. Under his guidance, Trisect has assembled a highly scalable platform to support its future growth. Prior to joining TRIS3CT, Gary had leadership roles at G2, iLeo and Frankel.
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  Gauri Kapoor

  Vice President, Account Planning Director

  A transplant from New Delhi, India, Gauri straddles both the Account Management and Strategic Planning disciplines. With an extensive background in integrated brand communications with a number of global clients located in the US and abroad, Gauri contributes her diverse skill set to TRIS3CT. Happiest when wearing multiple hats, she works across a number of projects with DeVry University as well as on new business pitches. In fact, she now boasts “IT domain expertise,” having spearheaded the deployment of a coupon management software application for the Kellogg Company!

  Prior to joining Tris3ct, Gauri worked at Young and Rubicam, Mullen and Red Tettemer across a portfolio of brands that included Kenmore, Craftsman, DieHard, The Wharton School of Business, Hanes and TJ Maxx. Gauri’s international experience includes stints with Grey, DDB and McCann Erickson in India where she worked on Nestlé, Samsung, Bausch & Lomb and Frito-Lay.

  When not at work, Gauri has her hands full with two little brats at home who are often more demanding than the toughest of clients out there!

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  George Soukup

  Chief Financial Officer

  With 25+ years of financial and operational experience in advertising and marketing services agencies, George began his career as Controller/Accounting Manager for Tatham-Laird and Kudner (TLK) Advertising (currently Euro RSCG). At Frankel & Company he spent the next 16 years serving as Vice President-Controller. Responsible for overseeing all Frankel financial operations, George oversaw the growth of the finance/accounting department, maximized client financial results and operational performance, and introduced a number of accounting “best practices” into its financial management system. George joined OgilvyAction (formerly 141 Worldwide) in early 2000 as Group Finance Director before becoming their CFO. He was responsible for bringing leadership in all financial and business operations of OgilvyAction’s corporate-wide management system. A Certified Public Accountant and a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, and the Illinois CPA Society, George holds a Bachelor’s degree in business administration from Loyola University. He is passionate about photography and golf.
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  Georgia Patera

  Senior Account Executive

  When Georgia Patera first walked through the doors of TRIS3CT’s former Lake Street loft location, all notions of interviewing for a normal, corporate job flew out the window more quickly than an unclaimed lunch in the company fridge. Happily, it was a perfect fit. Since joining the Tris3ct team, Georgia has become passionate about retail marketing, executing several Zone Communications-based programs for Kawasaki, and has singlehandedly lowered the eating standards of the entire office. When not eating candy for breakfast, Georgia can usually be found with her nose stuck in her laptop. Vacillating between Excel masochism and PowerPoint mayhem, Georgia is a glutton for the detail work that comes with successfully managing the finer points of any given project.
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  Greg Sheldon

  Production Supervisor

  Greg is a solutions expert who helps bring TRIS3CT’s unexpected ideas to life. Working on countless national and regional campaigns, he has developed a wealth of experience executing diverse projects including print production, event management, packaging and in-store marketing. Greg has produced work for clients such as Pabst, Kodak, UPS, Kellogg’s, Kimberly-Clark, ConAgra, RedBox, Sharpie, Walgreens, TRESemmé and Kawasaki.
   
  Coming to Trisect in 2006 from his hometown of Royal Oak, MI, Greg was one of the first six Tris3ctors and is proud to have helped in its rapid rise. Outside the office, Greg can be found watching indie movies or cancelled TV shows, talking politics or playing volleyball.
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  Greg Zilioli

  Senior Account Executive

  Greg grew up in Florida, graduated from Tulane University and then spent 15 years as a freelancer, working with many agencies in Chicago, including Corbett Accel, FCB, Euro RSCG, Upshot and TRIS3CT. Given his experience across different media and categories, we sent him out with Kawasaki to travel the country attending motorcycle rallies for seven months. He returned with a suitcase full of rally t-shirts, a wealth of category knowledge and a beard.

  Greg enjoys restoring anything from furniture to vehicles, riding motorcycles and photography.

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  Haoua Lee

  Assistant Office Manager

  Haoua was born in Niger and raised in Mauritania, Ghana and Benin. She is therefore not equipped for Chicago’s cold and windy weather! She moved to Chicago after high school, did a stint with Americorps and subsequently started college at North Central College. As if that wasn’t enough moving, she decided to complete her degree in Montreal where she earned a BA in Sociology. Yes, she speaks French, but not the French Canadian variety! She returned to Chicago to earn some ‘real’ money and landed at a Chicago alderman’s law firm. She is excited to have joined the MBA program at Roosevelt University focusing on Human Resource Management. This is Haoua’s first experience in the marketing industry and she’s embraced the challenges presented by the TRIS3CT team! Haoua likes coffee, chocolate, movies, music and a little goofiness here and there.
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  Ian Schochet

  Assistant Account Executive

  As a member of the Kawasaki team at TRIS3CT, Ian’s main responsibilities involve management of the Kawasaki Co-op Program. When not checking out his favorite basket weaving websites, he spends most of his time helping Kawasaki dealers to develop and implement their local marketing plans.

  Ian began his professional career in radio as an “On-Air Personality,” which is what radio people like to call themselves, thinking it sounds better than “Disc Jockey.” He hosted afternoons and evenings and was on a morning show while working at several different stations. He then spent three years as an operations coordinator for StubHub, an online ticket marketplace, before coming to Trisect. His likes include sports, TV, sports on TV, foods with a high content of riboflavin, and rappin’ with the youngsters about former Canadian Prime Minister John Diefenbaker.

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  Ian Wightman

  Senior Account Executive

  From a tender age, Ian planned on playing center field for the Minnesota Twins. Sadly, that didn’t work out. Though he did play college baseball and football—even earned All-American honors there. Not bad.

  Ian’s marketing career began on the Coca-Cola and Alberto Culver accounts at The Marketing Store followed by a three-year stint at Arc Worldwide/Leo Burnett where he dove deep into the McDonald’s, Harrah’s and Nature Made brands.

  At TRIS3CT, Ian is a member of the ConAgra Account team working on Marie Callender’s, Slim Jim, Act II, David Seeds, Orville Redenbacher’s and Healthy Choice. He’s building trusting, meaningful relationships while executing strategic and integrated ideas that connect people to their beloved CPG brands.

  While not at work, Ian enjoys spending time with friends, family, and living in the friendly confines of Lincoln Park.

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  Javier Osorio

  Creative Director

  Javier loves to hang out at the intersection between technology and art. He’s an avid reader, storyteller, traveler, synth player, art junkie, vinyl collector, coffee house rat, hacker, social media addict and video game nut. He believes that creativity relies on the power to combine and transform. The more ingredients you have to combine, the more unexpected and beautiful the results.

  Javier worked in advertising for more than 16 years, in many countries and many languages. He’s collected some shiny awards on the road including a Silver Lion at Cannes.

  Javier is one the Creative Directors working with Kimberly-Clark.

  He’s currently trying to learn how to play the electric guitar. His neighbors are not very happy about it.

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  Jimmy Zimmerman

  Art Director

  After spending the first 18 years of his life growing up in Libertyville, IL, Jimmy attended The Savannah College of Art and Design where he received his BFA in Advertising Design with a Focus in Art Direction. While attending school he interned in Portland, Oregon for the Portland Ad Federations Internship Program, Colaboratory.

  Upon graduation from SCAD, Jimmy quickly returned to his Chicago roots and began freelancing for various ad agencies in the area including Young and Rubicam, Euro RSCG, and Wunderman3, working in various media ranging from traditional to digital to retail.

  Once Jimmy decided to enter the realm of full-time employment, he searched for a small agency that had a great family feel. Not only was he able to find that at TRIS3CT but he was also able to make the move to the big city where he plans to become mayor.

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  Jeff Thomas

  Account Supervisor

  Take one part Project Manager, one part Strategist, one part Account guy, shake and pour over any client meeting and you’ve got a perfectly mixed Jeff Thomas. Jeff came to TRIS3CT from the Tribune Company, and from the day he arrived has lent endless talents to driving business with accounts such as Old Style, Culligan, Kimberly-Clark VIVA, ConAgra and U.S. Cellular. If you ask Jeff what he likes most about advertising he’ll tell you, “Seeing the work in market and knowing all the strategy and effort that went into a single piece of media gives you a different level of appreciation for an ad; knowing your work is helping to drive behavior in market is a definite reward.” If you ask him about the two most important things people should know about Trisect, he’ll tell you, 1. “The people – everyone’s so nice. 2. The culture – never thought I’d go on a booze cruise .” Translation: Trisect is a fun place to work.
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  Jen Passaniti

  Producer

  Jen started her career at Leo Burnett where she gained valuable experience as a Production Manager before becoming a fully integrated Broadcast/Digital/Print Producer. Her client experience includes McDonald’s, Kellogg’s, PetSmart, Samsung, DeVry and Nintendo.

  Two weeks before plunging into the corporate world, Jen graduated from Denison University in Ohio where she studied communications and studio art while playing on the DU softball team. Moving to Chicago to start her career was a natural thing to do since she grew up in Glen Ellyn, IL. She spends her free time playing softball, golfing, or running and biking on the Chicago lakefront.

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  Jenae Neeson

  Associate Creative Director

  Born at the base of the Bighorn Mountains, this Wyoming girl grew up with plenty of Tall Tales to tell (taming wild horses and building impenetrable forts along crisp glacier streams). Jenae developed mad art skills while attaining her BFA in Bozeman, Montana. On the flood plains of Omaha, Nebraska, donning ever-changing hair, she embarked on her advertising career at a splendid full-service agency. Seeking new terrain, she found herself in Chicago amid new shore and skyline. Jenae reigned as Senior Art Director for Arc Worldwide, making pretty pictures and dreaming up McDonald’s big ideas. Maker of mixed tapes, historian to friends and family, outdoor aficionada, and now on the new frontier with TRIS3CT.
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  Jennie Logan Purtell

  Senior Vice President, Group Director

  Jennie Purtell began her career building Happy Meal promotions for McDonald’s at Frankel & Co. Since then, Jennie has led consumer promotions, brand building and shopper marketing teams for clients including Miller Brewing, McDonald’s, Procter & Gamble, Kellogg’s and Kimberly-Clark. Before joining TRIS3CT, Jennie was Director of Pitch Management at Leo Burnett and Arc Worldwide. Here at Trisect, Jennie leads our Kimberly-Clark business, where we are AOR for Scott, VIVA and Cottonelle. In addition, Jennie is the head of our account management discipline, leading all staffing, recruiting and training across the account management team.

  She is a graduate of Bucknell University with a BA in Political Science. In addition, she holds an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.

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  Jessie Lively

  Senior Account Executive

  Jessie works on the Sanford account with a focus on consumer promotions. She came to TRIS3CT from TPN where she worked on in-store branding for Cricket Wireless. Prior to TPN, she spent four years at Wunderman doing consumer promotions for Office Depot and Sears, as well as in-store branding for Burger King. She originally started her career working at Starcom doing media buying for Best Buy, but she’s forgotten most of her media math, so don’t ask her to calculate any CPMs.

  Jessie is originally from Winnetka, IL and attended Bucknell University.

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  Jessica Shankland

  Senior Account Executive

  Jessica came on board with the TRIS3CT team in 2010, after earning an M.B.A. and M.S. in Marketing from the University of Cincinnati. Raised a military brat, Jessica has lived all over the U.S. and even spent a few years in Europe. After earning a B.S. in Finance from Louisiana State University, Jessica’s blood turned purple and gold – she is a devout fan of the LSU Tigers and Louisiana crawfish. Since joining “little t”, Jessica’s focus has been on developing the Sanford account and leading projects that range from developing integrated marketing programs, to executing national promotions, to developing retailer-specific in-store activations.
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  Joel Blechman

  Director of Finance

  Joel began his career at Frankel & Company on the Citibank business, introducing the first interactive digital POP in their New York branches for a 1987 IRA program. His work on the VISA, USA account executing the first national transaction-based credit card promotion created a template that has been used in the industry for the past 20 years. He managed the Ford Heavy Truck business from 1990–1995 developing their first database marketing and contact management program, yielding an increase in dealer participation from 25% to 70%. As Account Director, Joel managed the Chicago staff on the Oldsmobile business. After leaving Frankel, he held positions at GM R*Works and Beach Communications. From 2004–2006, he helped develop a seven-company consortium designed to market GM Zero Emission Vehicles in five states. Since joining TRIS3CT in May of 2007, Joel has helped grow numerous accounts including Kawasaki. Moving to our Accounting/Operations department in 2008, Joel developed and implemented our standard project execution processes, and helped to implement our current job costing and financial processes. He now holds the position of Director of Finance.
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  Joshua Girard

  Junior Client Financial Coordinator

  Josh was born and raised in Rhode Island. Yes, it is a state, and no, it is not part of New York. After declining scholarships from Oxford, Cambridge, and the University of Amsterdam, Josh attended Providence College and majored in Accounting. Considering he does not have a creative bone in his body, he never thought he would work at an advertising agency. However, he quickly fell in love with the people and culture at TRIS3CT (it helps that he does not have to wear a suit to work). Josh is an avid New England sports fan and he will be sure to let you know that.
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  Julia Hazekamp

  Director of Client Accounting

  Julia’s passion for numbers and analytics led her to pursue an Economics degree with a minor in Finance. She started her career with NORC, a non-profit, government research center, where she refined her project management and analytical skills over the course of six years. After a brief stint at an engineering firm, she landed at Frankel/Arc and has been immersed in agency life ever since.

  Her responsibilities at Frankel/Arc included management of an entire business unit, an international client and eventually one of the shop’s largest departments. She also sat on numerous operational improvement committees. Her expertise in operations, client relationships and accounting led her to Momentum Worldwide where she had financial oversight of the Chicago and Detroit offices. Today, Julia is the Director of Client Accounting at TRIS3CT, focusing on any and every client-related topic.

  In her spare time, Julia spends time with family and friends — mainly entertaining them at her home. When she isn’t entertaining, she can be found playing softball or on the sidelines of a baseball or soccer field cheering on her children.

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  Julian Gallo

  Senior Art Director

  Julian’s unique artistic ability has been compared to what happens when a manchild in a zebra unitard does a midnight tango with 73 angelic falsettos.

  Having both been in the industry, his parents would say he’s always “had it.” Others think he stole it from his son at squirt gunpoint in between underdogs on a playground in Oak Park.

  Julian wouldn’t disagree with either.

  From his 3-year stint working on Jim Beam at Zipatoni Chicago to another 3 or so years working on Qwest, SCJ, and then some at DraftFCB, Julian has come to TRIS3CT with a few tricks in the pocket of his unitard.

  He’s currently laying down his skills working on DeVry, U.S. Cellular and Uni-ball.

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  Julie Olah

  Copywriter

  Name: Julie Olah (nicknames: “Jules” or “J Dawg”)

  Likes: Cooking, cheese, busting a move

  Favorite color: Transparent

  Julie grew up in Sauk Prairie, WI. She suffered from severe middle-child syndrome and compensated with humor; it came as no surprise that she became a copywriter. Julie graduated from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and majored in English. Her thesis was a collection of poetry entitled “Stripping.” Julie currently lives with her boyfriend and two extremely spoiled cats, one of whom is a whopping 14 lbs. Julie’s future plans include retiring at the ripe age of 35 and spending her remaining days knitting. Most likely, she’ll end up ruling the world or slowly acquire a dozen cats and die by their paws.

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  Kelley Beaman

  Production Business Manager

  A stickler for puncuality, Kelley was born two months early in Jackson, Michigan, as twin sister #1. After graduating from Michigan State University, she headed to Chicago and promptly discovered that entry level ad gigs pay less than college bartending.

  Before joining TRIS3CT’s production department, she was creeping up on her 13th anniversary at Leo Burnett. There she worked on integrated media campaigns with clients such as Kellogg’s, Nintendo, Allstate, P&G and Philip Morris – proudly without taking up smoking. Her favorite phrase is “I wanna try that!”, so not surprisingly, she’s happily worked as a Talent Manager, Production Business Manager, Producer, Resource Director and Account Supervisor.

  Kelley lives in her 10th Chicago apartment with her Boxer/Lab/Pit mix Logan – aka “the horse.” She covets eating, drinking and lounging alfresco, her library card, animated movies, horses and twin sister #2.

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  Kevin Babcock

  Account Director

  Despite his wife’s weekly pleading to get out of the agency business, Kevin Babcock keeps coming back for more. Some speculate his love for the marketing macabre stems from his rough childhood in the mean streets of small-town Ada, Michigan, where every day was a fight to survive – but no one really knows for sure.

  Kevin comes to TRIS3CT with a strong background in traditional account management, with an expertise in digital campaign integration. During stints at McCann-Erickson, BBDO, Arc Worldwide and most recently Y&R, Kevin has developed award-winning (and more importantly, business-building) campaigns for clients such as General Motors, ABN Amro and LaSalle Banks, United Way, McDonald’s, Hilton Hotels, National Parks Conservation Association, Hotels.com, Sears, Craftsman, Kenmore and DieHard.

  Outside of work, you can find Kevin either on a Chicago softball field, dining out, cooking in with his wife Amy or trying to catch a Detroit Lions game.

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  Kevin Gilbert

  Chief Strategy Officer

  Kevin spent the first 29 years of life avoiding the “real world” – working a variety of eclectic jobs (munitions ordinance specialist, night porter, visiting lecturer, psychiatric technician, research drone) between bouts of academic life. Eventually, haunted by student loan creditors, he finally settled on an actual career: strategy and insights in advertising and marketing.

  Starting in research at Leo Burnett, Kevin eventually moved to planning, while passing through LBWorks and Arc Worldwide – working on and leading brand, promotional, digital, and retail strategy for brands such as Delta Airlines, Hallmark, Earthlink and McDonald’s. Along the way, “Dr. Gilbert” managed to accumulate an alphabet soup of degrees that sometimes confuses even him – a BS in Radio/TV/Film & Psychology from ISU, an MS in I/O Psychology from Purdue, and finally, his Ph.D. in Social Psychology from Loyola. Personally, he enjoys motorcycles, poker and travelling to exotic locales with his wife, Rachel.

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  Kevin Willard

  Senior Copywriter

  Kevin knew he was going to be one of the greatest writers of all time when Mrs. Sinksank put a glitter sticker on his story about a boy and his pet snail, Sneed.

  Shortly after stepping out of Neverland, Kevin came to the realization that learning to fly in the real world wasn’t going to be all capes and fluffy clouds.

  If he was going to learn to fly for real, he knew he was going to have to do it carefully supervised by a colony of LARPS (more formally known as Columbia College).

  From naming Jamba Juice smoothies at Zipatoni to getting a nation behind the campaign to make Jack Daniel’s birthday a national holiday at DraftFCB, Kevin’s diverse range of clients and adaptive writing style has been described as what happens when a chameleon and ninja collide at full speed.

  Other strengths include but are not limited to:
  • Controlling his own dreams
  • Pretending to listen to his iPod when he’s really listening to your conversation

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  Kurt Warner

  Copywriter

  Kurt joined TRIS3CT from the even colder city of Minneapolis. His tolerance of cold weather is evidenced by the fact that his apartment window stays open all year long. Kurt claims, “Being cold builds character.” While relishing the harsh Minnesota winters, he attended Brainco – The Minneapolis School of Advertising. After graduation, Kurt took some time to enjoy irresponsibility before taking the plunge into the real world. This culminated in a summer spent in São Paulo, Brazil. He returned without a tan, but with a new outlook on life as well as the uncanny ability to write ad copy. Soon after, Kurt found Trisect and never looked back.

  In his free time, Kurt collects sneakers, enjoys music, updates his Facebook status, rides a bicycle and saves babies from burning buildings.

  Also, he is not a Super Bowl winning quarterback (in case you were wondering).

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  Kylie Spina

  Copywriter

  Raised by the shores of sunny Florida, Kylie left the beach to explore the north. Equipped with a degree in Advertising from the University of Florida and experience with companies such as Clear Channel Radio and ESPN, she headed to Chicago with open arms and a heavy, winter coat. She began at TRIS3CT as a copy intern on the Kimberly-Clark account, finding a full-time home as a copywriter on Newell Rubbermaid Office Products soon after.

  When not writing or staring off into space searching for ideas, Kylie can be found glued to her TV. As an avid movie and television connoisseur, she has quite the collection of film facts. She also has special talents in sandcastle construction and PB&J making.

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  Larry Heisler

  Studio Manager

  Larry joined TRIS3CT with over 15 years of experience in marketing and promotions with local and national brands under his belt. Working with most of the top ad agencies in Chicago, he always added his distinctive twist, whether while translating a rough sketch on a luncheon napkin into a layout or adding that crucial wisp of hair to the image of a supermodel. As a freelancer, he had many bosses, worked more hours per week than he cares to remember, and lent a sympathetic ear to a number of late-night janitors as they complained about how messy everyone is and how they should clean up after themselves.

  Larry is a proud but humble man, driven by results, with a refined sense of workmanship.

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  Laura DeVita

  Creative Director

  After winning the Most Talkative Award in elementary school for four consecutive years, Laura knew at a young age that she was destined to enter a career using words. Copywriting seemed like a perfect fit and the rest is history. She started her career at Leo Burnett where she worked for 14 years on various brands including Allstate, Hallmark and Procter & Gamble. Her next move was to The Marketing Store where she put her talents to the test on McDonald’s and Coca-Cola. She is currently enjoying TRIS3CT and all the cool things it has to offer. As Creative Director on U.S. Cellular and DeVry she finds the constant challenge and the West Loop to be fresh and …mmmmm… interesting (it’s not every day you see a whole skinned animal being loaded onto a truck). Long live the Meat Packing District.
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  Laura Mangini

  Human Resources Director

  Laura has over 15 years of human resources experience in all facets of the HR function. She also has experience with accounting, payroll, and office and facilities management. Other areas of expertise include recruiting, onboarding, employee handbooks, benefits, and employee relations. Prior to joining TRIS3CT, Laura was the business manager for an HR consulting firm. Her primary responsibilities include managing the HR function, providing HR support for clients, staff management, and developing and documenting company operations and procedures. Laura graduated from Elmhurst College with a B.S. in Business Management. At Trisect, Laura focuses her efforts on building the HR function. This can often feel like herding cats, but it’s such a fun group that she readily accepts the challenge… and, being a diehard Cubs fan, she believes that all things are possible.
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  Lee May

  Assistant Art Director

  Alabama born and bred, Lee took a big chance on the Windy City. Looking for an escape from the Southern humidity and excited about connecting another dot on the map, Lee is happy to call Tris3ct home. As an Assistant Art Director, she found her way to Tris3ct via The Creative Circus in Atlanta, Georgia, where she majored in Art Direction. As a student, she was featured in CMYK’s Top 100 New Creatives to Watch, Vol #52. She also holds a BA in Graphic Design from Spring Hill College in Mobile, Alabama.

  Lee is currently working on ConAgra, DeVry University and Sharpie. Happy to call Chicago home, she is excited about exploring her new home and becoming a Cubs fan.

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  Louis Feider

  Client Financial Coordinator

  Louis joins TRIS3CT from the East side of St. Paul, Minnesota. After graduating from a Catholic high school he was faced with a tough decision: Harvard or Yale? In the end, he chose to attend the University of Minnesota-Duluth where he earned a B.A. in Economics and a Minor in Business. After graduating, he began his career at the Minnesota Department of Revenue, where he quickly climbed the ranks to Senior Revenue Tax Specialist. While working for the Department of Revenue he also obtained a B.S. in Accounting from Metropolitan State University.

  In May 2011, Louis moved to Chicago to join Trisect. He continues to celebrate both decisions!

  In his free time, he enjoys brewing his own beer and exploring Chicago. He will always be a Twins fan, but has already learned to enjoy cheering for the Bulls and Blackhawks.

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  Lydia Ballenger

  Vice President, Account Director

  Lydia Ballenger is VP, Account Director on the DeVry University account. She brings fresh perspective to marketing challenges, honed from working on a wide array of industries – everything from toys, home goods and the military, to packaged goods, pharmaceuticals and technology. She loves variety and learning the nuances of her client’s business (she went through boot camp for her former US Army client the week before her wedding). Prior to joining TRIS3CT, Lydia spent most of her career at Leo Burnett, building and revitalizing major brands and leading direct response programs with proven market impact. Lydia has English and Advertising degrees from University of Kansas (just ask if you don’t know how to Wave the Wheat). She also has an M.S. in Integrated Marketing Communications from Northwestern University.
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  Martin Wodarz

  Group Creative Director

  Martin’s integrated marketing expertise is built on over 17 years of creative direction of campaigns for the world’s top companies. He understands how to engage today’s multitasking consumer and make brand connections. His writing talent spans across channels to include promotions, shopper marketing, print, TV, social media and digital. Martin has won over 20 prestigious creative awards including the Globe for Best Multi-Discipline Campaign in the World. Prior to TRIS3CT, Martin worked at Leo Burnett, Arc Worldwide and Frankel. His achievements include repositioning Norton security software, launching the new Total Rewards customer loyalty program for Harrah’s Entertainment, and innovative retail for Miller Brewing. For many years, he crafted iconic brand campaigns for United Airlines. His “Crosstown Classic” promotion for Ted was nominated for a Clio. An expert in leveraging sports and entertainment sponsorships, Martin has been creative director on promotions involving the U.S. Open, Olympics, World Cup Soccer and more.
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  Matt Gryll

  Senior Account Executive

  A graduate of The Tulane University of Louisiana, Matt was afraid of missing the three months of good weather Chicago offers, so he moved back to his hometown.

  Since joining TRIS3CT, he has worked on accounts such as Culligan, Kellogg’s, Kimberly-Clark & ConAgra. Eager to fill any role in order to make everything run smoothly, he has coordinated website designs, driven integrated shopper marketing programs, managed test and national retail programs and honed his delivery of “the joke your middle-aged dad would make.”

  Prior to Trisect, Matt worked as a mental health counselor for children and adolescents.

  In his spare time, Matt enjoys live music and creating the perfect roux.

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  Mel Routhier

  Vice President, Creative Director

  Mel found her way to Chicago via Texas, Germany, Alabama, Kansas, Tennessee and Kentucky. The product of a military family, she passed through Austin just long enough to pick up a B.S. in Advertising, a love of Tex-Mex and a strong point of view that pale, freckled people like herself aren’t meant to live in states with 105-degree temps. Travel-weary, she arrived up North ready to stay put. For the next 11+ years she worked at Leo Burnett on clients such as Disney, Hallmark, PM, Kellogg’s and most recently, P+G. Finally, the urge to move called once more, and she packed her bags for the long journey from downtown…to the West Loop. She now calls TRIS3CT home, and as a Creative Director on the Kimberly-Clark business, she looks forward to settling in and staying a good, long while.

  When not talking toilet paper, Mel’s usually talking food. She cooks up a competition-winning chili, a mean cherry pie and in her next life owns a bakery.

  (On a side note, she’d like to point out that not all military brats are really brats.)

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  Melissa Victores

  Senior Account Executive

  Born and raised in Chicago, Melissa did what any good city girl would do…take a job in the suburbs. She started her career in the Marketing Department at Walgreens on the Promotions and Consumer Activation team. While there, she had the opportunity to lead national retail promotions, large-scale events, and cause and integrated marketing campaigns that spanned multiple categories. While the daily drive to Deerfield was picturesque, Melissa decided to trade in the suburbs for the concrete jungle, joining Euro RSCG Chicago. There she led digital and print campaigns for Sears Loyalty Marketing Program, Citi and Disney.

  At TRIS3CT, Melissa joins the Newell Rubbermaid (Sanford) team focusing on consumer promotions and channel initiatives. When she isn’t busy working on an Excel spreadsheet or digging treats out of her infamous candy jar, she enjoys dancing Salsa, volunteering, and most recently, becoming a youth mentor. A graduate of DePaul University, Melissa holds a degree in Marketing and plans to pursue her Master’s in the near future.

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  Michael Matthews

  Junior Producer

  Michael Matthews is a cornfed Indiana country boy just trying to find his way in the big city. Energized by the turbulence of video production, Michael has spent the last five years moving lights, pushing dollies, and pressing ‘Record.’ When he is not absorbed in assembling footage, Michael enjoys traveling by train, writing short stories, and insisting Notre Dame is the greatest football team in the nation. His focus multidirectional, Michael continues to maneuver through the trials of the everyday while simultaneously searching for answers to the unknown.
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  Michelle Burgess

  Director of Human Resources

  Michelle was born on a warm, August night during the Perseids meteor shower. In her adult life, she still enjoys stargazing with Orion being her favorite constellation to find, followed by the Seven Sisters. She learned to navigate the sky growing up in rural Michigan where time was known to stand still and summer never seemed to end.

  Michelle decided to trade in starry nights for city lights and began her career in Marketing and Advertising with an internship at MTV Networks in New York City. She then moved to Chicago (a little closer to home) and joined Leo Burnett where she worked on accounts such as Samsung, Kellogg’s, and McDonald’s. Eight years later, Michelle decided to move across town to Chicago’s West Loop where she joined TRIS3CT.

  Michelle holds a B.A. in Communications from Michigan State University and is expected to graduate with her MA in Organizational Psychology from the Chicago School of Professional Psychology in October, 2011.

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  Michelle Horne

  Copywriter

  Michelle wrote her last bio blurb for a Horsham, PA summer-stock production of “Godspell,” where she sang a soothing rendition of “By My Side.” She amended her biography at Penn State University with a B.A. in Advertising, long choir practices, and shifts as a line cook. These experiences served her well as a Production Intern/substitute Lion Mascot at Dame Broadcasting in State College, and as a copywriting intern at the Brownstein Group in Philadelphia. Looking for a bigger city, with colder winters and warmer people, she moved to Chicago, taking a job as a bookseller, thereby adding another line to her biography. She developed a love for concepts and Sharpies at Chicago Portfolio School, while continually boosting her street cred by riding a Schwinn Le Tour to work and baking pies. At the same time.
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  Michelle Roman

  Studio Digital Artist

  Half-American, half-Taiwanese, born and bred in Hong Kong with a British and U.S. education, Michelle is an international curiosity who has called Chicago her home-away-from-home since 2006. Having aspired to work in advertising since age 16, Michelle earned a B.S. in Communications from the University of Miami. She completed a creative internship at JWT in 2005. Following graduation, Michelle became a Graphic Designer/Production Artist at Firestar Communications, where she cut her teeth on high-end real estate advertising for accounts such as Trump and Ritz-Carlton Residences. Later, she produced campaigns for household names including AT&T and Walmart as a designer at Williams Lea. Michelle’s ultimate goal was to combine her passions for culture, cuisine and creative advertising – she can proudly say she has found her calling at TRIS3CT. At play, Michelle is an avid traveler and divides her time between Chicago, Hong Kong and the French River in Canada where she can be spotted composing songs from a cruising wakeboard and occasionally outfishing locals, beer in hand. Her unique background has given her an adventurous streak and she confidently claims she’ll try anything once. Michelle’s humble youtube page: http://www.youtube.com/user/MichelleRoman312
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  Mike Hirsh

  Account Director

  Mike began his career as a copywriter for clients such as Kroger, Speedway/SuperAmerica and Toyota. Somehow he made the unconscionable switch to the account side of the business and has never looked back. He honed his retail chops at Arc Worldwide, where he managed numerous shopper marketing programs for Procter & Gamble hair care brands such as Pantene, Herbal Essences and Head & Shoulders. Currently, Mike is the director on TRIS3CT’s Scott® brand business, providing strategic and account leadership on all commercial program efforts for one of Kimberly-Clark’s billion-dollar brands. In his spare time, Mike enjoys golf, guitar and exploring the outdoors.
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  Molly Scanlon

  Creative Director

  Molly was born and raised in the land of 10,000 lakes (Minneapolis, to be precise), which explains her deep affection for Prince, the Minnesota Twins and walleye. She graduated from the University of Minnesota with a degree in journalism before heading east to Chicago. A copywriting internship at Frankel eventually led to a full-time gig where she helped create award-winning promotions for VERB, United Airlines and Ted. Over the course of eight years, Frankel became Arc, and the list of clients on Molly’s resume grew to include Harrah’s, Purina, McDonald’s, Norton by Symantec and Walgreens. As a creative director at TRIS3CT, Molly works on a variety of ConAgra brands such as Marie Callender’s, Healthy Choice and Orville Redenbacher’s. She is contractually obligated to laugh at all of Martin’s jokes and bring homemade baked goods to the office on a semi-regular basis.
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  Paul Kreuter

  Editor/Motion Graphics Artist

  Each frame counts and trying to find the right ones to tell the story is what Paul Kreuter does best. Paul grew up in the Sunshine State of Florida where the word “snow” does not exist. His education consists of a Bachelor’s in Business from the University of Florida and a degree in Digital Media from Full Sail University. After graduation, and five winter jacket purchases later, Paul accepted a job opportunity to move to Chicago and work for Leo Burnett as an Assistant Editor/Motion Graphics Artist and later worked for Avenue Edit. Before joining TRIS3CT, Paul was a freelance Editor/Motion Graphics Artist with various post-production companies and agencies around the Chicago area. Some of Paul’s other interests include movies, photography, daydreaming and golf, and he can usually be found laughing or doing something he thinks is funny. Paul is also currently ranked as one of the top, elite R/C Helicopter pilots in the agency. If it’s got power, he can fly it.
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  Paul Kuzma

  Chief Creative Officer

  If it has a surface, Paul will write on it. Over the past 15 years in marketing and advertising, he’s put his warped sense of language on everything from Old Style Beer to Kawasaki Motorcycles to McDonald’s Happy Meals to breathing new life into the original Cracker Jack prize. Inventing lyrical twists and turns along the way, he’s responsible for creating award-winning campaigns for global, blue chip clients as well as local Chicago non-profits. He’s now turned his attention to developing the TRIS3CT creative department with his signature warm, unexpected, creative approach and delivering unexpected results to all who enter our West Loop offices. Prior to joining Trisect, he was SVP, Creative Director at Arc Worldwide, where he led the development of innovative promotions for McDonald’s. He joined Arc from iLeo where he was ACD for the promotions and digital agency. Prior to iLeo, he was an ACD for Leo Burnett working on Morgan Stanley, Hallmark and GM. He also served as ACD at Frankel, working on Frito-Lay, USPS and VISA. Paul is the self-proclaimed, unchallenged, unofficial Jenga champion of our office.
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  Peter Janss

  Director, Corporate Development

  A proud native of Tampa, FL, Peter has called Chicago home since 2000. He’s managed to balance his passion for food, soccer and music while working around the world, though his productivity is questionable during Champions League matches. At TRIS3CT, Peter keeps himself busy with Corporate and Business Development responsibilities, which on any given day can mean he’s doing just about anything. He began his career in the Industry Affairs group of the Grocery Manufacturers Association and went on to work as a Global Account Director with a group of software and services firms prior to joining the “little t.”
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  Bob O’Brien

  Account Supervisor

  After graduating from Central Michigan University with a degree in Marketing and Advertising, Bob moved to Chicago and began his career working at a direct marketing company. Following a few years of managing programs that marketed products through DRTV, radio, direct mail and telemarketing efforts, Bob decided to take on a new challenge and moved into the agency side of the business. Prior to joining the TRIS3CT Account team, he worked at The Townsend Agency and Euro RSCG Chicago developing a wide range of direct mail and promotional materials for Discover Card, Sprint Wireless and Citi Cards. Bob is a Detroit area native, and he remains fiercely loyal to his Detroit sports teams.
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  Ryan Bentivegna

  Account Executive

  Ryan spent the first 15 years of his life in Encinitas, California before moving to Jacksonville Beach, Florida to finish out high school. He graduated from the University of Florida with a B.S. in Advertising and minors in Art History, Spanish & Pop Culture. Yes, Ryan is a Florida Gator and, yes, he is very good at trivia.

  After graduating in 2009, he began an internship in the Account Management and Interactive departments at The Robin Shepherd Group in Jacksonville. For about a year, he worked on multiple accounts including CSX, the PGA TOUR, Waycross College, and Merial HEARTGARD.

  In the summer of 2010, unlike Lebron James, Ryan decided to take his talents to Chicago to join the Bulls. Currently, the Bulls and Ryan are disputing over his contract because Ryan demands a no-trade clause. Until the Bulls and Ryan reach an official agreement, he can be found working at TRIS3CT on the Kawasaki business.

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  Ryan Turek

  Creative Director

  Ryan Turek has collaborated with and led creative teams to produce award-winning campaigns for more than 50 major brands and sub-brands in his 15+ years working at top level agencies, primarily through Arc/Frankel. The short list: Coke, Pepsi, Tropicana, Miller, Pabst, Schlitz, Old Style, Wal-Mart, CVS, Target, Walgreens, McDonald’s, Wendy’s, WaMu, Jackson Hewitt, U.S. Postal Service, Frito-Lay, Kellogg’s, Keebler, Hefty, Sara Lee, Häagen-Dazs, Pantene, Crest, Always, Pampers, Head & Shoulders, Old Navy, Kraft, IBM, Sony, AT&T, Kawasaki, GM, United Airlines, Georgia-Pacific, Culligan. Ryan ran his own successful graphic design company, Aura Creative, Inc., prior to joining the team at TRIS3CT. He understands both sides of the camera, having modeled for brands Kohler, John Deere, Ace Hardware and Manpower, represented by Ford Models and Stewart/Elite Talent. Ryan earned a B.A. degree in Media Communications with a Minor in Visual Communications from Northern Illinois University.
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  Sally Bunge

  Senior Art Director

  Sally likes: Typography, exotic fine papers, “World’s Largest” tourist attractions, live music, going barefoot, bringing ideas to life through design, people who look like their pets, taking risks, her family farm in northwest Iowa, letterpress, silkscreen posters, adhesives, Halloween, pinot noir, lip gloss, cobblestone streets, Spontaneous Funbustion, the Aha! moment, True Romance, riding elephants in India, finger puppets, plants in sidewalk cracks, the entrepreneurial spirit, traveling the world, Jeep Wranglers, lucky number 3, and buy one get one free.

  Sally does not like: Bad kerning. Or raisins.

  At TRIS3CT: Sally has been involved with a number of new business wins. She was instrumental in developing the Stained by Sharpie brand and growing the Sanford business. Most recently, her creative talents can be found in All Things ConAgra such as consumer promotions, loyalty and retail executions for Marie Callender’s, Healthy Choice, Orville Redenbacher’s, Slim Jim and Reddi-wip. Sally’s portfolio includes Allstate, Beam Global, John Deere, MasterCard, Sara Lee, Wells Fargo, and Vespa.

  Her motto is: Design is good. Good design is better.

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  Sarah Ingram

  Art Director

  Sarah is a proud, stone skipping, salmon fishing, soccer playing Michigander who has a BFA from the University of Michigan, where she developed creative skills that could make a wolverine purr. Her previous work experience includes event marketing for automotive clientele including Audi of America, General Motors, OnStar, Ford and Chrysler. After working several years in the Detroit area, Sarah had a longing to design pretty things for other kinds of products, products that did not involve a dual exhaust system with a twin turbo diesel injector and a carburetor.

  Before moving to Chicago in September, 2009, Sarah always thought Chicago’s nickname, “The Windy City,” was a huge exaggeration. But after two weeks of having her hair stick to her lip gloss every day, she became a believer. Since her move, Sarah has begun to appreciate the little things in life such as non-glossed lips, comfy shoes, umbrellas, rain boots, hot coffee and a good winter coat. She is loving Chicago and is so grateful that she can call Trisect home!

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  Sarah Gleason

  Associate Creative Director

  A true Minnesotan at heart, though her favorite sports are not ice fishing or curling, but she does whip up a pretty good Tater Tot hot dish. Sarah has an art degree from the University of Minnesota. Her first job out of school was working at a home shopping channel. No, she was not a hand model, but a visual stylist. Home Shopping was not her forte so she headed back to school. After graduating from Miami Ad School she landed at the door of Leo Burnett. For 5+ years she worked as an art director on clients such as Special K, Hallmark and Always. Sarah has always had a fondness for paper, so it is only fitting that she works on the Cottonelle team at TRIS3CT!

  Off hours you can find Sarah working on her cooking blog, Sangamon Cooks, training for an athletic endeavor or reading… her interests are endless.

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  Scott Melton

  Design Director

  Born in Southern California and raised in Colorado, Scott comes to TRIS3CT from Albuquerque, Atlanta, Boulder, Cheyenne, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Kansas City, Loveland, Riverside, San Diego, San Francisco, St. Louis (and a brief stay in the U.K.), in mostly alphabetical order. From a very young age, Scott not only drew a lot, but to the fascination of his parents drew odd things such as letters, logos and symbols, cementing his career path as a graphic designer and lover of all things typographic early on.

  For 20 years he’s been executing retail, sales promotion and advertising design for the likes of Anheuser-Busch, Coca-Cola, Coors Brewing Co., Gatorade, McDonald’s, Miller Brewing and Upper Deck, among others. At Trisect, Scott has found a home with the U.S. Cellular team.

  When he’s not helping transform business into art, Scott can be found reading, working on personal projects, in a museum, at the movies, listening to music or riding something with two wheels – occasionally much too fast.

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  Sheila Miller

  Chief Operating Officer

  Sheila acquired an accounting background working for several Fortune 500 companies and shifted her focus to closely held service companies in the areas of architecture, law, marketing and construction. She became an owner of Krahl Construction Company in the 1980s, which later became one of the first WBE certified contractors by the City of Chicago, working with some of the major law firms and companies in the city. Sheila managed contracts and subcontractor projects up to $12 million dollars.

  A DePaul graduate and CPA, Sheila developed expertise in providing services to small to medium sized advertising and marketing companies before joining TRIS3CT in 2005. She also earned an M.A. from National-Louis University and taught advanced accounting theory, auditing and taxes for Columbia College of Missouri.

  As Chief Operating Officer for Trisect, Sheila troubleshoots daily issues, working with all services and across all departments.

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  Shelly Porter

  Assistant Account Executive

  A career in advertising was definitely in the cards for a girl whose first word was “television.” Hailing from a north suburb of Milwaukee, Shelly pursued her affection for strategic communication at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. During her undergrad years she expanded her knowledge of the ad campaign process, cultivated her love of dairy products, and developed an appreciation for fine craft brews.

  At Tris3ct, Shelly brings a background in promotions, non-profit communication, and copywriting to her position as AAE on the U.S. Cellular team. Outside of office hours, you can find her jogging or biking through Lincoln Park or checking out one of Chicago’s countless restaurants.

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  Soraya Faber

  Senior Vice President, Group Director

  Known for her extensive background in integrated marketing, Soraya has brought strategic leadership to some of the world’s biggest brands: McDonald’s, Disney, Hallmark, State Farm, LensCrafters, Alberto Culver and Chicago Tribune.

  A textbook “people person,” Soraya’s passion for understanding what makes people tick has been the driving force behind numerous award-winning campaigns at Leo Burnett, DDB and Arc. Whether it’s mass, retail, direct or digital, Soraya’s focus has been on developing programs that challenge the status quo, build brand loyalty and ultimately change behavior.

  As a Group Account Director at TRIS3CT, Soraya leads the ConAgra, DeVry and U.S. Cellular teams. In addition, she provides multicultural leadership and support to all Trisect clients.

  Soraya is of Puerto Rican descent, enjoys playing the fiddle, and can be spotted playing the role of “Mommy” to her two amazing bambinos, Tommy and Liam.

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  Stacy Cohen

  Account Director

  Stacy began her career working on the McDonald’s business where she concentrated on retail strategy and successful new product introductions. She moved on to develop national shopper marketing and cross-portfolio retail programs for P&G.

  Since then, Stacy has led consumer promotions, shopper marketing and retail programs for clients including Alberto Culver, Kimberly-Clark and Kellogg’s. Today, Stacy leads the Newell Rubbermaid Office Products team and the ConAgra frozen business where the agency is CP-AOR for Marie Callender’s and Healthy Choice.

  Originally from Akron, Ohio, Stacy graduated from the Indiana University Kelley School of Business with a degree in Marketing and International Studies.

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  Steve Savich

  Account Executive

  Otherwise known as “Savvy,” this transplant from the Great Lakes State arrived in Chicago in the summer of 2006 to start an internship with a relatively unknown and small agency named Trisect. After three eventful months, Steve was hired on full time. He began his career working on brands such as Old Style, Schlitz and Kawasaki, helping to build retail point of purchase elements and promotional campaigns. He has since transitioned onto the Sanford account working on brands such as uni-ball, Sharpie and Expo. His book smarts are compliments of Central Michigan University and his street smarts are compliments of the City of Detroit.

  In his free time, Steve enjoys listening to music, running, photography and traveling, among other things. He is a three-time marathon finisher and plans to run one every year until his knees give out. Steve also has a strong liking for anything two-wheeled and you can spot him riding around Chicago on his bicycle or motorcycle, both of which are orange.

  Flickr photostream – http://www.flickr.com/photos/steve_savvy/
  Twitter – http://twitter.com/#!/Steve_Savvy
  Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/steve.savvy
  Youtube – http://www.youtube.com/user/stevenmsavich
  Linkedin – http://www.linkedin.com/in/stevenmsavich

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  Taylor Varco

  Account Executive

  Taylor grew up in Arlington Heights, a Northwest suburb of Chicago, planning to pursue her career on the U.S. Olympic figure skating team. After that didn’t work out she attended the University of Illinois, graduating with a degree in Advertising. After graduation, she quickly jumped into an internship at a small Chicago-based marketing agency, leading to a full-time position.

  Taylor came to TRIS3CT with the experience of leading a wide variety of projects, ranging from in-store merchandising to national consumer promotions. She comes with a background made primarily of CPG brands such as Sara Lee, Hillshire Farm and Ball Park Franks. Outside of work you can find her enjoying a run along the lakefront or watching one of her favorite musicals on repeat. Taylor believes her foundation in marketing and her passion for innovative thinking has set her up for success at Trisect with the U.S. Cellular team.

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  Tim Kehoe

  Senior Account Executive

  An Ohio native, Tim graduated from Ohio University, where he created a new program curriculum that eventually became a Bachelor of Specialized Studies Degree in Photography and Geography, with a minor in Environmental Studies. He has a diverse career background that started with the founding of an annual outdoor music festival and event productions company. With experience in promotions and experiential marketing programs, he has worked in sales and marketing roles in numerous industries, including the foodservice and hospitality industries and as a retail entrepreneur. Tim joined TRIS3CT in order to get back to his marketing roots, and has not looked back.

  While not working, he practices being terrible at golf, and loves to take naps. He has a beautiful wife and the greatest dog on earth, a pitbull named Ayo Monster. Tim is afraid of only two things: the dentist and “Hello-My-Name-Is” stickers.

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  Tim Nelson

  President

  While overseeing all facets of the agency, Tim continues to play an active role with clients. Known for his extensive background in retail strategy and shopper marketing, he has over 20 years of experience across a variety of leading brands and product categories. Prior to joining TRIS3CT, Tim was SVP, Director of Client Service at Young & Rubicam, where he led the agency’s cornerstone Sears account. At Arc Worldwide, he spearheaded the development and rollout of McDonald’s award-winning “Simple Bold” retail identity program. He began his career client-side in the CPG industry at Philip Morris and has also worked for Miller Brewing Company and Kellogg’s.
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  Tom Stiefermann

  Chief Planning Officer

  As one of the founding team members of TRIS3CT, Tom’s role in the agency has evolved as the company has grown. Currently, he heads up overall business management for the Kawasaki account. Tom’s more than 20 years in the promotion industry have earned him a reputation for strategic insight and creative solutions to the challenges facing marketers. Prior to joining Trisect, Tom was a principal at The Grand Group, an agency he co-founded and led for 10 years, and a VP-Group Creative Director at Frankel. He has led strategic planning and integrated marketing development for a variety of blue-chip clients including Kraft, Nestlé, Keebler, Dial, Kodak, FTD, Old Navy and Microsoft. When he’s not working, Tom enjoys taking advantage of all the surf, sand and sun Southern California has to offer.
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  Tyler Jay

  Executive Producer

  Tyler Jay was born on a full moon night in the high desert of Santa Fe, New Mexico. His time at the University of Arizona left him sharp as a cactus needle and eager to take on the film business in LA. His work on the sets of several feature films including “Spiderman,” “Matrix 2,” and “Zoolander” opened the door for his transition to working as a commercial director and producer for brands such as Australian Tourism, Gap and New Balance. A lady friend (now his wife) eventually convinced Tyler to relocate to Chicago where he became an agency producer at Leo Burnett and later a senior producer at DraftFCB. Some of this work includes overseeing the creative, execution and completion of 22 bid films for the Chicago Olympic 2016 Bid Committee. Tyler joined TRIS3CT after working as an Executive Producer for Dictionary Films.

  Tyler is incredibly proud of the great work we get to execute here at Trisect. The agency has produced many broadcast spots, web videos, and print ads for many of its clients including Cottonelle, DeVry, Scott Naturals, and Viva featuring Mike Rowe.

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  Wes Jarrett

  Assistant Account Executive

  Born and raised in the suburbs of Chicago, Wes found his way to TRIS3CT and back to the city he loves after completing his BS in Finance at Purdue University. A quant-jock at heart, he’s developed a knack for putting meaning to spreadsheets, calculating ROI, and placing the perfectly hedged sports wager. Wes decided to trade Wall St. for the ad game after realizing it was the perfect place to leverage that misplaced creative gene as well, and now finds a home with the ConAgra team, working with brands such as Slim Jim, Orville Redenbacher, Healthy Choice, Marie Callender’s, and David Seeds.

  Prior to Trisect, Wes worked at Ogilvy, Chicago to explore the impact of digital channels in driving brand preference of CPG products in global markets.

  When he’s not in the office, you can find Wes on Lake Michigan’s Oak St. Beach playing volleyball, spending time with friends and family downtown, or slope-side somewhere in Telluride, Colorado. He also makes a mean Mojito, and the best blueberry pancakes this side of The Loop.

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  Zach Burdick

  Associate Creative Director

  Zach was born in Kalamazoo, Michigan to a goat-collecting psychic and a budding Buddhist chimney sweep. With an innate interest in the arts, he decided early on that he would someday be a famous cartoonist. Young Zach’s prediction may have been wrong, but his desire to make creativity a career never waned. In fact, it thrived. Just ask clients such as SC Johnson, Kraft, GlaxoSmithKline and Ebay.

  At TRIS3CT, Zach brings his artistic vision, leadership skills, technical wizardry and strategic thinking to the Newell Rubbermaid Office Products brand portfolio.

  Zach’s professional and personal goals are nearly identical – be honest, have fun, communicate clearly and never stop learning.

  By contrast, Zach’s non-professional interests include small poodle mixes and miniature furniture and his spirit animal is Rodney Dangerfield.

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  Zach Novak

  Senior Account Executive

  Zach came to TRIS3CT in 2009. A Chicago-area native, he was more than happy to help manage the agency’s Old Style Beer account. His stellar motor skills and quick wit made Zach’s transition to the Kawasaki account quite smooth. He helps lead projects that span digital work to packaging design to radio ads.

  Zach is a graduate of Colorado College, and enjoys hockey and volunteer work.