St. Louis agency, Rodgers Townsend announced today the appointment of Andrew Dauska as Chief Executive Officer.
Effective August 30, Dauska will partner with Michael McCormick, EVP and Chief Creative Officer, taking over from Tim Rodgers, one of the agency’s two founders, as he enters retirement.
Dauska leaves TBWA\Chiat\Day, where he served as Managing Director and lead client partner for Nissan North America.
Previously, Dauska helmed Wunderman’s Minneapolis office and led accounts including Allstate, Delta Air Lines and Heinz for Leo Burnett and as Director of Account Management at Carmichael Lynch, where he served on the agency leadership team and was a principal architect of the Effie-award winning, “Love” campaign for Subaru of America.
Reporting to Wendy Clark, President and Chief Executive Officer of DDB North America, Dauska and McCormick will lead top clients such as AT&T, The Hartford, Spectrum Brands, and others.
“Andrew’s experience, creative intuition and Midwestern sensibility made him a stand-out recruit to lead Rodgers Townsend,” says Clark. “I’m excited to see all that Andrew, Mike and the team will accomplish in this exciting, next phase of RT’s journey.”
Dauska returns the enthusiasm. “In RT, I found a commitment to craft, an amazing partner in Mike, and a unique inflection point as we prepare for Tim’s retirement and to broaden our footprint,” he sys.
After 41 years in the industry, 21 of those at the company he founded with Tom Townsend, Rodgers is handing over the reins.
The appointment of Dauska adds to the agency’s recent move to a new space in the St. Louis Place building and follows the selection of a Cannes Young Lions Cyber team and Cannes shortlist at the recent Cannes Festival of Creativity.
Harries kills novel
FCB Global Chairman and former FCB Chicago Chief Creative Officer, Jonathan Harries, has published his first novel, Killing Harry Bones.
The comedic thriller, which is available in paperback and Kindle on Amazon, tells the story of a disheveled and depressed Roger Storm, who when we meet him is contemplating murder (like many of us do) of an ex-boss.
The name of this heinous boss, Harry Bones.
In what seems like a bizarre coincidence, Roger bumps into his supposedly dead childhood friend, a notorious arms dealer named Freddy Blank at a restaurant in Paris.
Freddy and his ravishing partner, ex-Mossad agent Conchita Palomino, convince Roger to join them in a hair-brained scheme to save Africa’s wildlife and displaced people from a sinister global organization. In return, Freddy promises to take care of Harry Bones.
The arrangement eventually leads to an epic showdown takes place.
Harries developed his love for wildlife and abhorrence for trophy hunters while growing up in Namibia and South Africa. His time spent as FCB Global Chief Creative Officer allowed him to visit numerous wildlife preserves on four continents, which inspired him to write Bones.
“I really believe that Africa, as vast as it is, is still exploited by countries and people who have simply never evolved from the colonial mindset. I’m simply trying to bring attention to that.”
To get your copy of Killing Harry Bones, click here.
Bauer’s series goes mad at Gen Con
Earlier this year we reported on former Chicago Screenwriters Network’s Harry Bauer’s fun and off-the-wall webseries, Mad Scientist’s Consortium.
We thought the series showed a lot of promise, and now the Indianapolis genre film festival, Gen Con, has confirmed our beliefs by awarding the series “Best Web Series.”
Bauer posted the accolades Sunday on his Facebook page:
“Being an Official Selection at Gen Con was awesome. Winning Best Series — Stunning. One of three trophy awards. Mad Scientists Consortium for the win!!!”
Filmmakers from as far away as Brazil and Denmark gathered to compete in last year’s festival and attend screenings, film panels, and the awards ceremony at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis.
Films from the US, Canada, Australia, Israel, Japan, and Great Britain made it a truly international event.
Durham joins Y&R
Kelly Durham leaves her position of Head of Production at VML, Chicago to join Y&R as the new Director of Integrated Production. Durham joins Y&R following nearly twenty years with FCB Chicago, where she rose to the rank of executive producer.
    CREDITS — MAD SCIENTISTS CONSORTIUM
CAST
Dr. Dorman Vincent: Scott Pasko
Dr. Ingrid Rector: Sara Sevigny
Dr. Frederick Trimble: Noah Simon
Dr. Victoria Irizarry: Stacie Barra
Dr. Bruce Slade: Harry Bauer
Ted: Dave Skvarla
Jimmy: Ian Sargent Phillips
Trixie: Jill Oliver
Dr. Otho Vincent: Richard Ragsdale.
Featuring the music of the Skulx.
With additional music by Bounte.
Written and created by Harry Bauer
Co-directed by Joe Cuomo and Harry Bauer
Executive Produced by Corey Gilbert, Curtis Gilbert and p3Mediaworks
Creative Producers, Curtis Gilbert and Joe Cuomo
Director of Photography, Antonio Hernandez
Production Design by Amy Geist
Assistant Direction by Corey Gilbert and Wojtek Powalka
Assistant Camera by Elaisa Vargas and Ari Marin
Gaffer, David Hannibal
Grip, Miles Kerr
Art Director, Maggie Scrantom
Production Sound, Anthony Mariotto
Hair/Make-up, Alana Johnson and Sabrina Ramirez
Location Scout, Alex Tridimas
Editor, Brian Sarfatty
Post Sound, Jon Monteverde
Follow Colin Costello on Twitter @colincostello10.
