Todd is a quiet killer. As in “he comes up with killer creative.” He’s responsible for work that art directors anywhere in the world would, well, kill for. The Home Depot, Bridgestone, Sub-Zero/Wolf, Land.com, The Atlanta Falcons, The SEC, Johnsonville Sausage, See’s Candies. Big brands, big accolades - but to Todd, no big deal.
Being a low-key guy whose work speaks loudly is just one of the ways Todd is a man of contrasts. After growing up on a cattle ranch in East Texas, he never imagined he’d spend a large part of his career saving cows through the Chick-fil-A “Eat Mor Chikin” campaign. Call it divine bovine intervention.
Todd and his wife Leslie are happily raising two daughters, Olivia and Sloane, on the outskirts of Dallas. “The girls dabbled with horses for a while, but thankfully, there’s currently no livestock in our lives. Just a lot of wrangling.”
creative director, art director
Proud family man, unproud Cowboys fan, movie buff, music buff, not normally a big user of the word “buff,” good drawer, good designer, good writer (yes, I write more than the average Art Director - headlines and scripts, but no interest in the great American novel), bad singer, bad dancer, bad judge of produce, good at avoiding those things in public, big fan of golf, not a big fan of my golf game, outdoorsman, craftsman, former cattleman, semi-handyman, serious about cheeseburgers, serious about doing good work, serious about friends and family, serious about not taking myself too seriously.
EXPERIENCE
Poke The Bear, Dallas, TX
Co-founder, Executive Creative Director, Art Director
Jan. 2021 – Present
• Built a disruptive, nimble, award-winning Creative Agency from the ground up.
• Hired, inspired, guided, and managed teams across multiple disciplines including Creative, Strategy, PR, Media, and Social.
• Gained over 15 new clients in under 4 years including: Johnsonville Sausage, See’s Candies, Land.com, Nature Nate’s Honey, Yard House, Capital Grille, Eddy V’s, Payless Power, Go Bowling, Merry Maids, and RD1 Bourbon.
The Richards Group, Dallas, TX
Group Creative Director, Art Director
15+ years
• Inspired, guided, and managed teams ranging from 4 to 24 creatives.
• Lead all creative efforts for:
The SEC, The Atlanta Falcons, Dish Network, Charles Schwab Trading Services, QuikTrip, Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, Auntie Anne’s Pretzels, Discount Tire, The Dallas Morning News
• Concepted, sold, and produced work for:
Chick-fil-A, Bridgestone, The Home Depot, Sub-Zero/Wolf, Pergo Floors, Trane Airconditioners, Amstel Light, Corona, Fruit of the Loom,
SKILLS
Authoring, crafting, selling, executing, and protecting “The Big Idea.”
Recognizing “The Big Idea” in the first place.
Reading the room. Listening. Not being afraid to answer questions with an honest, “I don’t know, but I’ll find out.”
Pushing the work to be better without pushing buttons.
All the necessary computer skills. All the vital people skills.
Good design. Good art direction. Good writing. Good manners.
EDUCATION
Texas A&M Commerce, Commerce/Dallas, TX
Master of Science in Art, with focus on Art Direction & Design
Stephen F. Austin State University, Nacogdoches, TX
Bachelor of Fine Art, Major in Art Direction, Minor in Photography
Magna Cum Laude
Photo by Tadd Myers