People on the Move

Publicis Seattle has hired Lori Davis as EVP, executive business director. Davis will become both the account and business lead on the agency’s T-Mobile account. She will be responsible for sustaining, growing and optimizing the T-Mobile business – from account management and hiring to operational oversight of creative development and production. Davis will report to agency CEO Scott Foreman.

Prior to joining Publicis Seattle, Davis was managing director at Minneapolis-based ad agency Barrie D’Rozario DiLorenzo, where she led integrated planning for clients such as Dell, Rosetta Stone, and United Health Group.

Earlier in her career, Davis was VP of marketing at Activision (Minneapolis), where she provided global strategic leadership over all brand marketing activities for the licensed business unit of Activision.  The unit publishes some of the most iconic brands in the interactive entertainment industry, including Marvel, Transformers, James Bond, Tony Hawk, The Walking Dead and Family Guy.  While there, Davis’ team brought home awards for campaigns on major video game launches such as The Amazing Spider-Man, Transformers Fall of Cyberton, Goldeneye Reloaded and Prototype 2.

Davis also spent three years at Martin Williams, Minneapolis, as SVP, director of engagement, overseeing the account planning, media, CRM, social strategy and analytics disciplines. During this time, she worked on campaigns for Payless Shoe Source, Raymond James Financial Services, Marvin Integrity Windows and Finnegans Irish Amber Beer.

Timory King has joined Wondros, the L.A.-based strategic consultancy and media/production company, in the role of executive producer. Announcement was made by Anne-Marie Mackay, Wondros’ chief creative officer.

King’s credentials include overseeing production on award-winning commercials and ad campaigns for clients such as Apple, Nike, Adidas, Microsoft, Revlon, Target, JP Morgan Chase and IBM. King started her career in print advertising and segued into commercial production during many location trips around the world.  She has produced for noted directors including Phil Morrison, Stacy Wall, Jeff Preiss and Matthew Badger. King was mentored by Jerry Solomon and Doug Halbert while working closely with Epoch Films & Imperial Woodpecker. Prior to coming aboard Wondros, King was freelancing at Epoch.

“I joined Wondros because of the environment Jesse Dylan and Anne-Marie have established—one based on creativity and the spirit of working together as a collective,” said King.  In my short time here, I have taken on a great new challenge in expanding my areas of expertise and I look forward to finding and fostering both new and existing creative talent.”

Backyard has signed director Kevin Fitzgerald for U.S. representation, already wrapping at his new roost a cinematic spot for the upcoming Fiat 500X out of The Richards Group, Dallas. Fitzgerald was previously with Boxer Films.

South African-born Fitzgerald began his career as a photographer but soon transitioned to working as a director/cameraman. He has since built a reel of commercial projects out of American agencies including Venables Bell & Partners, Draftfcb, Mullen, Leo Burnett and Grey Worldwide, and brands such as Lexus, Mercedes, Samsung, BMW, Givenchy and Amstel. Fitzgerald’s work has won numerous Loerie awards and a World Gold at the New York Advertising Festival. His BMW M3 “Test Pilot” and ABSA “Feet” commercials both achieved finalist status at the London International Awards; BMW wound up earning best cinematography honors. Fitzgerald’s print and film work has been commissioned and published on every continent except for Antarctica, and he credits growing up in South Africa for inspiring his creative spirit.

Backyard president/partner Blair Stribley said, ““It was a treat to be able to shoot Fiat with Kevin almost immediately after he joined Backyard.  Our reasons for wanting to work with him were quickly validated.  Kevin is an intuitive director who keeps working every angle of the concept to develop the storyline.”  

Production and post house Optimus has promoted Aaron Porzel to full-fledged editor. His projects are numerous and include well-known brands such as Country Time, Kenmore, Kraft, Payless, Rustoleum, Sears, and Sprint.

Porzel started as an intern with Optimus while still in high school. Anxious to get his career in motion, Porzel attended an accelerated program at Full Sail University in Winter Park, FL, where he earned a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Film/Video Production. Back at Optimus in 2007, Porzel worked his way up from operations to trainee, assistant editor and, most recently, senior assistant editor. 

“Aaron has worked with virtually all of our clients since joining us seven years ago and he has loyal and appreciative followers from the likes of mcgarrybowen, Marc USA, VSA Partners, Leo Burnett and Boomagers, to name just a few,” said Optimus president Tom Duff. “Aaron brings a high level of skill to his editing work and has endless enthusiasm while in the chair. He’s earned this promotion through his great client work.”

Porzel recently was awarded the Grand Prize for Editing at the 2014 AICE Camp Kuleshov Chicago trailer editing contest for his entry “Space Cops.”

“My father was an editor, so I began to learn the craft from a young age on the technology we had at home,” said Porzel. “My Optimus internship helped solidify my passion for editing, and I instantly fell in love with the company. The atmosphere here is intoxicating. Everyone is incredibly talented and nurturing and they all love what they do. I could not ask for a better place to pursue my career.”