About Mel

It began with a dream. Watching Bewitched; a television series starring Elizabeth Montgomery as Samantha Stephens and Dick York as Darrin Stephens who worked in an advertising agency – I found my future career. It seemed simple – dress up in a shirt/tie and get paid for drawing.

Throughout elementary, middle, and high school, art was always my best and favorite subject.

The road ahead was not easy. I was accepted to San Jose State College with visions of their wonderful art curriculum. But I couldn’t get any art classes because they were all booked.

So, the following year, I attended San Jose City College, registered for Commercial Art classes. I was intimidated to discover that most of the people in the class were already working in the graphics industry. Until we started working on assignments and discovered I was able to handle the creative work better than my classmates. The instructor, Jim St. Claire (who worked for Robert Pease & Company in San Francisco) recommended that I attend the Academy of Art College in San Francisco. So, the next semester I enrolled.

While attending the Academy of Art I worked part-time at McClymonds, English & Czerny in San Jose, CA as an assistant art director. I was trained and mentored by Mike English, Creative Director. The most talented art director, designer, and illustrator I ever met. Then I moved on to Nagase Advertising in San Francisco, CA where I worked part-time as an assistant art director. I was trained and mentored by Ed Nagase, owner and Creative Director. Ed took me under his wing and treated me as a son. He also taught at the Academy of Art. I was fortunate to be trained and mentored by two talented creatives who were also wonderful people.

The instructors at the Academy of Art were great! Professionals working in the advertising and design industry. In my senior year, I won the Merit Scholarship Award, top advertising/design student of the year. I revamped my advertising portfolio and headed to New York City to look for a job in advertising.

Magic Happened. On my last day in New York City at my last interview at 5:30 pm. When I arrived at the ad agency, a woman entered the lobby and asked me to go with her. Normally my portfolio would be with the receptionist, chills ran down my back. I knew I landed a job. I worked at Y&R for the next seventeen years.

After Y&R I worked for Citigate Albert Frank for eight years, and Burson-Marsteller for ten years.