Contributors
Mary Anderson
Assistant Account Executive, PR Group
Following an internship with Bader Rutter, Mary joined the PR team in 2009 working with Eastman Chemical Company and Dow AgroSciences’ turf and ornamental business. When she’s not exploring herbicides and copolyester, Mary is relaxing at home reading and cooking, or out and about in downtown Milwaukee.
Lisa Balcerak
Team Leader, PR Group
Lisa provides strategic counsel, manages PR teams, writes content and coordinates media relations activities for Dairy Management Inc., JBT FoodTech, Videojet Technologies and The Raymond Corporation. Specializing in industrial B2B PR, Lisa has spent the last few years studying the ever-changing food industry to understand how foods evolve from marketing ideas to products on retail shelves and restaurant menus.
Elizabeth Bergum
Sr. Account Executive, PR Group
Elizabeth joined Bader Rutter in 2006 and holds a bit of a hybrid position that has her working for both the public relations and account services groups. She has supported a variety of businesses, including John Deere Credit, the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) and Mycogen Seeds to name a few. Born and raised in the Madison area, Elizabeth is an avid Wisconsin sports enthusiast and enjoys cheering on the Packers, Brewers and Badgers whenever she gets the chance.
Allyssa Berry
Assistant Account Executive, PR Group
Allyssa joined Bader Rutter in 2008. Having grown up on a Missouri farm, agriculture has been her life-long passion. With that past experience, she found a great home on the Dow AgroSciences and Mycogen Seeds account. Outside of work she enjoys running, relaxing weekends and cheering on the Mizzou Tigers.
Mark Bjorgo
Management Director
Mark came to Bader Rutter from Minneapolis where he had worked for an agricultural publishing firm and an ad agency as an account executive. After 20 years with us, he now leads account teams for several of our clients in the agricultural industry as well as being a member of our management council. Proud of his Norwegian ancestry, Mark is a card-carrying member of the Sons of Norway and can be found preparing torsk (boiled cod) for the lodge in Milwaukee on weekends.
Andrea Bolyard
Account Executive, PR Group
Andrea joined Bader Rutter in 2007, and has since developed a passion for electric lift trucks and variable data marking and coding through her media relations efforts for The Raymond Corporation and Videojet Technologies. When she’s not talking up the benefits of fleet optimization or smarter, faster coding solutions, she enjoys reading, running and finding new ways to get her dog tired enough to take a nap.
Emily Dixon
Rising Star Apprentice
After her initial time with Bader Rutter, Emily will travel internationally to work with various BBN (Business Branding Network) firms as a Rising Star Apprentice. Working daily with the Mycogen Seeds team, she has expanded her knowledge of grain corn hybrids and insect protection. In her free time Emily enjoys working at The Marquette Tribune, dissecting episodes of Mad Men, and iChatting with her two little brothers.
Robin Duranleau
Sr. Account Executive, PR Group
Robin moved from rainy Seattle to America’s Dairyland in 2008 to join Bader Rutter. For more than six years, she has managed B2B programs for our nation’s agriculture associations — from soybeans to cranberries to dairy products. Today she works on sustainability initiatives for Dairy Management Inc. and the fiber-based packaging industry, helping spread the word about environmental stewardship. Outside the Bader Rutter walls, you’ll find her on a plane heading somewhere new, swinging the clubs on the golf course, or exploring the nooks and crannies of Milwaukee.
Larry Engel
Team Leader
Larry has been part of the Bader Rutter team for more than 13 years. He is responsible for directing strategic planning and implementation of integrated marketing communications programs for our clients. With more than 25 years of experience on international, national and regional, and business and consumer brands, Larry has helped clients successfully differentiate in highly competitive markets. In his spare time, Larry exercises his other passions: music, as part of the Milwaukee Symphony Chorus and restoring his 75-year-old home.
Kimberly Forrest
Project Assistant
Kimberly joined Bader Rutter in 2009 and has assisted on projects for Dairy Management, Inc., GE Healthcare, Eastman Chemical, Ball Horticulture, Burpee Home Gardens and Pfizer Animal Health. In the winter, you can find Kimberly reading a good book by the fire. And during the few short summer months, she enjoys fishing with her family on any of the hundreds of lakes found in Southeastern Wisconsin.
Mike Fredrick
Vice President, Associate Creative Director
Mike is a copywriter by trade who works on Dow AgroSciences, GE Healthcare and other accounts at the agency. He also is very active helping develop the creative talent of tomorrow by guest lecturing and critiquing student assignments at Marquette University, Syracuse University, University of Wisconsin Oshkosh and Ms. Coffmansen’s Finishing School for Good Girls and Boys. Mike loves working at Bader Rutter so much, he’s actually been here twice.
Lisa Frymark
Account Executive, PR Group
Before joining Bader Rutter in 2005, Lisa spent five years at a local agency completing arduous tasks like supervising the male models’ dressing room for a fashion show and rubbing elbows with an Indy race-car driver. She now provides PR support for Dow AgroSciences Pest Management and Small Grains businesses, which has taught her more about termites and wheat than she ever thought possible, and she loves every minute of it.
John Gilbert
Vice President, Digital Solutions Group Director
John’s been active in the space where marketing and technology meet for more than twenty-three years. He’s responsible for Bader Rutter’s strategic and tactical digital marketing offerings, and their integration into the agency’s marketing mix. Before joining Bader Rutter in 2006, he was co-founder of Digital Visions, Inc., one of Milwaukee’s first digital marketing firms that provided online solutions to both B2B and B2C clients throughout southeastern Wisconsin. John is a frequent speaker at industry and association events. He is a cyclist and private pilot, and he resides in Whitefish Bay, Wis.
Curtis Gorrell
Vice President, Group Leader
Curtis has spent most of his thinking life in an agency environment, working at BtoC and BtoB shops in Milwaukee and Chicago. After serving as a PR account director, a creative writer, a broadcast media producer, and an advertising exec, he now prefers to let others do the real work on several account teams he leads at Bader Rutter.
Colleen Grams
Sr. Account Executive, PR Group
After 10 years as a TV reporter and Meteorologist, Colleen traded her early morning and weekend shifts for a job in PR. She joined Bader Rutter in 2005 and has helped manage the agency’s B2B and B2C clients’ brands in the office products, professional services, energy management, healthcare and agriculture industries. When she’s not in the office, she is most likely either relaxing with a good book at her favorite coffee shop or running after her crazy kids.
Lori Hallowell
Vice President, Group Leader
Lori leads the Pfizer beef account from our Lincoln, Neb. office. She has nearly 20 years of experience working with animal health, ag chemical, seed, feed and irrigation manufacturers. Her work life blends nicely with her personal interest — she is a Nebraska rancher, and loves cheering for the Huskers.
Bruce Herz
Vice President, Group Leader
An extensive background as an editor at both agricultural newspapers and magazines helps Bruce bring a unique perspective to the Bader Rutter PR group. While at Bader Rutter, he has developed strong relationships with the dairy media and interacted with dairy producers as he counseled clients such as Arm & Hammer Animal Nutrition and Mycogen Seeds (silage hybrids).
Elizabeth Hockerman
Account Executive, PR Group
Elizabeth joined Bader Rutter in 2007 after working for five years as a reporter and writer for Milwaukee area magazines and business publications. She works on Dairy Management Inc., OM Workspace and JBT Corporation. Elizabeth has a journalism degree from Marquette University, with a minor in studio art from the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design.
Linda Hogan
Vice President, Group Leader
Linda oversees strategic marketing communications planning and execution for Bader Rutter’s clients. With more than 20 years experience, Linda has successfully launched a number of major brands to both B2B and B2C audiences. With expertise in brand strategy, market research, mass media, multi-channel marketing, promotional campaign development and sales force implementation, Linda provides her clients with breakthrough marketing programs that deliver results. She began her career in broadcast and print media advertising sales before entering the marketing services business.
Erin Holte
Senior Media Planner/Buyer
Erin joined Bader Rutter in 2009 after several years at agencies in the Madison and Minneapolis markets. Having grown up on a dairy farm in Wisconsin, she has the good fortune of bringing her personal background and professional interests together at BR where she develops media strategy and plans for the Dow AgroSciences and Pfizer Animal Health accounts. Away from the office, she stays busy with yoga, friends, family, and cheering on Wisconsin sports.
Jim Jessen
Account Executive, Account Management Group
Jim came to Bader Rutter in 2006 and provides account management and PR support for Dow AgroSciences vegetation management division. When he’s not working on custom publication production and writing technical articles at Bader Rutter, you can find him on the hockey rink, the softball diamond or at Miller Park cheering on the Brew Crew.
Rodger Jones
Vice President, Brand Management Director
For more than 25 years, Rodger has contributed to building business for clients through brand management, strategic planning and concept development. Some of those clients include: John Deere, Eastman Chemical, Dow, Pfizer, Oshkosh Corporation, MasterLock, Syntex, WEG and SNA Europe. Rodger is responsible for implementing our proven Brand Asset Management (BAM) model for national and international brands. He is also a co-developer of the model, along with senior brand planners from France, Germany and England.
David Jordan
Team Leader
Since 2003, David has served as a key member of the Bader Rutter animal health team, which fits perfectly with his passion of the dairy industry and animal agriculture. Outside of agency life, David is an active, hands-on participant in the dairy industry owning and marketing registered dairy cattle. David works from a home office — that is under continuous restoration — in Central Illinois.
Janice Kayser
Sr. Account Executive, PR Group
Over the past 25 years, Janice has built a career on executive positions in marketing, video, graphics and advertising. A nationally recognized journalist, Janice joined Bader Rutter in 2008 and primarily works with Dairy Management Inc. implementing strategic public relations plans for the company’s dairy research and ingredient divisions. She is an avid reader of history, and enjoys learning and laughing with her two teenagers. She likes to teach her goofball dog new tricks, which of course, the dog refuses to do when others are watching.
Brendan Kennedy
Copywriter
Brendan has been a word slinger at Bader Rutter since 2006 and works on a variety of clients including Dow AgroSciences, OM Workspace, John Deere and Manpower. He is a Brew City native, and in his free time enjoys exercising, playing softball, rooting on Wisconsin sports teams and lightsabers.
Anna Baxter Kirk
Group Leader, PR Group
An idea-adventurer and strategist with a passion for marketing communications and public relations, Anna joined Bader Rutter in 2008. Throughout her career, she has led successful local, national and trade programs for both B2B and B2C brands. Anna is driven by a quest for strategic differentiation, metrics that mean something, creative solutions to challenging situations and securing a “wow” for every client. She loves living in Milwaukee, escapes to Door County once a month and considers herself a gardener, foodie, avid reader and a cook for anyone who’s near the kitchen.
Allison Lauer
Business Development Director
Allison has worked in advertising and marketing communications her entire professional career. She spent the first 21 years in account service in agencies primarily located in the Milwaukee area. Allison has enjoyed her role in sales for Bader Rutter since 2001. Much to the chagrin of her children, she is able and willing to talk with just about anyone.
Nesh Malinovic
Vice President, Media Director
Having spent half of his career in London and the other half between Chicago and Milwaukee, Nesh pretty much touches all the media business in the agency. When not figuring out the next best strategy for one if our clients, you can find him spinning a heavy dose of 70’s soul and funk at The Get Down in Milwaukee’s trendy east-side neighborhood — all on superior sounding 45rpm 7” vinyl.
Kate Martin
Sr. Copywriter
Kate has been a copywriter for more than 15 years on a broad range of B2C, B2B and industrial accounts. That’s why she can spell fuchsia, knows about bird migration in Belize, and can bore you to tears discussing OSHA regulations. She’s been at Bader Rutter since 2008, writing mainly for Dow AgroSciences, GE Healthcare, Ball Horticultural, and John Deere Risk Protection. She enjoys vegetarian cooking, reading, gardening and photography. She’s learning to play the drums, which means that in addition to her stellar spelling abilities, she can also count to four really, really fast.
Mike McCabe
Sr. Vice President, Creative Director
As creative director at Bader Rutter, Mike oversees and has direct involvement on all work that comes through the creative services department. From office products and outboards to farm fields and oil fields, Mike has worked on just about every client Bader Rutter has had in the last two decades. Mike holds a degree in visual communications from Illinois State University where he graduated right alongside of John Malkovich.
Greg Nickerson
Chief Executive Officer
Greg has been with Bader Rutter since 1985 and now oversees all agency day-to-day operations. He has worked on all the agency’s clients in a variety of roles and capacities. Prior to joining Bader Rutter, Greg did communications work for two commodity futures consulting organizations. He also was a reporter at the Des Moines Register and a broadcaster for an Ames, Iowa, radio/TV station.
Larry O’Brien
Management Director PR Group
Since joining Bader Rutter in 1990, Larry has overseen public relations programs for B2B and consumer clients in categories that include professional services, ag chemical, animal health, office products and industrial. As director of the Public Relations Group, he manages more than 40 associates and a department made up of more than a dozen key practice areas. As an avid Wisconsin sports fan, as well as a student of history and politics, he is quick to offer opinions that most agree can only be dismissed by his wife and three teenagers.
Laurie Peterson
Account Executive, PR Group
Laurie has worked in a variety of practice areas, including government and community affairs, crisis communication, and consumer and trade media relations. Since joining Bader Rutter in early 2009, Laurie has helped Eastman Chemical Company promote its Eastman Tritan copolyester ingredient. She is active in the local chapter of the Public Relations Society of America, and enjoys cooking with friends, spending time outdoors and traveling back to her family’s dairy farm in northern Wisconsin.
Tom Posta
Vice President, Group Leader
Tom joined the Bader Rutter team in 1996 in the Relationship Marketing department after spending a few years at a consumer database and direct marketing firm. Today, he oversees account management and strategic planning for both the Dow AgroSciences and GE Healthcare accounts. Always proud of his roots growing up on a Wisconsin dairy farm, Tom enjoys traveling to his farm in Northern Wisconsin often and showing his two “city girl” daughters what hard work is all about.
Megan Rouleau
Recruiter
Megan started her career in public relations before transitioning into recruiting. She combined both those passions when she joined Bader Rutter in 2008 as recruiter. She is responsible for bringing top talent to the agency, getting involved in various networking and college campus activities and managing the agency’s internal training programs.
Jennifer Ryan
Sr. Account Executive, PR Group
In 2006, Jennifer joined Bader Rutter to put her expertise in agriculture to work for the agency’s animal-health clients. Previously, she lived in the Kansas City area where she wrote about all things animal — from cats and dogs to horses and hogs. A Kansas native, Jennifer grew up raising and showing livestock. She cheers for both her alma maters: Kansas State University and Indiana University.
Bob Shriner
Vice President, Associate Creative Director
Bob’s 25 years in this business have been focused on advertising and design communications for agricultural and animal health accounts. Trained as an art director, Bob has concepted and designed for all types of media with all types of crops and animals. Bob recently moved from Bader Rutter’s Milwaukee office to the Lincoln, Neb. office.
Patrick Smith
Director of Relationship Marketing
In addition to managing the relationship marketing department, Patrick is responsible for growing the department’s database, campaign management and measurement capabilities. During his career, Patrick has worked on several blue-chip accounts, including Suave, Equal, Sunbeam, American Express, Navistar and Craftsman. After 12 years in Chicago, Patrick moved closer to his family in 2008 when he joined the Bader Rutter team.
Roger Stanley
Group Supervisor, PR Group
Roger entered PR the old fashioned way, starting as a journalist. He has served as top editor on multiple national trade magazines, and together with agency work has gained street-level smarts about business markets including farming, lawn care, pest control and residential construction. He held senior PR positions with three agencies and earned accreditation by PRSA. He enjoys quiet mornings with a cup of coffee, fishing, book reading and taking on new do-it-yourself home improvement projects.
Zach Stigler
Associate Creative Director
Zach’s powers come from the yellow light of this planet’s sun, as well as his Wacom tablet. His mantra, “Keep the executions simple and the ideas fancy” has served him well in his professional career, not so much with his wedding cake side business.
Rick Stoner
Account Executive, PR Group
Rick joined Bader Rutter in 2008 and provides PR support for Pfizer. He enjoys the ever-developing relationship between PR and social media. Previously, Rick worked at a Chicago PR agency in the consumer electronics and search engine marketing industries. He also worked at Chicago B2B publisher Schofield Media. He enjoys a long run with his wife and dog and has been known to frequent Miller Park. Last but not least … Go Bucky.
Grant Thekan
Digital Strategist
Grant is responsible for planning and executing the agency’s digital marketing programs. He focuses on user experience and information architecture, and has developed social media online communities. He also specializes in marketing automation with variable data publishing and web-to-print solutions. Grant is a soccer fanatic and has played the sport for 30 years. His three young children also do a good job of keeping him on his toes.
Gregg Voss
Sr. Account Executive, PR Group
Gregg has worked for Bader Rutter since 2005 on multiple accounts. Prior to that, he worked as an editor for Model Retailer magazine, the trade magazine for the model-hobby industry. He began his career as a daily and weekly newspaper reporter. In his off-time, he enjoys attending high school sporting events, writing and reading.
Jeff Wedeward
Management Director
Jeff is a member of our management council, supervises a variety of account teams as well as several internal resource teams. Jeff has almost 30 years of agency experience helping clients build their brands and their businesses. He currently serves on the Executive Board of BBN, our global agency network. For the past eight years he has been our key contact for multinational engagements through BBN. He is more than happy to share his marketing insights while on a golf course where he can still scrape it around to a four.
Mark Williams
Sr. Vice President
Mark has been instrumental in the development of memorable marketing programs in a broad range of categories. Mark brings a passion for the fast and ever-changing role of marketing communications. With a “discipline neutral” orientation he ensures clients receive efficient programs that affect behavior. Mark works out of the agency’s Chicago office.
Jeff Young
Executive Vice President, Management Director
Jeff’s career at Bader Rutter began in 1990 as a public relations writer on the Dow AgroSciences account. Jeff came to the agency from Specialized Agricultural Publications in Raleigh, N.C. There, he was assistant editor on the company‘s ag publications, which included peanut and tobacco magazines. Jeff enjoys working on accounts where the client markets technical products to a sophisticated audience.
Erica Zipp
Account Executive, PR Group
Erica has the best of both worlds — she works in the B2B and B2C arenas daily. Erica’s media relations efforts for Ball Horticultural Company have given her a deep appreciation for digging in the dirt. Erica serves on the board of directors for the Southeastern Wisconsin Chapter of the PRSA and is a leader of the local young professionals’ organization. When not at work, you can find Erica with her husband and their beagle on the tennis court or at the dog park.
