Under John’s leadership and direction, Gatesman has grown to be one of the most successful and respected independent advertising agencies in the Northeast, having been named one of the nation’s fastest-growing companies for several years running, recognized among the top 100 independent agencies nationwide, and consistently honored as a Best Place to Work-including Advertising Age’s 2026 Best Places to Work.

He identified and led the successful acquisitions of digital firm Quest Fore and Noble Communications which expanded agency operations into Chicago and the Midwest. His passion, devotion to our clients, and relentless pursuit of their success continues to be the driving force behind our agency’s mantra “Prove You Were Here”.

Early on, he recognized the critical role that data and technology must play in marcom strategy and reengineered the agency's integrated model to maximize their role in its development. The agency’s Hacking Human Behavior® approach is at the forefront of marcom planning today.

John’s leadership has guided and cultivated teams across a diverse array of notable brands such as UPMC, Northwell Health, Coen Children’s, Del Monte, UNIFI-Shop ‘n Save, Cub Cadet, PNC Bank, PPG, Swedish Match, Pittsburgh Penguins, Milton Bradley, Disney, USG, Pace Transit and CFA Institute. He began his career with Ross Roy Group after being selected as one of only six people nationally for its Executive Management Training Program. He then went on to hold management positions with Ogilvy, Doner, and Ketchum before joining BNY Mellon as Senior Marketing Director and Brunner as VP of Client Services before founding the agency in 2006.

John has been active across numerous organizations, including serving as president of the Pittsburgh Ad Federation and as a board member of the American Red Cross and Variety Children’s Charity. He has been cited in publications such as Adweek, Ad Age, Chicago Business Journal, Pittsburgh Business Times, and Mergers & Acquisitions. He has also spoken at the 4A’s annual conference regarding agency models of the future and how Gatesman has transformed to meet today’s complex challenges being faced by clients. He currently serves on the service committee of the Pittsburgh Rotary Club, the Board of Directors for Big Brothers Big Sisters, and the Board of Directors of AMIN Worldwide.

John continues to shape the evolution and strategic direction of the agency to ensure that our clients remain competitive and at the forefront of marketing in a rapidly changing marketplace. 

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