Samantha and Matthew Engagement 2022

 

Samantha and Mathew Engagement 2022

Dave and Joyce met at SIU-Carbondale. It was a match made in heaven. The two Salukis have been married 33 years. Now the oldest, of their three daughters, is to be married. Dave has been an indispensable resource for me since 2001. He was hoping to retain business from Clayco when I was the director of communications at that firm. Since that time, our professional collaboration has endured as my career journey has involved hundreds of projects with Sandbox Creative. Along the way he has become a close friend. Along the way I’ve gotten to know and love his remarkable family.

But this blog isn’t about me. It is about the wonderful union and commitment of Samantha and Matthew. Matt’s sister Emily orchestrated a brilliant celebration in a setting located in the Antique District on Cherokee street where the historic buildings recall the growth and prosperity in Saint Louis at the turn of the century.

I was honored to have made the guest list. This occasion was loaded with memorable moments. I feel compelled to note some of them here. I saw a photo of Mathew as a youngster (maybe seven years old) dancing at a wedding with an aunt or family friend. Samantha, Dannielle and Nicole were so excited when their Kindergarden teacher arrived (in from Tampa with husband and tween son). The Cox sisters are so happy to see her. The venue was beautiful, with classic indoor and outdoor spaces and an 1880s décor accented with plants and brick architecture. It was one of those summer days in Saint Louis when the heat index was over 100 degrees but hand made fans made even that obstacle easily overcome. A Polaroid photo booth and guest book generated numerous smiles. Joyce’s mom was beaming to see the next generation taking shape. Gene and Carol are always good for a golf story. James is best man who looks to me like a perfect pick for that job. Matthew’s father quiets the crowd for a brief toast noting that the planned December wedding in Michigan is likely to be the “polar opposite” weather. Sidebar conversation with Nicole: “Your parents are so proud of you…” Nicole is home from Drake University and confidently remarks with a touch of sarcasm “Of course, it’s all about me”. Joyce is delighted to see her youngest blossoming into a creative powerhouse. Back at the Cox compound at 308 Simmons Avenue, middle child Dannielle is statuesque in what looks to be a winner as a bridesmaid dress. 

PHOTO: l to r below Matthew's sister Emily, and Cox sisters Samantha, Dannielle and Nicole 

 

So much joy, happiness and anticipation cannot be denied. As the couple posed together for the Polaroid Samantha and Matthew seemed poised for a long and lovely union. Just lovely.

 

 

Father's Day at Storm King

 

Sculpture by Israeli artist Menashe Kadishman (1932-2015) set in natural surroundings of one of the world's preeminent sculpture parks, Storm King Art Center (New Windsor, NY)

Naturally, as a docent at Laumeier Sculpture Park in the Saint Louis Region I have heard and read about Storm King for years. This year, thanks to my son (Ben) and his wife (Allison) and their 5 ½ year old (James) I finally got to visit this remarkable place. I was treated to a Father’s Day (June 19, 2022) I will always remember. We walked. We picnicked. We took the tram ride. We visited the museum shop. All this on a perfect day with sun and mild breezy air and stunning views in every direction.   

Storm King Art Center is a 500-acre outdoor museum located in New York’s Hudson Valley (New Windsor, NY), where visitors experience large-scale sculpture and site-specific commissions under open sky. Since 1960, Storm King has been dedicated to stewarding the hills, meadows, and forests of its site and surrounding landscape. Building on the visionary thinking of its founders, Storm King supports artists and some of their most ambitious works. Changing exhibitions, programming, and seasons offer discoveries with every visit.

Having given more than 100 tours at Laumeier Sculpture Park over the past decade, I was thrilled to encounter monumental works by Mark Di Suvero, Alexander Liberman, Charles Ginnever, Sol Lewitt and Richard Hunt. As a self-described art junky I was excited to see works of artists I admire like Alexander Calder, Andy Goldsworthy, Ursula Von Rydingsvard, Louise Nevelson and Richard Serra. 

Diversity Equity & Inclusion

 

Our American Marketing Association chapter board met to discuss chapter priorities last month. Nick Niehaus. our president, freshly returned from the annual leadership Summit in Chicago stressed an urgency for actionable dialogue and programming around Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. I anxiously asserted that my friend and colleague Sharon Harvey-Davis would be ideal for one of our monthly luncheons. The board agreed and I was in luck because Sharon was willing and able to be our speaker at Maggiano’s on June 16, 2022.

I first met Sharon as a member of the human resources team at HBE Corporation. HBE was founded in 1960 by Fred Kummer who built a thriving business around the design and construction of hospitals, medical office buildings and financial facilities. In the 1970s HBE also built, owned and operated a chain of hotels called the Adam’s Mark Hotels & Resorts. By the late 1990s the hotel became the focus of national attention as the NAACP and the Department of Justice (DoJ) began an investigation into charges of discrimination. Sharon was at the center of that corporate firestorm and quickly became the “go to” person for managing a wide array of issues for the company. She performed admirably.

She joined Ameren and quickly became a valuable resource at the Fortune 500 company with 9,500 employees.   She worked there for 20 years, the last decade reporting directly to the CEO. AMA of Saint Louis was very lucky to get her as a speaker as she was just beginning to enjoy her retirement.

Her talk was engaging and informative. I sat at a table with Brent, Whitney, Mark, Kiera and Eric. Another table included employees from Stifle securities. Maggiano’s rolled out the food in in its usual indulgent portions as Sharon walked through the true meaning and definition of Diversity…Equity…and Inclusion. In so doing, we could see how complex and delicate if might be to manage a corporate bundle of objectives that includes marketing communications, personnel and leadership.

The talk offered a graphic model used by Ameren and Sharon made the case for DE&I that starts with Diversity of Thought, Equity, and Inclusion, Creativity and Innovation. It all leads to the processes involved in continuous improvement, mission and vision which leads to customer and shareholder value.

Sharon noted that there are two forms of communication to be successful in a DE&I program. They are “waterfall”(communication from the top of the organization) and viral (a more organic kind organizational interface). She added “You need both!”

Celebrating Evan

 

Evan Willnow died on May 12, 2022 after battling brain cancer for three years. During his battle he was able (with tender loving care from his wife Liz) to witness his daughter’s wedding in Hawaii (October 2021). Saturday June 4, 2022 was set asside as  the day his friends and family would have a celebration of Evan's life. I arrived early since I knew I would have some trouble finding Willoughby Farm in Collinsville, Illinois. As expected, I really didn’t know anyone there as they arrived for a 9:30 am start.

I met Evan in 1996 when TBWA/Chiat-Day hired me to be to be an account manager on the award-winning Boatmen’s Bank account. Evan was the first person (I mean real person) I met as I started my new job. We became friends. We went to lunch – usually a short walk from our offices at Union Station. Evan was a character with stories, imagination and humor. I learned quickly that Evan was the “go-to” guy when it came to preparing files for comprehensive layouts, new business presentations, and finishing art for publication. He always exceeded expectations. All roads in the agency creative process went through Evan. And yet, he never once complained about being overworked. He never showed signs of stress. He was steady and reliable. And he was never a prima donna.

Over lunch (25+ years ago) I learned about his father Ron Willnow and the career he had at the Saint Louis Post-Dispatch. His dad was a managing editor at the paper. Evan’s dad wrote for the paper too – but he needed to use a pseudonym (maybe his middle name and the street in University City where they lived): Adrian Cornell. I met him for the first time. “Hello, I’m Evan’s father Ron Willnow” he said. I smiled adding, “…and you are Adrian Cornell too right?”

Joe Leahy of HLK was present. Tim Rogers of Rogers-Townsend was present. Evan’s long time friends Pat Dorsey, Eric, Gordan, his brother Randy (who’s beard suggested the essence of Evan) and his older brother who’s remarks stressed the sentiment of the road not taken in Robert Frost. “I couldn’t wait to get out of Saint Louis and my brother Evan never left.” Clearly, Evan did leave a mark in his home town and touched the lives of those who had the good fortune to know him.

I knew what I wanted to say, given opportunity. It seemed that the mic and the commentary was more than under control. I was flattered and honored when Pat Dorsey pointed to me as he wanted me to add something to the open mic patter celebrating Evan. Here’s essentially what I had to say: “This event is a beautiful tribute to a beautiful person. Evan was great. That notion was validated in so many comments I’ve heard here today. But the most remarkable thing I noticed about Evan is - He made other people great. For me, that was the magic of Evan.”

I am honored to have had the opportunity to participate in today’s celebration of life. Evan – you will be missed. And yet, you will have a long and lasting impact on this world based on your inspiration and spirit. Thanks Evan.