Friends Named Dave

Friends Named Dave - It just so happens that I must have an affinity for guys named Dave. It could be a chance thing but ya gotta wonder when the guy that I end up with in key parts of my episodic life goes by the name Dave.

Dave Brunner In high school - arguable my closest friend was a CYO football rival (his dad was coach of St. Clement while I was co-captain of St. Luke). Dave was always fun to have a 3.2 Stroh’s Beer with growing up in Lakewood. I was honored when he asked me to be his best man when he married Dianne in October of 1980. (Just a few days after I married Lynn on October 8. He and Dianne married on 10-11-1980. Above is photo of Dave and Dianne from Facebook.) In hindsight, I wish I had crafted a more thorough speech for that wedding as his dad, coach Brunner even gave me a jab for being less the wordsmith than I might have been capable of being. I could have mentioned: going to parties when parents weren’t home; finding ways to buy alcohol while being underage; Playing Ice Hockey on that random Ice Hockey Club at Lakewood High School (They allowed us to count early morning practice at Winterhurst as our Gym class); Riding in McNea’s car over the speed limit on Detroit Avenue; and more.

Dave Drimer lived at the end of the Hall at Mahoney Residence Hall Dorm at the University of Miami. (That's Dave in the t-shirt with my brother Greg and another Mahoney Hall classmate, Steve Manzi). As a college Freshman, I recall giving the kid some shit about that Black Shirt he insisted on wearing all too often. Initially, he was a closer friend to my roommate and brother Greg. (We were in room #234). But as time moved ahead, Dave was a partner in crime who convinced me to take classes with Professor Lester Goran and consider Creative Writing (which became my second major along with art). He also convinced me of the value of pursuing an MBA of which I had only a marginal interest or academic qualifications for…and Dave and I became admissions counsellors for the University of Miami which came with a stipend, an American Express Card and tuition remission. So the MBA was paid for, in spite of struggling to convince at least one professor I understood the logic of Accounting.

Dave Drimer continued to be my go-to-Dave as I launched my career in the Advertising Capital of the World – New York City. Fortunately Dave shared my passion for great art and often tolerated my totler daughter Lindsey when she insisted we go where they served drinks with pretty umbrellas and/or stir sticks shaped like zoo animals (before/after a trip to an art museum). 

Dave Dassenbrock was the media director at the agency in Raleigh, North Carolina. He gave me meaningful insights into the business and the partners at Rockett Burkhead Lewis and Winslow. He also encouraged my inclination to be creative in my approach to account management at the agency for the likes of Skybox trading cards, Rich Seapak, Campbell Soup Foodservice and new business pitches.

Dave Cox emerged as a go-to-Dave when I arrived in St. Louis. (He's wearing SIU Carbondale maroon polo shirt in this pic with golfers of our Thursday Night league). His firm Sandbox Creative served me well as I became a client in roles as  VP Marketing, Corporate Communications Director, Global Communications Director and  Director of Communications (and even as founder of my own company for a time). Oh, and I leaned on Dave for help with my annual holiday family photo. With Dave's help I published three books (a novel, a book of poetry, a series of career experiences in advertising and marketing).

Dave Shogren became an acquaintance as a colleague on the board of the St Louis Chaper of the American Marketing Association. When Dave stepped up to be chapter President I learned something of his skill and became something of a groupie or his multiple band affiliations.  (That's Dave on base with Richie on keyboards and Al on harmonica).