Alex Stafford / Alex Stafford Photography
Alex Stafford is an editorial and advertising photographer based in Florida. His fresh and creative portrait photography has won multiple ADDY awards for agency clients, and his editorial customers come back year after year with cover and feature assignments.
Since 2003, Alex Stafford Photography has served local, national and international clients, including MacGregor Sportswear, Motorola, Baxter Pharmaceuticals, Health Management Associates, LiveTV, Ken Silvia Design, Golf Digest, Barron’s, News Max, and Nielsen Business Media.
Alex served as the 2010-2011Program Chair for the American Advertising Federation-Suncoast and currently serves as the AAF-Suncoast chapter president.
Don Adamec / Creative Advertising & Publication Design
Advisory Committee, 1994 President
Don is a freelance art director / graphic designer / photographer and marketing advertising consultant with 50 years of creative advertising and publishing experience.
In 1963 he started his career working in New York for George Lois, PKL Advertising, the hottest agency in the big apple, creating campaigns for National Airlines, Xerox, General Foods, and Robert Kennedy-for President.
In 1972 – Don was asked to head up the editorial department at Ladies Home Journal Magazine. As Creative Director, he created an exciting new graphic concept unique in the publishing field and for seven years directed and designed the magazine’s seven million circulation.
He worked closely with the nation’s leading photographers, artists, and illustrators, and has rubbed shoulders with celebrities such as Mary Tyler Moore, Frank Sinatra, Robert Redford, Liza Minnelli, President Gerald Ford, Brooke Shields, Bruce Jenner and Barbara Walters – just to name a few.
In 1978 he opened Adamec Advertising Inc. with a client roster from pharmaceutical giants to McDonald’s, Heart Fund of New York and Lincoln Center of the Performing Arts. He also created a new 24 page magazine for Rockefeller Center, called Center.
In 1983 he could not pass up the opportunity to work for “Yankee” George Steinbrenner. as VP Creative Director of Florida City Publishing in Jacksonville Florida.
In 1989 he moved to Sarasota and opened Briggs & Adamec Advertising A La Carte, and for ten years was considered the hottest creative agency in Sarasota.
Today he continues to create specialty magazines for custom publishing.
A few Achievements: Board Director and Member Chair Art Directors Club of New York, Board Director Sarasota Ballet of Florida, President Advertising Federation of the Suncoast. Designed Corporate Image for NY Art Directors Club, and Honored in Who’s Who in America in 1976. Judged the following: AIGA Show, New York Art Directors Show, New York One Show, Chicago AD Show, Miami AD Show, Los Angeles AD Show, New Jersey AD Show, New York Society of Illustrators Show and the San Francisco AD Show. Received over 300 Gold and Silver Awards
Nairn’ B. Gillet / Spreadin’ Ink
Nairn’ B. Gillet has over 25 years experience in the advertising industry as a copywriter, media sales rep and boutique agency owner.
He currently serves as Sales Manager for Spreadin’ Ink, a Bradenton-based screen printing and advertising specialty concern.
Gillet is currently the Governor of the American Advertising Federation-4th District, which encompasses not only AAF-Suncoast but two dozen other clubs throughout Florida and the Caribbean. He has been a member of the Advertising Federation since 1992, serving four terms as President, the first in 1993-1994. He has also been very active at the AAF-4th District level, having served as the chair of a variety of committees including Government Relations, Membership, Programs, Club Management and the Florida Ad PAC.
Judy Firek
Judy’s advertising stint began at J. Walter Thompson in Detroit right out of college where she held positions in Public Relations, New Business and on the Ford Account. She went to the client side with A&W Restaurants for a couple of years in PR and marketing for the corporate restaurants before opening a construction company with her husband in Michigan. A Sarasota resident for three years now, Judy worked in Sales for Visiting Angels and as a caregiver to Sarasota Seniors. She joined the Advertising Federation in 2010 and volunteered during last year’s ADDY’s which lit the spark to re-enter this excitingly transformed industry.
Mathew Anderson / Milestone Marketing Associates
Matthew Anderson is the president of Milestone Marketing Associates, a full-service marketing company in Sarasota, Florida.
Milestone provides print, web and event marketing services for local b-to-b clients and specializes in helping software companies grow nationwide.
Matthew founded Milestone Marketing Associates in 2009 after he and his partners sold Quest Solutions, a ten-million dollar construction software company, to Maxwell Systems in 2007. Matthew earned a degree in advertising from the University of Florida in 1994 and has 15 years of experience in technology marketing.
Vivian Owen / Ringling College of Art and Design
Vivian Owen is a full time faculty member in the Advertising Design department at Ringling College of Art and Design, where she teaches various advertising and copywriting courses.
She is also the faculty advisor for The Creative Suite, Ringling’s student advertising club. Previously, she has taught online courses for Ashford University including Visual Literacy in Business and International Marketing.
Vivian has seven years of professional experience in the advertising industry, specifically in the creative and copywriting departments of the business. She comes to Ringling from The Zimmerman Agency in Tallahassee, FL where she held the position of Senior Copywriter. During her career, she has also worked at Doner in Detroit, MI and Barefoot Advertising in Cincinnati, OH. Vivian has written ads for national clients such as The Ritz-Carlton, Aflac, Steak ‘n Shake, Expedia.com, Eureka, Sherwin Williams, Mr. Clean and Swiffer. Her work has been featured in industry publications such as Adweek, Brandweek and US Ad Review and recognized through multiple ADDY awards and a Webby Honoree award.
Vivian Owen holds a BA in Communications: Advertising from Xavier University and an MA in Advertising from Michigan State University.
Mical Johnson / Digital Dragon Direct
Mical Johnson is a leader in internet business solutions and strategies. His goal is helping entrepreneurs take their business to the next level through Social Media Management, SEO, PPC and Internet Marketing
As the CEO of Digital Dragon Direct he clears up the confusion surrounding internet marketing and social media. He’ll show you how to build the best strategy for your business and what social media tools to use. He provides a unique perspective and leadership as well as strategy development on the most effective use of social media that can be scaled across an entire company or organization which will integrate with small and mid-sized organization’s business goals.
Over the past 8 years, he’s assisted his clients to increase their revenue by optimizing the online sales process and creating a consistent brand message by focusing on simple tasks that will bring the highest ROI in the least amount of time.
His enthusiasm for internet marketing is contagious and he has spent the last 6 years gaining a deeper understanding and knowledge of the social media landscape, viral marketing, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), building online communities, email marketing, as well as many other aspects of internet marketing. He is an expert in selecting and implementing the most cost effective tools and applications to utilize and streamline social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin, YouTube, and Social bookmarking services to increase a businesses profits.
James Moore / Webtivity
James Moore is the the Internet Marketing Director at Webtivity, an Internet Marketing Company where he oversees all Internet marketing activities for Webtivity and their clients.
James has over 12 years of web design, development and marketing experience. He has managed Internet Marketing Campaigns with budgets up to $250,000. He is an expert in Search Engine Optimization, Landing Page Optimization, Conversion Rate Optimization, Web Analytics, A/B Testing, and Pay Per Click. Prior to joining Webtivity, James developed Internet Advertising Networks for various industries.
Stephen A. Smith / Stephen A. Smith & Associates
As president and creative director of Sarasota, Florida-based Stephen A. Smith & Associates, a branding, marketing communications and custom publishing consultancy, Steve Smith draws upon more than 25 years of experience in marketing communications.
Beginning his career with prominent advertising and sales promotion agencies in the New York area, Steve developed programs for major brands like Subaru of America, AT&T and Castrol Motor Oil.
Since relocating to southwest Florida, Steve has worked with a variety of clients in healthcare, technology, economic development and financial services. In healthcare, he’s worked with hospitals, medical practices, device makers and more.
In 2011, Steve launched Consonant Custom Media, specializing in custom content solutions for hospitals, healthcare systems and medical research institutions.
Steve’s passion is the strategic management of brands, identity and image. He writes about the subject on his blog, Smith On Branding.
He has received numerous “ADDY” awards in recognition of creative excellence, as well as the Advertising Federation’s “Ad Man of the Year” award. Steve is a past president of AAF-Suncoast. He currently serves as the Past Presidents Advisory liaison to the AAF-Suncoast board, and as AAF Fourth District Public Service Chair.
Gail Silverman / Girls Rock and Girls Rule
Gail Silverman is a marketing consultant specializing in branding, integrated marketing solutions, media partnerships and strategic alliances. She has worked primarily in the entertainment, media and retail industries for start-ups to Fortune 500 clients.
Gail began her marketing career in New York at Macy’s before moving to ABC Daytime as Director of Marketing where she managed a $10 million advertising and promotion budget. She went on to lead marketing and sponsorship efforts for the Tribeca Film Festival before starting her consulting business. For clients including the Newport and Sarasota film festivals, LegoKids Fest, COZM Social Media and Mattel, Gail has developed marketing programs, negotiated strategic partnerships, overseen the creation of marketing and ad campaigns and executed targeted media and events. Most recently Gail has become a partner of The Collaborative, a Sarasota based group of seasoned professionals delivering strategic business and marketing solutions to clients. She is also the Founder of Girls Rock and Girls Rule, a platform to showcase and bring exposure to female rock musicians while helping women and girls in the community. GRGR recently celebrated its 10th Anniversary.
