Fun Fact
I attended the first major sporting event in New York City after September 11, 2001, a 3-2 Mets comeback win against the Braves in Shea Stadium that helped the city heal.
Business Strategy
Business Strategy: How do you balance creativity with business strategy in your day-to-day work?
People often confuse creativity for expensive, splashy initiatives, but some of the best ideas are simple and straightforward. If the idea doesn't address what matters to the client's audience, no matter how big or small, you’re going to miss the mark. Our focus is on the problem those audiences are facing and how we can help them solve it—a “North Star” for business strategy. That could mean a developing a fully integrated campaign, securing a one-off interview with a micro podcast influencer or anything in between. When you keep the problem front and center, creativity follows.
Industry/Service Expertise
How does your background shape the way you lead in fast-evolving industries?
Communications and marketing agency life isn’t for everyone. The environment is fast paced and no two days are the same. In many ways, our industry is a microcosm of the highly regulated, ever-evolving financial services landscape, where you can expect the unexpected. From the dot-com bubble to the Global Financial Crisis to international trade wars and tariffs, market-moving shocks are inevitable. No one has seen it all, but we have seen how successful leaders act and respond in the face of adversity and uncertainty. Those experiences help us prepare for the unpredictable.
Strategic Marcomms
What’s changed most about how brands need to show up and how do you help them adapt?
Historically, financial services brands believed that an authoritative and serious tone was the key to building trust. Money matters come with high stakes, from investing someone’s nest egg to running a complex M&A deal. These experiences are deeply personal for individuals and companies alike.
But the playbook has changed. Today, even the most well-known financial institutions need to lead with empathy—and that includes B2B firms. The COVID-19 pandemic forced leaders to ask themselves tough questions that remain relevant today. How do I show clients and prospects that I understand what they’re going through? How do I speak to them as people, not as clients or prospects? Experience and name recognition will continue to provide credibility, but empathy builds trust.
Client Results
What’s a campaign or client partnership you’re especially proud of–and what made it successful?
We’ve partnered with many of our financial services clients for more than a decade (and in some cases, more than two decades). Long-standing relationships are predicated on transparency and trust, which demands a constant two-way dialogue. Early in my career, I had a client who challenged me about how to position one of their commercial real estate executives as a CMBS thought leader. I didn’t have an answer on the spot, but I told her I’d call her the next morning with a plan. We’ve now worked closely together for 14 years and she’s someone I consider a friend as much as a client.
Our Culture
What does Highwire’s culture mean to you–and how does it shape the way you lead?
I’ve been fortunate enough to lead in different capacities: collegiately as a sports captain, professionally as a practice lead, and personally as a father (to name a few). The Highwire Way, and more specifically, taking personal responsibility to ensure that teams are empowered and delivering their best, is something I care deeply about. One thing I impress upon my teams: Don’t tell me what someone can’t do, tell me what they can do, and let’s figure out how to maximize those strengths. When each person operates at their highest potential, the team wins and clients feel the difference.
