My whole life I've gone to the next challenge without regard for consequences, labels, or sometimes financial well-being. If you’re a surfer you know the phrase “Eddie would go.”
I am at TBWA/Chiat NY as I write this. Every day I think I have the best window on technology as creative director of the Accenture business. I have the honor to work on behalf of the best doctors in the world with the Mayo Clinic, and I get to explore the music industry with the Recording Academy. Three wildly divergent experiences. I like the mix of heart and mind and gut.
I get asked (a lot) why I went to Doremus after being a CD at W+K. At the time it was a financial announcement (tombstone) advertising agency. But it was the biggest hill I could find. When I left, Doremus was B2B mid-size Agency of the Year for multiple years running. But if you ask me, I don’t think I took it nearly as far as I wanted to. These days I’m not naive enough to think that creative solves absolutely everything. But tall hills are important. I cofounded a nonprofit in Florida to teach kids about the ocean. It's now the number one activity on Trip Advisor and online summer camp registration fills in less than an hour. Tall hill, that one.
The bulk of my career has been spent at Wieden & Kennedy in Portland, NY and Amsterdam. I founded W+K Amsterdam with six other friends and expats. Over all my jobs I have been creative director on Nike, Coke, Microsoft, Westin Hotels, Sheraton Hotels, Paramount Hotel, Anne Klein, O-I Glass, Visa, 3M, Sun Life Financial, UL, Accenture, Verizon, Mayo Clinic, Recording Academy and many others.
I have been creative director in the United States, the EU, BRIC, and APAC. I have been a Keynote speaker at the annual meeting for the Association of National Advertisers, the Business Marketing Association, a participant and presenter in Advertising 2020, the Wharton Future of Advertising Program, and a Hero for Miami Ad School.
I have 3 daughters, one husband, a Great Dane, and 2 cats.
In the beginning, I went to Brown University. I was pumping gas at the Texaco on Sugarloaf Key by day and acting in Key West by night when I decided to go into advertising.