Agency Also Enhances Creative Leadership with Group Creative Directors, Jeff Ericksen and Clay Konnor
MILWAUKEE – June 11 2018 – Nelson Schmidt Inc., a leading full-service marketing communications agency, today announced that Mike Fredrick has joined as Chief Creative Officer. Nelson Schmidt also announced it is expanding its creative leadership team with two Group Creative Directors, Jeff Ericksen and Clay Konnor, reporting to Fredrick.
With more than 20 years of experience working with global brands, Fredrick joins Nelson Schmidt from Stir, Inc., where he was Executive Creative Director. Previously, Fredrick was the Executive Creative Director for Bader Rutter for 14 years, where he helped large B2B brands reinvent themselves through the industry’s evolution into digital marketing.
“We are investing in some of the best creative talent to expand our executive leadership team at Nelson Schmidt,” said Dan H. Nelson, Jr., President and CEO, Nelson Schmidt. “Mike brings a similar business philosophy, a commitment to creative excellence, a varied industry portfolio, a talent for recruiting and leading teams, and a passion for collaborating that I know will help create impactful work for our clients.”
“Creativity is everyone’s job, regardless of their department,” said Mike Fredrick, CCO, Nelson Schmidt. “Nelson Schmidt has a history of doing work that pushes boundaries and is a leader in demonstrating how creative collaboration is crucial to the success of a campaign and to an agency at large.”
Ericksen joins Nelson Schmidt after holding top Creative Director roles at agencies such as BVK, CK and Traction Factory. He has served on the board and as President of the United Adworkers, has taught advertising at the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design and copywriting at Marquette University, and helped create Milwaukee’s first portfolio school.
Konnor has been promoted from Creative Director at Nelson Schmidt. He has more than 25 years’ experience in creative direction with a strong focus aligned with his experience in digital. Konnor served as Director of Digital Design at Nelson Schmidt for ten years, then as Creative and User Experience Director for two other agencies, before returning to Nelson Schmidt in 2016.
“Jeff and Clay will be an unstoppable creative force for Nelson Schmidt. I have long admired Jeff’s work and know that his diverse experience and strong copywriting background will bring excitement to and amplify the impact of our clients’ campaigns,” said Fredrick. “We are also excited to announce Clay’s promotion to Group Creative Director. He has been a key driver of some of Nelson Schmidt’s most powerful campaigns and has a great breadth of experience in modern creative direction – one centered around delivering results.”
Media contact: Allysa Defatte, 414.224.0210 or asteeno@n-s.com
ABOUT NELSON SCHMIDT INC.
We Deliver Customers.® Nelson Schmidt Inc. is an independent full-service marketing agency with offices in downtown Milwaukee and Madison, Wisconsin. The agency is one of the Top 200 Marketing Agencies of 2018 according to Chief Marketer and serves U.S. and international clients within select considered purchase industries. Nelson Schmidt is a member of MAGNET, the Marketing & Advertising Global Network, ANA and PRSA. For more information visit NelsonSchmidt.com.
