But enough about me... How did you like my last movie? My uncle David used that line from time to time and it reminds me of two things: 1. Don't take yourself too seriously and 2. Keep going with new challenges. Actors are, perhaps more familiar with the need to reinvent themselves but we all need to stay actively engaged in becoming our best selves.
I'll admit that I have been very fortunate on my journey. I have been blessed with career stops in advertising, marketing and education. My avocations have included golf (never gonna make the pro tour), art (fan and practitioner), family (the best), friends (in spite of my episodic life and moves). I've been a member of the American Marketing association for more than 25 years, a docent at Laumeier Sculpture Park more than 10 years, I was active with advertising clubs in New York, Miami. Raleigh and Saint Louis (notably in recruiting Addy Judges for 18 years). I was talent show coordinator at SSD Neuwoehner High School for four years in a row.
I could ramble on for hours about the wonderful and amazing things that have happened with me and around me. To be sure, I am NOT always the star of the movie but there is joy even in some of the bit parts and stints.
This picture gives you a snap of me and my siblings. My big brother was absent for this photo - proably in college. My dad was pretty good at keeping those bicycles in working order over the years. We were a family of six kids with just one sister (my favorite sister).
This pic is of the amazing crew at HBE were I managed to reinvent myself as a corporate marketing guy. In photo are SteveWilliams. Sally Eaton, Jane House, Vicky Napier, me, Linda Jones and Steve O'Rourke.
Even in High School, I was focused on the idea of the merger of art and commerce. This is a pic from the Lakewood High School Yearbook when I was a Junior.
I was a sucker for competition (T-Shirt design contest got me tickets to Greek Week Ball and a B&W TV set as a prize). In college I was a frequent contributor to my college newspaper, as a cartoonist and yearbook as editor. Lots of little victories.
That's me with mom and three brothers on the Chris Craft 29' "Leprechaun". In spite of being third in birth order, mom tagged me as "oldest of the four boys"
Eventually, I was "the shortest of the four boys"
This amazing woman became the mother of my two amazing kids and my wife of 41+ years before she passed peacefully last year (Feb 3, 2022). We had a girl and a boy (a full set).
And, oh yeah, I was the center on the Lakewood High School football team, We went 8-2 my senior year.
CYO football in Saint Luke Green and Gold uniform, This pic is of me in seventh grade with #19 is Tim Dowling.
My brother Greg and I graduated from the University of Miami at the same time. My dad called us the "twin headaches". My brother (now known as Sundance) and I participated in a big adventure on a bicycle trip from South Orange, NJ to Gettysburg, PA around 1989-90.
I was the account guy at Rocket Burkhead Lewis and Winslow when our client Skybox produced a TV spot with Magic Johnson and his 11 year old son. The spot promoted the Skybox trading card line featuring Magic and the Olympic Dream Team.
I was account guy at Crispin, Porter + Bogusky and Tinsley Advertising in Miami.
Adweek published this photo in Saint Louis as I moved to the client-side. As chapter leader of the American Marketing Association we showcased some of the leading ad agencies in a panel discussion. Pic shows John Lewington of Maryville University, Tom Townsend of Rodgers Townsend, me, Cliff Franklin of Fuse, Mark Kempter of Core and Arlo Oviatt of D'Arcy
Team TBWA Saint Louis back in the Day. That's the incomparable Evan Willnow on the left and me front & center with cigar.
That's me with my Angel on her wedding day. It doesn't get much better.
But what could be better than a round of golf with my son?
Or some quality time with James (or his cousin Lindsey's boy Lawton).
Five Guys and a girl (our sister). Sundance attended Georgetown and the University of San Francisco but finished his college undergraduate career at the University of New Orleans, LA. Burgers and Fries all around.
My people show up when it's really important. Greg (front and center in black) and his two boys (Matt and Wes), Rob (back and center), Lindsey and Chris Dewey, Ben and Allison Morgan and Yadi.
I miss having a land line. (I lost my cell phone this week.)
Well we got the band back together last Friday (May 5, 2023). Tom Shaughessy, Dave Cox, Rowdy Jones, me, and special guest star Marco Tocco at the Magnolia Marine event at Cloverleaf Golf Course in Alton, IL.
Some of the Unsual Suspects at the 2022 AMA Golf event at Creve Coeur Golf Course
The HBE Alumni Memorial Annual is the first Saturday in Ocotber each year (initially to honor Ted Brown who passed in 2009)
And every once in a while the University of Missouri - Saint Louis (UMSL) Marketing Club gets a round in at Creve Coeur Golf Coiurse (CCGC) too.
The regional retreat in Lincoln, NE with Nick Niehaus, Dave Shogren, me and Vanessa Lobo Niehaus. I also attended the Leadership Summit in Chicago this year (2023) with incoming president Dave Shogren. That was my 7th Leadership Summit in my 25+ years as a member and mostly some sort of board member most of those years.
Account Guy (me) around 1983-84 leading the effort to help the client understand why it costs so much to produce a piece of print advertising. That's Ed and Barbara from JVC flanked by Tony and Wes from Marsteller Advertising,
I agreed to be on the board of the Triangle Advertising Federation (The Research Triangle Ad Club in North Carolina). The president delivered that plaque but I took a job and relocated to Miami (around 1994).
...in 2008 I got Philip Kotler to sign a testimonial to my marketing leadership...(He was a good sport about it).
....BUT enough about me. How did you like my last movie, More episodes coming...
