Sue Gehrke

Our agency founder fell for Advertising at the age of 15 and never looked back. From the high school paper, to the Ad School at the University of Illinois, to creating advertising that’s pushed billions of dollars of product off the shelf. Sue believes in finding the simple truth about a product, and she’s brought that truth to life for global brands like Alcon, Medtronic, McKesson, the American Society for Plastic Surgeons, Siemens and more. Her latest truth? Simply adjusting to her newly empty nest.

Mike LoPiano

Whether it’s dissecting a business issue for a Fortune 50 client, or the flavor profile of a Bordeaux blend, Mike has never shied away from complexity. This New England transplant holds an MBA. from Wake Forest University School of Business and a BBA. in Finance from George Washington University. He’s an expert in category management across industries and a master strategist for our building materials, financial and medical device clients. A natural-born coach (just ask his two daughters), Mike is instrumental in guiding the company to success and navigating the growing complexities of our business. He keeps the company agile, ever evolving and a place with more of the resources you require—under one roof.

Anthony Salgado

Celebrating 30 years at Norton, Anthony is one of the original members of the Norton family. With a double major in Business and Fine Art, Anthony is well equipped to wear his many hats—from account service to creative. You’ll see his unique imprint on every major account at Norton. He’s also touched the lives of countless talented designers and writers he’s mentored over the years. He’s one of our original members—and also a true original.

Shawn Farrell

The most recent addition to the Norton team, Shawn brings nearly 20 years of agency experience to his role as our Group Creative Director. During his career, Shawn has developed campaigns and creative for a diverse group of clients, developing work across many categories. His healthcare work ranges across brands like Similac^® and PediaSure^® for Abbott Nutrition and eye care brands like Systane^®, Opti-Free^®, Clear Care^® and Dailies Total1^® for Alcon Labs. He has worked on massive CPG brands from The Coca Cola Company, Frito-Lay, and Proctor and Gamble. During his time on P&G, he developed multi-brand commercial programs across beauty brands, and led creative teams working on Tampax^® and Always. Other past clients include Sprint, McDonald’s, Motorola and GMC. Shawn believes in the power of ideas and their ability to drive consumer behavior, and is dedicated to unearthing and developing ideas that help businesses grow.

When he is not working, Shawn focuses on family, writes and records music with his band, Storytown, and keeps himself busy planning family escapes to exciting destinations near and far.

Mark Miller

Our resident renaissance man has worked in every nook and cranny of the industry: as a creative, a producer, an account person, in media, doing digital…the list goes on. Mark even founded the award-winning Lure Music where he built a client base that included Dove, Johnnie Walker, Miller Coors, and Kellogg’s. Since joining Norton, he’s launched over 15 brands from early commercialization to final campaign execution. The only thing more impressive than Mark’s journey is the one he creates for brands and their consumers.

Kirsten Chiopelas

Some people build skyscrapers. Some build roads. Ever since graduating from Arizona State University with a B.S. in Economics, Kirsten has been busy building strong bridges for major brands that span the globe. She’s been our go-to on clients like Alcon, CIBA VISION, James Hardie Building Products, Mars Botanical and more. In her precious little time off, Kirsten loves to travel—especially to warm, exotic places with limited cell phone access. Luckily for us, cell access is more and more far reaching.

Karl Kruger

A well-rounded academic resume is the foundation of Karl’s Business Management acumen. He holds a Political Science degree from Millikin University, as well as an MBA and a Masters in Marketing from Franklin University. Between degrees, he lived in the Dominican Republic, where he taught English for a time…and appreciated the local selection of Caribbean rum. Perhaps that rum influenced his run of beverage clients—from Bacardi to Grey Goose and Martini & Rossi.

Amy Wybo

Originally hailing from the Motor City, Amy studied Advertising at Michigan State University and eventually headed for Chicago in pursuit of digital opportunities. She developed integrated marketing campaigns for Jim Beam Brands, Ford Automotive, Terlato Wines and Harrah’s Entertainment before landing at Norton, where she continues to spread her enthusiasm for blazing new creative trails for our clients. Outside of work, Amy continues to create (and saw and solder), applying her fashion and design skills to her stylish jewelry line.

Brian Quinn

Brian’s often referred to as “Dr. Quinn” by our clients. With 20 years’ experience at Norton alone writing highly technical medical copy, he deserves the honorary degree. His deep understanding of science and human physiology has lent itself to countless agency projects, for clients like Alcon, Philips, Abbott and Siemens Nuclear Medicine Group. As a Marquette University grad with a Bachelor of Arts in Communications, he’s well-versed in bringing any brand to life with the written word.

Scott Harwood

With a successful artist for a father, the apple didn’t fall far from the tree. Scott’s early creativity developed into a passion for photography, which he studied, along with Design, at Columbia College in Chicago. He freelanced as a photographer before honing his design skills and finding his niche in high-end retouching at leading production studios around the city. For years, Scott enhanced the image of advertisers like P&G, Miller/Coors and Kraft. Today, he brings all of his skills to all our clients at Norton.

Justin McLeod

Nobody has ever referred to Justin as the Tarantino of marketing writers, but that doesn’t mean it’s not true. Drawing on a lifetime of far-flung influences, this University of Illinois grad—English major, so you know he’s for real—has written pharma campaigns for the likes of Genzyme, Novartis and GlaxoSmithKline. Justin’s healthcare expertise knows no bounds, with years of specialized experience in biotech, medical devices and marketing therapies for rare diseases. He really wanted to end his bio with a Pulp Fiction quote, but the profanity-free lines proved rarest of all.

John Montesantos

John is an old-school kind of guy: he drives an ’86 Ford Station Wagon (in all its wood-paneled glory) and owns a functioning VHS player. This former Mizzou J-schooler boasts a diverse copywriting background, with experience in CPG, food & beverage, healthcare, and even professional sports. As a Senior Copywriter at Norton, he lends his verbal skills to all manner of brand strategies, international campaigns, and cutting-edge digital tactics. Not bad for an old-school guy. And speaking of “old,” John is the oldest of nine siblings. Nine.

Danielle Brockman

Not to stereotype Wisconsin, but Danielle honed her craft at agencies in the Badger State writing primarily about craft beer and dairy products. Danielle recently realized her dream of moving to Chicago, and expanding her advertising palate. Those talents have been a boon to the Norton Agency and all of our clients. Today, Danielle brings beauty brands like Alcon color contact lenses to life with her expertise in social engagement. She’s a graduate of the University of Wisconsin’s Creative Writing and Communications department and she’s earned that ‘creative’ degree.

Jonny Lozano

Jonny graduated from the Creative Center Arts College in Omaha, Nebraska, where students are fully immersed in the day-to-day operations of an actual advertising agency from day one. Jonny emerged with a Top 5 portfolio and a hunger to expand the potential for artistry in the digital space. His talented work on brands like Fairlife and Wells Fargo led him to the Norton Agency, where he’s pushing the technology envelope and expanding his proven track record of successful digital campaigns.

Erin Strong

Erin may hail from a small town in Upstate New York, but she brings larger-than-life ideas to the Norton Agency. With a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Elmhurst College, she’s created powerful designs for clients like Ray-Ban, Alcon, Kraft, James Hardie, FreshLook and Causegear. And her creative eye even extends beyond the office—after hours, you’ll often find her immersed in her latest drawing or snapping photos with her husband, Thang, and her Pitbull-Lab mix, Miles.

Sam Bidwell

To keep up with the ever-changing digital landscape, Sam’s your man. A graduate of the University of Dayton with a major in Visual Communication Design, he’s crafted every facet of integrated digital campaigns for automotive, medical, beverage and casino gaming brands. He takes our teams ideas and gives them life in the digital space. The only question is if the virtual world can keep up with Sam. He’s constantly pushing himself physically, gearing up for another marathon. Always ready for the daily marathon of your digital demands.

Alexis Novitski

A Southern California native, Alexis broke the mold and spent way more time speed-reading than surfing. On the shores of Lake Michigan, she graduated from Loyola University and rapidly ascended the client services ladder. With a focus on digital work over the last decade – she’s made an indelible mark on Hospitality & Entertainment, Automotive and Home Appliance businesses, with clients as diverse as Maytag and Penn National Gaming. Now, we’re lucky to have Alexis fostering client relations here, with her California warmth and a wit as quick as her reading speed.

Juliane Stagat

Originally from Germany, Juliane always has her finger on the pulse of the European market. After earning a degree in Marketing from Otto-von-Guericke-Universitat, Juliane started working at Serviceplan—one of the largest owner-operated advertising agency groups in Europe. In Munich, she managed multiple accounts including the German Federal Ministry of Defense, the German Federal Pension Fund, Stabilo and Mattress Firm. Juliane brings her vast international experience to Norton, and loves opening new doors for our clients across the US and EMEA.

Allie Dvorchak

As a Division-1 athlete through all four years at Butler University, Allie has never been one to shy away from a challenge. There, while swimming competitively, she earned dual degrees in Marketing and Management Information Systems. Today, Allie brings a true competitor’s spirit, perseverance and speed to new product launches for global brands—deftly navigating the waters of different consumer markets. Allie may be a fast swimmer, but she’s an even faster learner.

Ann Carter

A University of Nebraska alum, Ann found her calling in Advertising and PR. She immediately excelled in the field, creating several campaigns while still a student, including one for Lincoln Public schools that was chosen as the winner of her class Capstone Project. A welcome addition to Norton’s client services team, we rely on Ann to help ensure our clients’ projects all go the distance. She’s definitely up to the task; she’s always on the move for our clients, and this avid runner logs over 500 miles per year.

Julie Giesen

Whether she’s scouting a shoot location or reviewing directors’ reels, it’s no surprise Julie is always able to connect Norton with just the right resources to perfect any project. It’s what she’s done her entire career. A veteran of Schawk (Retail Marketing Division), Gaston Advertising and Ambrosi & Associates, Julie has a history of picture-picture results for clients ranging from Sears Holdings to Ulta Beauty to Citi Financial Services.

Silvia Ortiz

Silvia brings a wealth of international agency experience to her work at Norton. Previously, as a Design Specialist at Panasonic, she worked directly with their China team to ensure consistency with global brand standards. Tradeshow design and new product logo development were also among Silvia’s specialties there. Prior roles in publishing garnered Silvia multiple industry awards for graphic design, and her work is prominently displayed at her alma mater’s Media Arts and Graphic Design Museum. From construction to technology to healthcare and beyond, Silvia’s vast experience empowers every brand entrusted to the Norton Agency.

PJ Jones

The fact is, nobody wears as many hats for Norton as PJ does, whose full first name is…(sorry, we promised not to tell). He’s worked on countless big-name brands in his career, including Kraft, Motorola and ESPN in his days at Ogilvy. All with an unparalleled level of tact and tenacity that always produces great work. As might be expected from a multi-tasker, PJ has multiple interests as well, including fine art, photography and playing the blues guitar. Howlin’ Wolf, preferred.

Ryan Baehr

With a last name pronounced like “bear” it’s only fitting that Ryan is a lifelong Chicago Cubs fan. As a senior production artist and supervisor, Ryan has managed teams of PAs and refined campaigns for clients ranging from Kraft and Corona to Motorola and SC Johnson. After rounding the bases at 141 Worldwide, Ogilvy and RPM Advertising, Ryan came home to Norton, ready to swing for the fences on every campaign.

Michele Machado

With a degree in Journalism from the University of Nevada, Michele combined her love for sports and writing as an editor at the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. She later earned an MBA from Texas Christian University and made her mark at Alcon, where she worked as an in-house marketer focused on internet retail customer marketing, marketing communications and later contact lens brand management. At Norton, Michele combines all of her varied work experience to manage quality assurance and regulatory compliance on all of our projects.

Ivan E. Garcia

Ivan first learned the fine art of organization as a three-sport high school athlete who also excelled in academics. At DePaul University, he studied accounting and interned at an ad agency and later earned his Project Management Professional certification at Northwestern University. Six years into working at a Chicago agency on the Chicago Bears and White Sox, ComEd, Blue Cross/Blue Shield and more, Ivan jumped at the chance to join Norton and supervise cutting-edge project management programs.

Jay Sitzmann

With bachelor’s degrees in both Economics and Communications from the University of Michigan, Jay brings an analytical mind and a creative perspective to the Norton Agency. While still fresh from school, Jay already has stints as a brand strategist for Coca-Cola and financial communications experience with the Bank of Ireland under his belt. He’s off to a good start with his goals of exploring behavioral economics and creative work.

Kristin Renault

Meticulous, energetic and smart are three vital traits for any manager, and Kristin brings all that and more to our office. Born in Chicago, she moved to Northern California, where she earned a degree in Communications with a Music minor at Dominican University. She returned to Chicago and continued her education, pursuing a PhD in Sociology from DePaul University. From accounting to project management, to her passion for efficient organization, we’re ecstatic to have Kristin’s unique skill set at Norton.