“Larry is an exceptional creative leader. He not only excels at branding and concepting, he is a strategic thinker who creates powerful digital experiences grounded in insights.”

— Bethany Petryszak, Sr. Director Experience Design, Slalom Build


The Strategic Creative:
I’m a creative director with a foundation in hospitality and a passion for building brands that feel human and scale with purpose. I lead teams through brand evolution, campaign development, and experience design, always focused on clarity, consistency, and connection.

At Food for Thought, I oversee brand, marketing, and creative across our dining, event, and workspace experiences. Before that, I led creative and UX at a national restaurant-focused fintech brand, where I helped evolve the end-to-end experience—including building the loyalty sub-brand Neighborhood Nosh from the ground up.

No matter the industry, I bring a creative approach that is both strategic and empathetic. I believe the best brand work comes from collaboration, not ego.

The Leadership Style:
I lead by listening, clarifying, and helping teams see the big picture. I build environments where creative people can do their best work, and where business strategy and creative thinking move in sync.

The Human Approach:
Curious, calm, and team-focused. I’m the kind of creative director who’s just as energized by the big idea as I am by helping others bring it to life. When I’m not working, I’m usually on my bike, perfecting cold brew, or sketching the pinball machine I’m determined to build (it’s happening).

CAPABILITIES /

Brand & Creative Leadership
Creative Direction
Brand + Creative Strategy
Branding + Identity Systems
Campaign Development
Visual + Narrative Storytelling
Video & Motion Direction
Brand Guidelines & Governance
Photoshoot Planning & Art Direction

Content & Marketing Strategy
Content Strategy & Development
Integrated Marketing
Social Media Strategy
Creative Asset Development

Team Building & Operations
Cross-Functional Team Leadership
Mentorship & Talent Development
Workflow & Process Optimization

Experience Design
UI/UX Strategy
User Research & Testing
Experience & Interaction Design

CLIENTS + COLLABORATORS /

Hospitality, Travel + Loyalty:
Food for Thought, Marriott Hotels, IHG Hotels, Choice Hotels, Caesars Entertainment, Fuel Rewards, JetBlue, United Airlines, American Airlines, Alaska Airlines, Southwest Airlines, Spirit Airlines, Neighborhood Nosh

Consumer + Retail:
Kellogg’s Nutri-Grain, Ritz Crackers, Purina, Rand McNally, eBay

Finance + Insurance:
Rewards Network, USAA, State Farm, Upromise

Tech + B2B:
Motorola, Caterpillar, Sunsoft

AWARDS /

Internet Advertising Competition – Best Online Community Website

Caples Award – Consumer Website

FAB Award – Food & Beverage

District ADDY Award – Silver, Internet Advertising

Mobius Award – First Place, Food Category

WebAward – Outstanding Achievement, Website Development

Business Marketing Association – Silver Tower Award

DMA ECHO Award – Second Place, Interactive Division

CSIDA (College Sports Information Directors of America) – Best in the Nation Award

  • "His leadership, innovative ideas and roll-up-his-sleeves attitude helped us add hundreds of new drop shipped products, create new email and display ad campaigns, and revamp our on-site product merchandising look and feel"

    Michele Bartram, Chief Experience Officer at U.S. Census Bureau

  • "You can count on him to bring fresh and innovative ideas to projects. He is passionate about everything he does and his enthusiasm keeps the team going..."

    Jill Armstrong, Director, Partner Development at Rewards Network

  • "He is a perfect blend of a creative thinker and a big picture strategist, always first to ensure we delivered results to both our partners and senior leadership."

    Sarah Myer, Director of Marketing at Hcareers

  • "Larry taught me about the importance of building a team that trusts you and making time for your people... he has a way of pushing others to do their best work, giving advice, and bringing out the best in people, all while making you laugh."

    Hillary Johnson, Associate Creative Manager at Rewards Network

  • "Larry not only has a great eye for design, but is an idea fire-starter in a brainstorm. Even when plans change, he goes with the flow like a pro + gets the most out of his teams. He's a natural leader and a mentor to all who seek guidance - a rarity in the ad business."

    Daniel Honigman, Customer Experience Strategist at Avanade

  • "He is great when presenting concepts to clients - patient, clear, and polished. And he proved time and time again to be a strong mentor for junior creative team members, helping them grow, even on small projects."

    Tanarra Schneider Director, Leadership & Culture at Accenture

  • "You don't get to be as good at what he does without understanding the value of collaboration, in addition to having the rare ability to provide smart, high-level creative work."

    Samuel Barrett, VP of Content Design at JPMorgan Chase

  • "Larry is a creative force. Clients swoon over his artistic chops and deeply appreciate his thoughtful, caring approach to solve complex business challenges. When leading a team, he has a naturally upbeat, supportive style, with a touch of humor which makes the work enjoyable and helps instill a healthy team dynamic."

    Will Stubbs, VP, Head of Design at Parallel

  • "Larry is an exceptional creative leader. He not only excels at branding and concepting, he is a strategic thinker who creates powerful digital experiences grounded in insights."

    Bethany Petryszak, Experience Design Leader, previously with Slalom Build

  • "...what sets Larry's work apart and makes it especially beneficial for eCommerce is its clarity, flow, and total presentation of the value of the offer. His design conveys a sense of purpose, urgency, and builds consumer confidence in subtle but effective ways that lead to increased sales."

    Brian Schultz, VP, Digital Customer Experience at Brunswick Corporation

GREAT TEAMS, GREAT WORK

I am humbled and blessed to have worked along side and marched into battle with so many talented individuals from different departments and disciplines.

  • HIRING + GROWTH

    I have been instrumental in the expansion of the creative, copy, UX, and tech teams. From the initial hiring process to the development of new roles. I have been actively engaged in recruitment, establishing an effective interviewing system and fostering a culture of advancement, opportunity. This has allowed my interdisciplinary teams to flourish and reach their full potential.

  • MENTORING + COACHING

    I am passionate about enabling team members to reach their full potential. I mentor and guide designers to cultivate their skills and develop as individuals and professionals. It has been a privilege to witness the evolution of designers and copywriters into senior level positions and people leaders with direct reports.

  • DESIGN OPS

    Design is a repeatable and measured process. I have been instrumental in constructing and supervising design systems, which encompassed documentation techniques, design workshops, conventions, conversations, and established standards. Additionally, I have been in charge of allocating funds and procuring design tools and resources to ensure our team's success.

  • VISION + STRATEGY

    Having a destination in sight helps to define the necessary voyage. I have been privileged to collaborate in setting the vision and strategy for the product design roadmap, product plans, and other projects such as design structures, mobile approaches, and accessibility strategies. Much of this work involves collaboration and support from cross-functional teams comprising of many roles and departments.