What is your role on the Verdant TCS team?
I am the Director of Digital Marketing. I manage all of our branding and marketing efforts.
Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your background?
I’m a little different than most in the company, I actually come from a fine arts background. I grew up in rural west central Illinois and spent several years living in St.Louis, Missouri where I completed my BFA in studio art. My wife, Kristy, and I moved to Grand Rapids so that I could pursue my MFA in Printmaking at Kendall College of Art and Design during which time I met Mike Shollack, Verdant’s founder, president, and CVO. His passion for this business was intriguing and I could not say no to joining his team. The rest is history.
As for free time, I still maintain a studio practice and am part of a local artists’ collective. Kristy and I both volunteer and foster cats through Focus on Ferals, and we have two sweet cats of our own. You can find us sipping cocktails with friends or digging in our garden most weekends.
Three words you would use to describe yourself:
Creative, loyal, problem-solver.
What does your typical day look like?
On a typical day and I’m awoken by my cat Thea and then stumble to make myself an espresso before I can get started. I like to check the marketing schedule and emails and make a daily to-do list. For the rest of the day I am usually researching new website improvements, designing ad campaigns, and helping the team with any design-related needs.
What do you like most about Verdant TCS?
As one of the initial team members, I have seen this company grow and strengthen over the last year and acquire immense talent across the spectrum. My favorite thing about the company is our focus on team work and building something great together. Because of this attitude we have become resilient and successful through a very challenging year for businesses.
Before working at Verdant TCS, what was the most interesting job you ever had?
In my life I have had a wide range of jobs: house painting, fast food, barista, customer service, home repair, graduate teaching assistant, co-director of a student gallery…
The most interesting job was working in Special Exhibitions at the Saint Louis Science Center. I learned a lot about managing staff, gallery maintenance, small engine repair, and even insect care. The training for each exhibition varied widely and was never boring.
Where is the best place you’ve traveled and why?
Italy. My wife and I spent time traveling between Venice, Florence, and Lake Como. The art, architecture, and scenery are unmatched. We loved the walkability of the cities and of course the amazing food and drinks on every corner.
What is the most recent app you have downloaded, but are yet to use?
I’m pretty selective about downloading Apps so I tend to use everything I download, but my latest App obsession is Picture This, a plant identification app that is helping me navigate the first spring in our new house with a yard full of mystery plants.
Your favorite piece of throwback technology:
I really miss my Nokia 3100 cellphone. That thing was indestructible. You could have thrown it off a building and not worried about more than a little scuff. I had a friend in high school who lost his in a winter snow bank for months. Come spring when the snow had melted, he found it and it worked like new.
If you had to eat one meal, every day for the rest of your life, what would it be?
A starter of burrata with an Aperol spritz followed by almost any pasta dish.