“I’ve seen a lot of agency fads come and go over the years…
Roger Gray
Partner & CEO
…British version of account planning, virtual agencies, the bundling and then unbundling of services, and talent agencies pretending to be ad agencies. It’s all window dressing. Want a really good ad agency to work with? Find one with smart people, with big ideas that will work hard to see you succeed. In other words, us.”
Education: MBA Loyola University Maryland
Brands: Choice Hotels International, InterContinental Hotels and Resorts, NutriSystem, Snyder’s-Lance Snack Foods
Accomplishments:American Advertising Federation Silver Medal Award, Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year, One of Maryland’s Most Admired CEOs
Role: Overall agency leadership. Leads client brand development strategies
“We don’t have a basketball court or an agency Segway.
Jeff Millman
Partner & Creative Officer
We don’t really play creative dress-up. We’re just a bunch of normal people who happen to generate extraordinary ideas.”
Education: University of West Florida
Brands: Roy Rogers, Choice Hotels, Trump Organization, Lockheed Martin, Medicare, St. Joseph Aspirin, Lance Crackers, Maryland Lottery
Accomplishments: Cannes, One Show, Art Directors Club/Adweek Creative Director of the Year
Role: Leads the agency’s creative product, primary writer on several accounts, writes and speaks about advertising to baby boomers
“We believe Albert Einstein was correct when he defined insanity as doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
Garry Raim
Partner, EVP Direct & Interactive Marketing
We look at each project individually and build the strategy and team necessary to meet that challenge.”
Education: University of Maryland, Columbia University, University of Virginia
Brands: Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, MJHS, Johns Hopkins University, Coventry Healthcare
Accomplishments: Helping to open the National Aquarium; leading the team that launched the Medicare Prescription Drug Program; building a successful consumer business unit at BlueCross BlueShield of MD
Role: Leads the Agency’s direct and digital disciplines; partner-in-charge of health and higher education accounts
“Whenever I say ‘mobile marketing’, everyone automatically thinks about their smartphone…
Kevin Kempske
Partner, President and Chief Operating Officer
…until i show them one of our kick ass branded vehicles, which have proven to be way faster than a smartphone at driving traffic (and sales). “
Education: Towson University
Brands: Independence Air, MedStar Health, Coventry, Snyder’s-Lance, Cape Cod, Baltimore Ravens
Accomplishments: Baltimore Business Journal’s 40 Under 40, Leadership Baltimore County, Public Relations Society of America Awards, Proud Father of 3 Boys
Role: Leads the agency’s public relations, grassroots outreach and branded mobile vehicle activities; handles a variety of operational issues; takes care of things no one else wants to
“When I was on the client side, one of my greatest frustrations was agencies that had their own agendas.
Dan Collins
Partner, SVP Strategic Planning and Research
Often you could just see it in the pitch. As someone who’s been where you are, I can tell you that GKV is about you, not us, 100% of the time.”
Education: Lafayette College and Duke University
Brands: PANDORA, Snyder’s-Lance, life’sDHA, St.Joseph’s Products
Accomplishments: Dramatic business growth, award winning creative, happy people
Role: In-house client, CPG expert, making sure we are ready and aimed before firing
“After I saw Star Wars, I wanted to join the rebels.
Dave Broscious
Partner, Associate Creative Director
Who didn’t? Darth Vader. Storm troopers. Two Death Stars. Bring them on. Is it coincidence that GKV’s colors are the same as the rebel alliance? Maybe. Or maybe not.”
Education: Pennsylvania State University
Brands: PANDORA, National Aquarium, Cape Cod Potato Chips, Lance, Turkey Hill, CareFirst Blue Cross Blue Shield
Accomplishments: New York Festivals, ADDY Best of Show, Art Directors Club, Cannes
Role: Campaign development, brand advisor, senior writer, idea generation
“I really wish we had a basketball court.
Mark Rosica
Partner, Associate Creative Director
Because I suck at basketball. But I want to be better. One day I will be able to dunk. I might have to lower the net 3 feet (maybe 4) or use one of those circus trampolines, but I will find a way. Cause that’s what we do here. We create solutions. To all kinds of problems. And if you can do it with advertising, why not basketball?”
Education: University of Florida
Brands: PANDORA, Cape Cod Potato Chips, Lance, The Nature Conservancy, US Airways, Lenox, Maryland Lottery
Accomplishments: Clios, Cannes, One Show, Art Directors Club, Communication Arts, Effies, O’toole Award
Role: Helps create and take brands to new and exciting places, Senior Art Direction
“We might not be located in a major market city…
Cathy Kowalewski
Partner, VP, CFO
…but we continue to develop and produce cutting edge advertising for national brands.”
Brands: Roy Rogers, Marriott Theme Parks, Choice Hotels, Trump Plaza/Casino, Playboy, Medicare, PANDORA Jewelry
Role: Supervises and manages financials statements, payroll, accounts receivable/payables, client billings, company human resources
“Account Service implies the role of a waiter. In today’s rough and tumble marketing world, clients should expect their account folks to be leaders, not service personnel.
David Blum
Senior Vice President
Leaders help anticipate client needs, try to steer clients away from bad decisions, and champion great (sometimes scary) creative solutions that win the day.”
School: University of Virginia, VCU
Brands: Maryland Lottery, St. Joseph Aspirin, di•gel, DSM, CareFirst, DeWalt Tools, AMF Bowling, Virginia Power, Standard Drug
Accomplishments: Effie Awards, Appearances on CNN/CNBC, Vice President of American Advertising Federation, President of Richmond Public Relations Association
Role: Leads the agency’s account management group and leads several key agency accounts
“Go for the NBD. Never Been Done.
Daniel Robinson
SVP, Director of Media Services
I heard Brandon Tartikoff say it years ago, and they’ve been my words to live by ever since. “
School: University of Chicago
Brands: Lance, L-3 Communications, Medicare, Cape Cod Potato Chips, St. Joseph Aspirin
Accomplishments: Roundtable Speaker – Baltimore Advertising Week 2012, Member – Account Planning Group/London, Committee Member – AAAA Mid-Sized Media Directors Committee
Role: Provide breakthrough media strategies for our clients, oversee other people doing the same thing, accept lunch invitations
“The Chesapeake Bay runs in my veins,
Stacey Wynia
SVP, Director of Public Relations and Social Media
but having spent 10 years in LA and five in NYC, I am also part California Girl with some NY moxy and spirit added in for good measure”
Education: University of Maryland
Brands: Current – Pandora, Snyder’s of Hanover, Cape Cod, Maryland Lottery, Shentel –Past – P&G, MasterCard, Diageo, Mattel, Toyota, Amazon
Accomplishments: Being part of P&G’s Thank You Mom Olympic Campaign, Winning Agency of Record for Toyota with no automotive experience just great strategy and creative, seeing the accomplishments of those who have worked on my teams as they continue to grow and thrive as professionals, creating the strategic/creative process for a former agency that they still use today
Role: Leading the PR and Social media team to ensure integrated campaigns for clients
“I like making things.
Ken Dennison
SVP, Creative Director
Ads, websites, logos, tee shirts, yearly haunted house, just to name a few.
Education: McDaniel College
Brands: BGE Home, MJHS, Constellation, L3, Health Alliance, Miller Value Partners, Shentel
Accomplishments: Various industry awards for both creative production and marketing strategy
“Everything is awesome. Everything is cool when you’re part of a team.” – The Lego Movie
Shannon K. Gardiner
SVP, Director of Account Management
It’s true, attitude really is everything. So pick a good one and share it with those around you. It rubs off.
Education: Mount St. Mary’s University, 4A’s Institute of Advanced Advertising Studies (IAAS)
Brands: Rita’s Water Ice, Visit Philadelphia, United Way of SE PA, Philadelphia Streets Department, Kennedy Health System, University of MD Medical Center, Genesis Healthcare, MedStar Health, CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, Blue Shield of California, MJHS, St. Joseph Aspirin, McCormick & Co.
Accomplishments: Campaign to prepare inner city youth for kindergarten; introduced the City of Philadelphia to single-stream recycling; Baltimore Addy’s committee; numerous award-winning campaigns in the categories of healthcare, insurance and CPG; most importantly, RESULTS
Role: Director on select clients and projects, new business development, strategic counsel, mentoring, and overseeing the department requirements, processes and workload