CHRISTOPHER SPIRO

President, CEO & Chief Creative Officer

Chris launched his advertising career as an art director 30 years ago and furthered his expertise as a designer and creative director, and then set up this shop as The Spiro Group Inc. in 1989. His experience spans many industries, including hospitality, real estate developments, home building, automotive, marine, law, government, medical, health care and way too many more to name here.

Always civic-minded, Chris is active throughout Southwest Florida, including serving on a number of boards of directors and executive committees. He loves the architectural challenges involved with building or evolving clients’ brands.

LYNSEY GILL

Senior Art Director & Director of Operations

Lynsey works with the other creative types in creating visual concepts for clients.

Before joining Spiro & Associates in 2013, Lynsey was an art director at The Zimmerman Agency in Tallahassee for five years, and a graphic designer at Peter Mitchell Associates for three years.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communications from Florida State University, and was also a student at the Portfolio Center, a two-year school program for creative communication arts in Atlanta.

ROBERT ARMSTRONG

Creative Director

Some would say Robert is quite the character. And they would not be too far off the mark, as our Creative Director has acted in six stage productions with The Naples Players at Sugden Community Theater. He also appeared in an episode of “Magic City,” a Starz Network original series set in 1959 Miami – picture Miami’s golden age of Art Deco, glitz, classic clothes and vintage vehicles.

Just like his on-stage and on-screen gigs, his career also has been a class act all the way. Robert’s marketing and advertising experience spans decades of some really cool assignments, including being a copy editor at TV Guide. Sometime after graduating from Stanford University in California, with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science and Spanish, he returned to his home turf on the east coast. That is where he landed his first real agency gig in 2001 with Munroe Creative Partners, a division of Earle Palmer Brown, bouncing between its Philly and New York offices as senior copywriter.

Born and raised in suburban Philadelphia, he moved to Naples in 2006, where he was the copy director for a boutique agency and accomplished some kick-ass award-winning work in his first year. He joined Spiro & Associates in 2015.

Here is an interesting tidbit you can talk to Robert about: He was one of two finalists in J. Walter Thompson’s national copywriter search. In case you did not know, it is kind of a big deal because J. Walter Thompson is one of the world’s best-known advertising agencies that has been building enduring brands and business for more than 150 years.

DON GROSS

Media Director

Don has come full circle back into the media profession that he loves, which actually started out while in high school and followed up in Florida State University, where he graduated with a degree in mass media communications. He’s also a former commercial real estate professional, specializing in retail, negotiating large acquisitions for big investors, locating tenants for shopping centers and the like. And of that wasn’t enough, he also was a financial advisor for several years dealing with private wealth management. Additionally, Don is one of the only guys we know who has worked radio, broadcast TV and cable TV in Southwest Florida in terms of media and sales. With that kind of background, our clients get a lot of insights, media buying and negotiating power that is more like investing, and finding the right media for the client to get the best possible return.

WENDY PAYTON

Director of Business Development | Senior Account Service

Long before Wendy was enhancing clients’ marketing effectiveness and value as a Brand Architect™, she was already a powerhouse in her own right. With an extensive history of representing big-name organizations like Taco Bell, GE and Taylor Morrison, she has taken on many industry-related positions throughout Florida, as well as Michigan.

Wendy started her career within the advertising and public relations department of The Florida Aquarium in Tampa before becoming Vice President of Account Services for Tweed Advertising — in the very same building that Spiro & Associates currently resides. She went on to cofound and manage Pearl Brands in Fort Myers, direct business development at NOISE on Sanibel and manage accounts for The Zimmerman Agency in Tallahassee. When she’s not working, she chairs the Board of Trustees for the American Advertising Federation—SWFL.

Wendy graduated summa cum laude from Cleary University in Ann Arbor, Michigan with a degree in marketing.

HOPE LEWIS

Junior Account Executive

With a name like Hope, this Brand Architect™ is expected to inspire people and always manages to deliver. In fact, management is a very big part of her job — things like Agency-wide campaigns and working with the account team to complete client services.

But long before she was added to the Spiro & Associates team, she was bringing HOPE to her hometown of Cape Coral and throughout Southwest Florida. She started by taking three levels of American sign language at Ida S. Baker High School and then studying health science at Santa Fe College in Gainesville via two scholarships — one for her interest and potential in the field of science and the other for her involvement in cheerleading and community service.

Since rallying behind causes and organizations that mean a lot to the people whom you serve is something that we often preach to our clients, please pardon us while we brag about how Hope spends her free time. She is actively involved with the PACE Center for Girls Lee County, particularly Love That Dress events, as well as the Chamber of Commerce of Cape Coral’s Red, White and Boom and Holiday Festival of Lights. And for 10 years, Hope volunteered for the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life, following a relative’s breast cancer diagnosis. In short, I guess you can say that we continue to find love in a HOPE-filled place.

GAIL GUBELMAN

Senior Art Director

For Gail, affectionately called GG, all roads seem to always lead to Spiro & Associates. Sure, she may have taken a six-year hiatus to pursue her own design studio out of Cape Coral, but she’s back and ready to take on more outstanding concepts, filled with depth and imagination.

Gail’s journey to agency life started in Singapore, her native country, which she left for California at the age of 18 — for ambitious reasons, of course. She graduated from the University of San Francisco/Academy of Art College with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in advertising design. This degree opened the door to art director jobs in Southwest Florida like those at WCI Communities and the former AdWorks, Inc.

But it was in 2007 that Gail first graced us with her presence at what was then Spiro & Waites. Ultimately, her ambition inspired her to launch Gohman Design, a boutique shop serving companies of all sizes — even to this day.

Thankfully, though, she returned to good ol’ Spiro & Associates in 2018, transitioning into a Brand Architect™ and continuing to become an integral part of our growing design team.

MARK HEIDEMAN

Senior Art Director

Mark’s design experience brings creative concepts and ideas to life for our clients’ campaigns — everything from online to print. His career prior to joining Spiro & Associates includes working for clients such as Kraft Foods, Adidas, American Heart Association and the Indiana Pacers, as well as writing and designing publications for major corporations such as Intel. Off duty, he is a zealous traveler, gym rat, runner, trail blazer and cyclist.

CHRISTA HOSKINS

Art Director

Christa is one of the Agency’s Graphic Designers responsible for creating solutions that have a high visual impact for a variety of online and print marketing materials.

She was destined for this line of work because by the time she was a teenager, she already had about nine years of experience in drawing.

She has a degree in digital design, and is working diligently on a bachelor degree in illustration.

We love her style since joining us in 2013, and are happy to supply her with all the materials and creative opportunities to help keep her artistic flair flowing.

JEFFREY ABBOTT

Software Engineer & Senior Website Developer

Jeffrey is a leader in software engineering with 20 years of experience in the analysis, design, development and implementation of high-performance technology solutions.

He gained all that knowledge working for International Business Machines for 12 years.

Jeffrey holds a Graduate Certificate in Creativity Studies and Change Leadership from Buffalo State University; a Master of Business Administration from Xavier University in Cincinnati; and a Bachelor of Applied Science in Systems Analysis from Miami University in Ohio.

When he’s not toiling away on technology solutions and websites since joining us in 2016, our nerd dad enjoys “kitchen chemistry,” engineering experiments, and building robots with his sons.

JASON ZULAUF

Graphic Designer & Website Developer

Jason is a man of few words. While large in stature, he is also big on perfection — 110 percent satisfaction, he’ll tell you. Turns out that’s great for our clients. Jason is also a man of many talents, having been in the design industry since 2002. He brings a wealth of design, layout and advertising knowledge, as well as cutting-edge ideas and concepts.

He supports the website team in design and development, as well as crafting eblasts for multiple email marketing campaigns.

When this Brand Architect is not concepting and designing anything from logos to brochures to online collateral, you’ll find him spending quality time with his wife and two sons: watching movies, playing games, reading or having fun with — what else — art projects.

Oh, and he’s also a perfectionist at home, especially with the kids – perfecting the art of causing a lot of headaches for mom. Way to go, Jason The Flawless.

JESSE ROBINSON

Software Engineer & Website Developer

While most of us spent the eighth grade taking the SATs, playing videogames and running around with our friends, little Jesse Robinson was learning how to develop software. And while we spent our last year of high school driving to the mall and thinking about prom, he was preparing for his first software-developing freelance position. Today, the fruits of that labor can be seen on TheMakoGroup.com, WorkforceSolutions.com and WingsNY.com, just to name a few.

After obtaining an associate degree from Nassau Community College, Jesse took a walk on the wild side when he was accepted into South Carolina’s former Iron Yard — a six-month-long cram school where he earned a certificate in Ruby on Rails full-stack software development. This prompted a General Software Engineering position with an advertising and marketing agency on Long Island, New York. He then relocated to Fort Myers, took on a freelance position with Spiro & Associates, proved himself and the rest — as they say — is history.

Today, Jesse continues to create killer websites, enhance search engine optimization, develop apps and execute the e-mail campaigns that everyone knows and loves. But when he’s not working, you’ll find him jamming with his band or playing piano and solo singing during events at Lee Memorial Hospital, Hurricane Charley’s and 88 Keys. Yes, he’s pretty cool in a techie geek, musician-like sort of way!

KANDICE HAYES

Senior Public Relations Specialist

Kandice Hayes is the Senior Public Relations Specialist at Spiro & Associates, joining other Brand Architects™ who specialize in all things public relations. She is responsible for public relations communications projects for assigned clients, from business meetings to news media “pitches” to news release development and dissemination, she guides the plans and tactics through successful completion.

Kandice has a diverse background in marketing and product management working in a variety of industries including medical equipment, consumer packaged goods and homebuilding. Prior to joining Spiro & Associates, she spent five years at Tervis Tumbler headquarters in Venice, Florida, as Product Development Manager where she managed activities that stimulated the development and introduction of new products and packaging.

She was born and raised in Northeast Ohio and moved to Southwest Florida in 2005. She earned a Master of Business Administration and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Management / Marketing from Ashland University, is an avid Cleveland Indians fan, and enjoys yoga and cycling. Kandice’s diverse background and project management skills fit nicely with the agency’s portfolio of clients as the agency moves forward and continues to grow.

KAITLIN SHERMAN

Public Relations Specialist & Writer

Kaitlin may be the first on our Brand Architects team to play a part in saving a person’s life. Long story short: she was 19, a student at Penn State University, and had to track down someone at 1a.m. to come to the rescue of a man slumped over in his wheelchair. Remarkably, he survived.

While we do not know the whereabouts of the person, we are happy to know that Kaitlin can help any one of us should we be in dire need of being saved.

Prior to joining us, Kaitlin was a Line Producer for CBS-affiliate WINK-TV News in Fort Myers.

Kaitlin was also a Communications Coordinator for the Staten Island Chamber of Commerce in Staten Island, N.Y., where she was born and raised.

She moved to Bonita Springs in 2014 and joined Spiro & Associates in October 2016. She is a 2012 graduate of Penn State with Bachelor of Arts Degrees in Journalism and Political Science.

Kaitlin is pursuing a Master of Arts Degree in Mass Communication from the University of Florida. (Can we stand yet another Gator Nation fan? Sure!)

When she’s not saving lives — or breathing new life into copy assignments — you may find Kaitlin in leisurely pursuits like watching movies, dining out, lounging in the pool or hot tub, or writing.

APRIL MELLOTT

Bookkeeper & Assistant Media Planner

Not everyone can balance a checkbook, media schedule and rare personality like our Chief Creative Officer’s, but for April, that’s just another day at the office. As a seasoned account-industry representative, she manages accounts payable/receivable for all clients, processes payroll for all employees, assists with media planning and even finds time to bust our CCO’s chops about the ongoing LSU — Florida rivalry.

While April hails from Louisiana, she spent a decade in “The Volunteer State,” monitoring cash flow and maintaining books for local, regional and national companies, such as Paschall Truck Lines and Nolensville Vet Clinic. Before joining Spiro & Associates, she worked as the assistant to the COO of Land Solutions Company, LLC. There, she managed supplies and equipment maintenance and led human resources, among many other tasks.

Naturally, April attended LSU. From there, she received a personal training degree — naming her a certified personal trainer — from the National Personal Training Institution in Georgia. She currently resides in Cape Coral with her fiancé.

BRITTANY MCCORMICK

Social Media Digital Marketing Manager

While many people look at social media as a hobby, Brittany knows that it’s a window into digital strategies for multifaceted client companies and award-winning campaigns. That knowledge, coupled with the fact that she can lead a social media department AND assist a web team with websites, content and design, makes her just the Brand Architect™ for the job.

After receiving an associate degree from the former Edison State College, Brittany coordinated publicity for events, such as Bike Night; Coconut Festival; and Red, White and Boom for Cape Coral Parks & Recreation. From there, she worked for iHeartMedia — both in the social media and traditional advertising sectors. Brittany further exercised her Microsoft and Adobe skills when she designed logos, event/fundraiser posters, and photography for Nevermind Awesome Bar & Eatery and The Hop.

Born in Alliance, Ohio, Brittany was raised and still resides in Cape Coral.

LAUREN NUTTER

Senior Account Executive

You’ll often see Lauren creating business marketing plans, working on campaigns and, in typical senior-account-executive fashion, keeping us Brand Architects™ on time and in line. And when you have experience helping people at all levels reach their goals, it’s not difficult to motivate people — just check out her resume.

An Ohio native (yes, a Buckeye for some friendly competition with our Nittany Lion PR specialist … except on game day), Lauren has worked for several nonprofit organizations in the Greater Columbus area. They included The Salvation Army where she managed over 200 clients. This prepared her for a similar role at the Columbus Dream Center where she drove donor relationships and created digital marketing campaigns.

In search of some warmer weather, Lauren relocated to Fort Myers, becoming the development director for the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women campaign. She ultimately received the Outstanding Fundraising Performance award and the Top Go Red for Women Increase in Fiscal Revenue for 2019 in the Greater Southeast market.

Lauren graduated from Cedarville University in Ohio and Liberty University in Virginia with degrees in social work and communications studies.