About
I love to tell stories. Whether I am being challenged to help fill a long-tail customer engagement funnel or to create a single, intriguing headline for an ad campaign, it always comes down to telling stories that grab and hold people’s attention. This instinct has helped me succeed with some of the country’s biggest brands (as well as some of the smallest.) Another key component of my success is being someone people like to work with. Remaining open-minded and collaborative makes for much better relationships with clients and co-workers. Staying curious, inventive and entrepreneurial is also critical and helps me navigate this often unpredictable and fluid world with a smile on my face.
If you'd like the detailed facts of the case, please have a look at my LinkedIn profile or my résumé.
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I AM A MASTER STORYTELLER.
Whether I am being challenged to mastermind a long-tail customer engagement funnel or to create a single irresistible headline for an ad, it always comes down to telling stories that grab and hold people’s attention. This instinct has helped me succeed with some of the country’s biggest brands (as well as some of the smallest.)
I AM A Client whisperer.
An agency President once marveled that I was a very rare kind of Creative—someone who can speak the client’s marketing language fluently, and then translate it back to the team in a creative language, that they not only understand but excites their imaginations and inspires great work.
I am Hungry.
Staying curious, flexible, inventive, and entrepreneurial is also a critical attribute that has helped me navigate this often unpredictable and fluid world with a smile on my face.
I AM A PACK ANIMAL.
I like people, and for the most part, people like me. I am far from being the cliche of a difficult Creative. I have found that collaboration and inclusion are far more inspiring, and productive. Including peoples’ thoughts also improves buy-in—exponentially. Importantly, this is not only true with co-workers, but also with clients.
I AM (NOT) A NAME DROPPER.
Name dropping is not my usual gig, but as this is my portfolio website full of work and clients I am proud to have helped during my career, I’m going to make an exception. Here we go with the top 15:
M&M Mars
Enfamil Infant Formula
Skittles
Uncle Ben’s
Whiskas Cat Food
Aquafina
Pizza Hut
Frito Lay
Crisco
Tide Detergent
RJ Reynolds
Hanes
Mt Olive Pickles
Gerber
Primo Water
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CREATIVE DIRECTOR THS Creative, Greensboro, NC 2022 – present
Always a fan of creating a beautiful and welcoming home environment—it is a thrill to join this agency specializing in home products, building materials, home accents, home accessories, and home furnishings. My work includes digital ads, social posts, online videos, e-mail campaigns, brochures, direct mail, and print ads.
Current Luxury
Vellame Candles & Accessories
Whittierwood Furniture
Vizmeg Landscaping & Design
THE RESPONSIBILITIES: Creating and presenting design exploratories for clients’ campaigns and websites.
THE RESULTS:
Improved; “sell-in”, campaign production, and timelines
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SENIOR DESIGN MANAGER The Fresh Market, Greensboro, NC 2018 – 2021
Living a foodie’s dream. I joined the in-house Marketing group at a specialty food retailer I have been a huge fan of for years.
THE RESPONSIBILITIES: Creating and presenting design exploratories for seasonal campaigns, setting the vision for all marketing components, including in-store signage, direct mail, social posts, online video, e-mail campaigns, and outdoor boards. Redesigning the Private Label packaging of more than 200 products to reflect the strategic goal of a more premium, and consistent brand look.
THE RESULTS:
Packaging redesigns grew “Center Store Sales” from $83 million to over $100 million last year.
My specific dairy design refresh netted the department its best year ever in 2020.
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ASSISTANT DIRECTOR MARKETING DESIGN
UNC-Greensboro, Greensboro, NC 2013 – 2018
Back to college...sort of. As the Creative Lead of the in-house Marketing group at UNC-Greensboro’s Division of Online Learning, I led one of the few professional marketing groups within the University. As word spread, we were sought out by other departments to help with their marketing needs.
THE RESPONSIBILITIES: Marketing campaigns for UNCG Online, Undergraduate Admissions, the Bryan School of Business, the School of Nursing, as well as several other departments.
Campaigns included Outdoor, TV, Radio, Direct Mail, Brochures, Digital Ads, Websites, and Social Campaigns
Fundraising Campaigns and Special Projects for the Chancellor’s Office, University Relations, and Alumni Relations
Campaign development, logo design, and brand guide for the University’s 125th-anniversary celebration.
Transitioned course production from hard-coded websites to LMS (Learning Management Systems).
THE RESULTS:
Online course production increased ten-fold.
Student comprehension metrics and course completion rates saw steady year-over-year increases.
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FREELANCE CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Doug Shouse Marketing, Winston Salem, NC. 2009–2013
Linwood Furniture branding, print ads, posters, direct mail, and store signage
American Snuff Company consumer and internal promotions, and website
Primo Water e-commerce websites, packaging, in-store displays
Wake Forest University sub-brand identity, microsite, and marketing materials to launch their Center for Retail Studies
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FREELANCE CREATIVE DIRECTOR
G-Force Marketing, Greensboro, NC 2010 – 2012
Colfax Furniture TV spots, Newspaper Circulars, Promotional Logos
Sealy Mattress Stores Catalogs, websites, Newspaper Circulars
Nalley Automotive Group TV, Print, Radio, Outdoor Boards
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FREELANCE CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Concentric Marketing, Charlotte, NC. 2009 – 2011
Returned to help my previous agency, between Creative Directors. Asked to handle the search for their new CD.
Gerber Children’s Wear created a “mom’s community” campaign, including a website, social posts, and online forums
Feline Pine Cat Litter created a campaign “created by cats”, featuring guerilla ads, social posts, online videos, and websites, protesting traditional clay cat litter.
Elliott Davis Accounting Brand identity, brand style guide, Website, Digital, and Print Ads
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CREATIVE DIRECTOR Coyne Beahm Shouse, Greensboro, NC
Specialized in Digital and Non-Traditional, Relationship, Promotion & Affinity marketing
Created the campaign that won the Southern States’ EquuSSource Account—and an ADDY Award for Best of Show
Led the pitch to win the agency’s largest account, The American Snuff Company.
Hanes
Mt. Olive Pickles
Primo Water
Southern States
Scotts Lawn Care
RJ Reynolds
Thomasville Furniture
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ASSOCIATE CREATIVE DIRECTOR Bouvier Kelly, Greensboro, NC
Led the creative team of this boutique agency during a period of steady growth and a heady accumulation of ADDY awards.
Time Warner Cable
Pinehurst Convention & Visitors Bureau
Moses Cone Health System
FNB Bank
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CREATIVE DIRECTOR Concentric Marketing, Charlotte, NC
I took the creative reigns at this Packaged Goods agency, specializing in growing “challenger” brands. Produced an ADDY award-winning campaign for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Charlotte that saw a 41% increase
in participation.
Continental/General Tire
Jobst Hosiery
Seapak Shrimp Co
Kroger Dairy
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CREATIVE DIRECTOR D’Arcy Advertising, Saint Louis, MO
Joined the creative heart of one of the country’s great CPG Ad agencies in 2001. Was Conceptual lead for the Whiskas Cat Food campaign, honored in Adweek Magazine’s Best Spots. Created the campaign that won the Enfamil infant formula account — a campaign that tested 30% above norms.
M&M Mars
Enfamil Infant Formula
Skittles
Uncle Ben’s
Whiskas Cat Food
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VP ASSOCIATE CREATIVE DIRECTOR Trone Advertising, Greensboro, NC
CREATIVE DIRECTOR Tracy Locke, Dallas TX.
ART DIRECTOR Towne Silverstein & Rotter, New York, NY
JUNIOR ART DIRECTOR Saatchi & Saatchi, New York, NY
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Education
Syracuse University: BFA Advertising Design, Cum Laude