Is Steve Smith a perfectionist? Absolutely. Is he tireless, virtually relentless in his pursuit of perfection? Oh yeah. You might even say he’s a bit obsessive about every word and image. Which makes him the perfect man for the job, because when a creative director leads his team to dig deeper, clients reap the results.
Every assignment Steve takes on is fortified by 30 years of experience in the strategic management of brands, identity and image – for big brands, small companies, nonprofits and institutions like the Adventist Health System, USF Health, Dattoli Cancer Foundation, Subaru, Uniroyal and AT&T.
In 1997, Steve started up the traditional marketing communications agency, Stephen A. Smith & Associates. Realizing that his greatest satisfaction came in working with clients in health care, he introduced Consonant Custom Media in 2010.
His work has been widely recognized by the American Advertising Federation, the FPRA and the International Association of Business Communicators.
The son of an engineer, Jim Samuel inherited his father’s interest in technology and science, but not his aptitude for mathematics. Jim began his career with a job as a newspaper reporter, then moved on to a prominent marketing agency in the Philadelphia suburbs. Jim’s interest in healthcare started in 2002 when he joined the in-house advertising department of one of the country’s largest hospital management corporations, and later at a large regional health system.
During summer weekends, Jim covers professional drag racing for the Drag Race Central and National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) websites.
When we can tear him away from Turner Classic Movies, David writes compelling stories about all types of people in all sorts of situations. He listens and always tries to capture the humanity of the people about whom he writes. He prepared for his career by taking a degree in Journalism, tending bar in Denver, and driving a cab in San Francisco.
Over a 35-year career he has worked with clients as well known, and as diverse, as The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, Wells Fargo, The Pines of Sarasota and Clorox. David’s nonprofit experience includes work for the California Highway Patrol's 911 Foundation, The Salvation Army, and The Clorox Company Foundation.
Mark Zaloudek may be the shortest member of our team, but this MENSA member has the tallest I.Q. Writing for Brain Research Discoveries, the magazine we developed for the USF Health Byrd Alzheimer’s Institute, allows Mark to apply his incredible knack for making scientific subjects interesting and understandable to non-scientific communities.
During his nearly 30 years as a features writer and senior reporter at the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, he’s written perceptively about education, health care, the environment and transportation.
Mike likes to talk. Boy, does he like to talk, which is fortunate because for more than 24 years, Mike could be heard on WNEW 1130 AM, affectionately remembered as “The World’s Greatest Radio Station.” It was there he developed the ability to frame a story and captivate an audience.
After Cornell, Mike received a Masters in Journalism at the Medill Graduate School of Northwestern University. Following grad school and a brief flirtation with TV in the heartland, this native New Yorker with a self-described “face for radio” returned to the city he still calls home to polish his skills as a reporter, editor and news director.
Susan is accustomed to wearing many hats. She instructs the writers on perils of passive constructions, obsessively meditates on the use of the subjunctive, and takes on whatever tasks are necessary to see a project through to its successful conclusion.
Susan’s experience includes editing for leading Southwest Florida publications like Sarasota Downtown & Beyond and Harbor Style. Her mission is to offer skillful and precise project management while providing polished, professional and effective communications.
After 30 years as an award-winning investigative reporter and Pulitzer Prize finalist, John founded a successful Florida-based strategic communications firm. Clients included the Florida League of Cities, the world's largest vertically integrated sugar company, a Silicon Valley green technology start-up, and the largest clean energy consortium in the state.
John was also behind the creation of Sunshine State News, Florida's first conservative online source for news about politics and business. Now based near Sacramento, California, John is adjusting to life with much less humidity.