Chris Knopf

I started at M&H in the PR department, then took a job at Union Carbide (pre-Bhopal), then went back into the agency world as a copywriter, eventually finding myself back at Mintz & Hoke where I've been ever since.  I won a bunch of creative awards, which is the equivalent of street cred in our business.  (Hatch, "Gold Pen" (twice) and "Gold Brush" CT Advertising Club, Athena Awards, One Show of NY, Super Bell and Bell Ringers, IABC International Gold Quill, yadda, yadda. In 1990 I was named a Creative All-Star by AdWeek magazine.)

This led to becoming assistant creative director, then creative director. Mary and I became the principal owners around the turn of the century and I’m now CEO.

This can be a difficult and stressful business, but there’s none better for a person who likes a lot of variety, smart people and wearing blue jeans to work every day (almost).

I like all the different client work we get to do, because you learn so much about so many different things. I also really love the social services communications we’ve done over the years, from connecting people with disabilities to employers, to fighting breast cancer, homelessness, teen pregnancy and compulsive gambling.

Advertising gets its share of public opprobrium, much of which is undeserved. As in any other field of human enterprise, most advertising people are principled, hard-working and nice to their children and pets. But we can also be a lot more fun to hang around with, because we get excited about creating things. And we like words and pictures. And bright shiny objects. Look, there’s one over there…