University attended: KU.

Hobbies: Hiking in national parks and coaching my son's 11-and-under baseball team. They're awesome.

What did you want to be as a kid? The best at something.

What are you most proud of? My family.

Who was a big influence in your career? Dale Wittenborn. He's the reason I came to work here 22 years ago.

What do you love about broadcast advertising? Mostly, I like all the interaction, all the idea-sharing that's required to make the journey from initial concept to a finished commercial. It's very rewarding when all the pieces come together and you end up with something everyone can be proud of.

What was your finest moment in advertising? I really liked launching the Mamba roller coaster at Worlds of Fun. I helped develop the name and led the campaign to introduce it. I directed the spots and art directed the print campaign. Ultimately, it was a huge hit when it opened. I also liked our VFW spots, which won several awards.

Do you have a method for coming up with ideas and solutions for clients? No specific method. But it takes incredible energy to stay fresh in your thinking.

What talent do you wish you had? I wish I were a writer.

What makes a good client? I like clients who believe in a give & take process, people who treat us as partners. Ideas can come from both camps. When you feel you have the client's trust and can communicate openly and honestly, that's when you do your best work.

What helps you think creatively? I just glean from real life. I try to appreciate the interesting things that happen to me and around me every day. I like to laugh and have fun. Being creative should be a fun process - forget that tortured artist stuff.

What's the difference between advertising today and advertising when you started your career? Obviously, computers have changed the process and everything moves much faster. But the need for good ideas is as strong as ever, and that's what I love about the business - being able to solve a problem in a simple, interesting way.

What's your claim to fame? It hasn't happened yet. But I'm still working on it.

What's your favorite Kuhn & Wittenborn tradition? We close the office the week after Christmas. I love that - being able to spend the extra time with my family while the kids are on their winter school break.

What was your oddest job? I 'went on harvest' one summer from Oklahoma to South Dakota.

Favorite movie: Unforgiven.

Favorite Sesame Street character: The dude that lives in the trash, Oscar.