Leadership

What got you into this business in the first place? As a latchkey kid, I spent a good deal of my formative years planted in front of the TV. I was as fascinated by the commercials as by the shows themselves. I committed taglines to memory, sang along with jingles and ate Life cereal just like Mikey.

Who was a big influence in your career? Simon Sinek is the author of, 'Start with Why,' a book that addresses motivation in relation to the anatomy of the human mind. Upon hearing him speak, I recognized his philosophies were directly in line with my own, only laid out in a way I could easily convey to others.

What was your finest moment in the industry, the thing you’re most proud of? I was recognized with the American Advertising Federation’s Silver Medal. It meant a lot because it acknowledged not only the influential work I’ve done to build clients’ businesses, but also efforts I’ve made to forward industry standards and improve lives through advertising.

Do you have a method for coming up with ideas and solutions for clients? Ideas rarely strike the same place twice. Inspiration can arise from free writing, playing word games with coworkers, stumbling across the web, strolling through a park or simply taking a nap. Some of my most effective campaigns take shape on the notepad by my bed.

What makes a great brand? It’s not an icon, a color palette or a typeface. A great brand relies on a well communicated clarity of why the company exists. Consumers are loyal to companies that share and reflect their beliefs.

What driving career goals do you still have? Just one, building Group Five into the most influential advertising agency in the world. After that, I’ll retire.

What talent do you wish you had? My drawing skills peaked in third grade. Anything beyond stick figures is awe inspiring.

If you had to live on a desert island, what would you miss most? That’s easy – television. How else would I watch commercials?

Is there any food that helps you think more creatively? I don’t have any empirical evidence to support this, but the jelly inside a Krispy Kreme is actually concentrated inspiration.

What’s your favorite sports team? As a UF alum, I’m a diehard Gator fan. In all kinds of weather, we’ll all stick together for F-L-O-R-I-D-A.

Do you have pets? I admit it, I’m a cat guy. I’ve got three at home and love them to death. In fact, can I change my desert island answer?

What was growing up like for you? I was a pretty happy kid. I loved sports – soccer, football, basketball, built elaborate couch cushion forts and mastered tic-tac-toe in head-to-head competitions against, well, myself.

What’s your favorite TV program? I love M*A*S*H and have since I was a kid. At the time, I just laughed at Hawkeye and Trapper chasing nurses and harassing Franks Burns. Years later, I learned to appreciate the social commentary and human drama. I’ve literally seen every episode at least a dozen times.

What’s your least favorite TV show? Any reality dating show. How many more times can people be 'shocked' the happy couple breakup less than a media-tour-month after the final rose ceremony?

What got you into this business in the first place? Clorox and Dr. Pepper. I loved their commercials when I was a kid. I would sing their jingles over and over again. It amazed me what just 30 seconds could do and I wanted to be a part of it.

What was "your finest moment," the thing you’re most proud of? One of the things I am most proud of is graduating from the University of Florida. My parents didn’t get to go to college and they did everything they could while I was growing up to make sure I did. Getting a degree was the least I could do.

What was your most embarrassing moment in this business? It was years ago and I was walking into my first big new client meeting. My shoe got stuck coming out of the elevator and I fell right in front of them. I was mortified, but I got the account.

What makes a great brand? A great brand is one that makes you feel something. Even if they are not the cheapest or most convenient, you still don’t want anything else.

What driving career goals do you still have? It may sound a bit cliché, but I still want to be the best I can be. I am always searching for new information about the industry and try to learn something every day. Advertising is so dynamic, the minute you think you’ve got it mastered, you learn something new.

Is there any food that helps you think more creatively? No. But I like to pretend chocolate does.

What’s your favorite sports team? As a graduate of the University of Florida, I am going to have to pick the Gators.

Tell us about your pets? Lola is a 4 year old calico. She is an Aries, enjoys long walks on the beach and fettucini by candlelight.

What was growing up like for you? My dad was in the Air Force for 20 years so I grew up moving from military base to military base. It wasn’t always easy, but the opportunity to live so many places and meet so many different kinds of people is an experience I’m happy to say I had.

What do you for a good time when you’re not working? When not at Group Five, I am usually in spin class or hanging out with my friends (mostly other Group Fiver’s) at our favorite restaurant/watering hole.

What got you into this business in the first place? I wanted a career that made a difference. Advertising certainly fits that description. Whether it’s quenching someone’s thirst with an ice cold Coca-Cola or preventing teens from texting and driving, advertising is the power to influence.

Who was a big influence in your career? My dad. Not because he knew anything about the principles of advertising or planning a media buy, but because he taught me great work ethic and to always lead with my heart. I practice both every day I walk into Group Five.

What was 'your finest moment,' the thing you’re most proud of? The first major request for proposal I took on and won. They can be very cumbersome, particular and challenging. Putting in all that hard work and then seeing Group Five’s name at the top of the score sheet was a great feeling.

What attracted you to Group Five? Lots of agencies design pretty ads, but Group Five is about something more. It’s about actually making an impact in people’s lives. For me, that made Group Five the only choice.

Do you have a method for coming up with ideas and solutions for clients? It starts with being an active listener, learning client’s short-term and long-term objectives. Then, I review my notes and kick ideas around with the other Groupers to develop the plan best suited to create effective solutions.

What talent do you wish you had? They say singers always wish they were athletes and athletes always wish they were singers. In the ad world, the same is true of account people and artists. I would love to design as beautifully as our artists.

Is there any food that helps you think more creatively? I’m not sure if cheese actually makes me think more creatively, but it makes me happy in my heart and that has to help.

Tell us about your pets? I have three cats – Precious, my baby boy (yes, a boy). Pooh Bear, and Little Miss Mocha (black Hemingway with 24 toes) and one spoiled pit bull named Holly. She’ll lick you to death.

What was growing up like for you? I’m close with my entire family, including my twin sister, Brianna. When I go to Vero to visit, I tend to stay home with the parents to watch movies and play games rather than going out with friends.

What’s your favorite TV program? Past favorite – LOST. Current favorite – Dexter.

What are your favorite internet sites? Like millions of other people, Facebook is daily destination. I also enjoy any sites with random cute animal pics and videos.

What got you into this business in the first place? The thing that first drew me to a career in advertising was the creative aspect. I find it fascinating and inspiring that art and design is tied so closely to good advertising.

What was "your finest moment," the thing you’re most proud of? My finest moment? It could happen at any time. I am constantly working to push my own boundaries. I focus less on past successes and more on producing work that I find interesting. My next 'finest moment' is just around the corner.

What attracted you to Group Five? I had admired Group Five + Associates from afar for some time. Their work has always been spot on. I found out they were hiring for a web developer position so I applied and found my road into the area's best advertising agency.

Do you have a method for coming up with ideas and solutions for clients? Research, thought, long days, and a little black magic. I have to take myself out of the day-to-day to get my very best ideas.

What makes a great brand? A great brand makes sense to people, but it also challenges people. Pick any branding that comes to mind, Apple, for instance. The branding speaks to the audience it was intended for, but it also speaks to others as well. People feel polarized about the product, some hate it but the ones who love it are ambassadors for the product.

What driving career goals do you still have? My career goal was, is and continues to be staying on the cutting edge of web design and technology.

What got you into this business in the first place? Being an art director appeals to both my desire to make a creative contribution to the world, and my introverted personality.

Who was a big influence in your career? Professor James Twitchell at the University of Florida. His class, “Advertising and Culture,” completely opened my eyes to the narrative nature of advertising.

What was your finest moment, the thing you're most proud of? Winning the Larry Edwards Award for Best of Show in public service advertising for our 'Scoop the Poop' project for a local environmental group. It may not sound appealing, but it really was a great campaign.

Do you have a method for coming up with ideas and solutions for clients? Ideas come from all over, but listening carefully, understanding client goals and knowing when to take a step back (or a step outside for fresh air) always help.

What talent do you wish you had? I wish I could dance like a pop star.

If you had to live on a desert island, what would you miss most? Besides the obvious (friends, family, pets)? It's a tie between my bed and kitchen knives.

What was growing up like for you? Education was always the biggest focus. My parents were very supportive and encouraging when it came to developing creativity and critical thinking. Also, my last name was always a cause of confusion. For the record, it's pronounced “coral.”

What's your favorite TV program? Fashion Police, because it's the perfect blend of topical humor and aesthetic commentary.

What do you for a good time when you're not working? Fantasy football (commissioner of two leagues), day trips to the beach, making cheesecake and eating cheesecake are some of my faves.

What are your favorite internet sites? Colourlovers.com, epicurious.com, thebestdesigns.com and miauk.com.

What got you into this business in the first place? Love of graphic design. I was intrigued by how the right mix of color, shape and image can do so much to convey a message.

Who was a big influence in your career? Group Five’s two founders, Sally Cameron and Bobbie Tyler. They did so much to shape my values and vision early in my career.

What was your most embarrassing moment in this business? Losing my shoes under the conference table during a client meeting. I had to literally crawl under the table on all fours to retrieve them.

Is there a great client story you’d care to share? A “follicly-challenged” client wanted us to photoshop hair onto his brochure photo. You can just imagine the variety of hairdos our artists experimented with.

Do you have a method for coming up with ideas and solutions for clients? I enjoy brainstorming sessions with the whole Group Five team. There’s a lot to be said for the power of bringing great minds together.

Is there any food that helps you think more creatively? Coffee is critical fuel for kick starting my day.

Tell us about your pets? Four cats - mostly black given to my husband when his birthday falls on Friday the 13th of October, and the best dog in the world...Bruno.

What do you for a good time when you’re not working? I’m a reader. Nothing beats curling up on my patio and taking down a 300-page novel through the course of a weekend.

What was your most embarrassing moment in this business? After being employed at Group Five for about three months, my five-year-old son told the agency’s owner, "I don't know what my mom does, but I know that you work her butt off."

What driving career goals do you still have? Total industry domination.

What talent do you wish you had? As the bean counter, I would like to be more creative. At least I get to hang out with those who are.

If you had to live on a desert island, what would you miss most? Pizza. Of course, a Cap'n and Diet wouldn't be too bad either.

Is there any food that helps you think more creatively? Creatively?? Perhaps clearly is a better word in my department...walnuts...grrreat brain food! Seriously though, ice-cream.

What’s your favorite sports team? My family is originally from the Pittsburgh area so we’re all big Steelers fans. I grew up in Miami, so I have to love the Dolphins. And living in Gainesville, you have to root for the Gators.

What frustrates you the most? Disorganization and inefficiency.

Tell us about your pets? Jake, a shepherd mix, rescued from the local animal shelter. Several months ago, we adopted two kitties that were literally dumped in our yard; their names are Thelma and Louise.

What was growing up like for you? Left in the morning and played OUTSIDE all day. Kids don’t do that anymore. Shame.

What’s your favorite TV program? There are several...Hell's Kitchen, Harry's Law, Top Shot and the list goes on.

What do you for a good time when you’re not working? Bowling, quilting and hanging with my peeps/buddies watching football games.

What was college like for you? Fun, but challenging. I was slightly older than most of my classmates, while raising a teen of my own.