Ryan

Founder/Partner
Director of Strategic Innovation

Ryan is one of Midfield’s founders. He’s got a quick and clever mind along with that great attitude that says ‘what now?’ and ‘how can we help?’. One of those kind of people who genuinely cares and gets invested.

Ryan has worked with some incredible brands such as MLSE, Coca-Cola, Pepsi-Lipton, Ivanhoe Cambridge, Fisherman’s Friend — and those are just the recent ones. Clients love him because he becomes a part of their extended team. He gets right in there and only wants to make things better and better.

A keen eye for digital transformation and new technology, he spearheads Midfields’ movement into new areas. He is one of the main reasons that our list of services expands every six months.

He has reasonable expectations as attested by his ‘deserted island’ food choice: 2″ thick cut AAA Rib-eye, coupled with a bottomless case of 2016 Luca Pinot Noir.

Oh ya, he’s also a ‘foodie’. Get him to make you something when we are allowed to congregate again.

2 Truths& 1 Lie

Pick the lie

My cousin is Joey McIntyre from NKOTB.
(That's New Kids on the Block for those born after 1985.)

I once ‘Sweated to the oldies' live on stage with Richard Simmons

I have a naturally occurring extra hole somewhere on my body (please let this be the lie)

Ashley

Account Director

As Drake likes to say when he raps about Ashley… “started from the bottom now we’re here”. That is exactly how Ashley landed her spot as our Account Director. Hard worker. Diligent. Some might say (she agrees) — perfectionist.

Ashley has over 10 years of experience in marketing and brand activations, working with amazing clients like BMW, Porsche, JTI Macdonald, Fisherman’s Friend, ADP and Flight Centre. It’s all about the detail for her. She has disdain for fancy buzz-words but seriously loves getting into a room and figuring stuff out with smart and like-minded people.

She is amazing. Flawless. With a careful eye to detail. She is a consummate professional. Something else but I can’t read her writing.

For her to survive a deserted island, she says that bread and butter with a bottomless Margarita could sustain her.

Think that’s the first time anyone said they would pick bread and butter for their deserted island food.

2 Truths& 1 Lie

Pick the lie

I went to a private concert hosted by Katy Perry

I got hit by a car and broke my arm

I’m a provincial piano champion

Hayley

Account Supervisor

Hayley is our human jukebox. She can name almost any song. Go ahead, try to stump her.

When she is not doing that, we draw upon her event and experience marketing (XM) planning expertise to create memorable and carefully-crafted experiences for consumers. She used to be a wedding planner until she outgrew the crazy aunts and the meddling mother-in-laws. She has a careful eye for every important detail and a great gift of empathy — of being able to experience other people’s point of view. I didn’t even make that up!

And almost like some kind of celestial bonus, Hayley used to work with AutoCAD at an interior design firm for two years. She has become a resource when it comes to technical drawings and environmental design.

When asked what famous person she’d like to be, she picked Ariel but only because Hayley just wants to be a mermaid for a day.

2 Truths& 1 Lie

Pick the lie

I am on a Netflix Cheerleading series

I cannot fully straighten all fingers

My dad taught me how to fly his plane

Marco

Group Account Director

Marco is a fine-tuned marketing communications machine with enough agency and client experience to fuel a 747 (if airplanes ran on marketing experience). Prior to joining Midfield, Marco was an integral part of the marketing team behind Harley-Davidson’s revolutionary electric motorcycle, the LiveWire.

He has also worked on digital marketing strategies for Swiss Chalet, Harvey’s, Appleton Estate, Skyy Vodka, Johnson & Johnson and Lowe’s.

Marco is our ‘client advocate’. He is always their ‘voice in the room’ to ensure they are being best served.

Something weird about Marco is that the sound of someone typing on a keyboard invariably puts him to sleep.

We stopped letting him come to the office well before Covid-19 started.

2 Truths& 1 Lie

Pick the lie

I can drink a pitcher of beer in less than 30 seconds

I can balance a broom stick on my nose

I was student council vice president in high school (would you really lie about being ‘vice’ president?)

Matt

Founder/Partner · CFO

Matt is literally a Kick-ass Accountant.

He is a certified public and management accountant who gets to put letters beside his name: CPA, CMA. He also used to be a boxer; who once held titles in five provinces. An accountant who can kick ass.

Matt runs the financial show at Midfield as one of our three founders. He is our CFO and keeps the lights on as well as guiding several of our clients in business planning and financial strategies.

He is a tale of two Matts: He is a member of a secret death-metal band he started years ago, the whole time listening to so much ABBA GOLD, he wore out the cassette tape.

He is part Italian but downs his pasta with a big glass of milk (apparently that’s a no-no). He is a man of reason and intelligence but too afraid to go on a cruise ship, certain he will be eaten by sharks.

2 Truths& 1 Lie

Pick the lie

My metal band was started in 1987 and we have recorded nine albums worth of songs

I ran the Boston Marathon two years in a row

The largest show I ever played was a Tailgate Party at Ivor Wynne Stadium for the Hamilton Tigercats

Mike

Head of Strategy and Branding

Like a stereotypical strategy guy, Mike is quick, witty and talks too much. But, every second or third thing he says is actually quite smart. He came to Midfield almost a year ago now; having crossed paths with one of our founders in an earlier life.

For years he has been a Freelance Brand Strategist working with both agencies and clients directly in a multitude of fractional roles. He has ‘strategized’ in every category and on multiple continents.

He likes to play and is always eager to push and scrape his way through to brighter and better solutions; pushing our clients into new opportunities for growth.

As far as guilty pleasures go, he loves stupid comedies and still watches sophomoric high school movies like Weird Science and anything with John Cusack.

When asked what famous person he would like to be for a day, he responded ‘Aren’t I already famous?’

2 Truths& 1 Lie

Pick the lie

I finished top 10 in the 2012 Bermuda Marathon

I was in the movie ‘Tommy Boy’ with Chris Farley

I can nose-jet over 10 yards

Anne

Senior Director - Client Success

So, Anne is way older than she looks. No. Don’t ask her how old she is. She looks 30 but with a resume in sales and leadership as long as hers, she must have started working when she was a toddler.

Anne is our leader of business development. She helps bring new, soon-to-be-happy, clients to Midfield. More importantly, though, she puts her solid experience to work for our clients and helps develop sales solutions for them. So it’s not like she just brings the clients in and then they never see her again.

She confesses that despite her outdoorsy nature that she is also directionally-challenged. She has, on occasion, been unable to find her table after coming back from the restroom at a big restaurant. Same thing happens when she parks her car at Costco.

Her spirit animal is any big dog. Never a cat!

2 Truths& 1 Lie

Pick the lie

I love babies

I don't know how to swim

I’ve never travelled outside of Canada

Pat

Accounting Coordinator

Our man Friday! Pat has had an intriguing career path. He was once an Interior Designer, working for Ethan Allen for seven years. Prior to that he was the manager of retail outlets for The Bombay Company.

He has also worked as bookkeeper at his niece’s Tim Hortons restaurants. He had to leave due to the adverse effect of Timbits on his waistline.

He gets stuff done for Midfield. One of those people that keeps the wheels turning and who takes care of those kinds of logistics that most of us didn’t even know needed doing. Midfield would be set adrift without him. He keeps on threatening to retire too! We won’t let him.

Funny story.

Pat took up walking at night to get some exercise. But, he found he had to be careful because he kept tripping over things and crashing into streetlamps while engrossed in critiquing people’s interior design choices.

Which kind of fits right into his other guilty pleasure: laughing at videos of models, celebrities and, especially, brides wiping out and falling down.

2 Truths& 1 Lie

Pick the lie

I am a nice person

I like animals

I like to laugh at other peoples’ expense

Galia

Associate Partner
VP, Digital Services

We are a worldly bunch here at Midfield. Well some of us are, anyway. Galia was educated in London, worked there for a while before moving to Malaysia and now is here in Canada with us. She probably speaks a few languages too but she is nice enough to speak to us in the Queen’s English with her lovely accent.

With a strong background in digital marketing, e-commerce and advertising, Galia heads up our technology needs. There used to be a time when digital was a department but now everything is digital and so Galia is everything to us!

Super bright. Nice to talk to. And all our clients love having her on their team.

For her desert island beverage she picked Scotch. She says it might mix well with coconut juice. Well she didn’t say that but it might, just!

When asked if farts are funny, she had a very specific response. Kids, animals and old people. Yes. Anyone else. No!

2 Truths& 1 Lie

Pick the lie

I am a gamer

I have broken 2 ribs while salsa dancing

I skydive

Greg

Founder/Partner — Head of Client Development

Greg is that guy! The one who makes you smile even on days you were pretty sure that you would not. He is our lead person when it comes to talking to new clients and finding the very best ways we might help them.

A possessor of that special attitude ‘Yeah, we can do it!’ – a positive force for taking things to the next level. Greg has an extensive career in event, sport and XM. He has worked for clients and agencies of all sizes and in every category.

He is an armchair philosopher who fundamentally believes in the fundamental goodness of human beings. That’s quite refreshing in today’s world.

Did you know that Greg wears a good luck shirt for big meetings? Inside the breast pocket are always two marbles. Ask him what they mean.

2 Truths& 1 Lie

Pick the lie

I knocked a ball around with Diego Maradona

Me and Gene Simmons from KISS had a beer in his hotel room.

I played bubble hockey with Pelé (is there a soccer theme here? Sorry Greg, meant football)

Tobi

Manager of Culture & People

Talent and Culture. Two things Tobi has plenty of.

She actually started at Midfield as an Account Manager and she’s pretty damn good at that. But she has a real heart for people and some experience with HR – so, at her request, we’ve also let her be in charge of that for us.

At Midfield we like to let people be good and what they are good at. Tobi is good at lots of things so who knows what her title will be next time you read this!

Go get em Tobi.

Shark is her spirit animal which is ok but she thinks sharks are mammals. Sorry Tobi – it’s a fish!

Tobi often screws up expressions but she’s ok with it. Things like I need a uhaul instead of an overhaul OR ‘it feels good to be vertical, even when she means lying down.

2 Truths& 1 Lie

Pick the lie

Auditioned for Lion King and then got a call-back for Mamma Mia

I have swam with sharks (even though I think they are mammals)

I am deathly afraid of Frogs

Courtney

Activations Manager

Courtney is no nonsense. Get to it. Get it done. Why are we still talking bout it? Well, she’s not rude or anything but she will definitely get the job done. And done right!

We rely on her incredible attention to detail and how she inspires the team to excellence. Midfield has a long history with her through the years and our paths keep crossing – and we couldn’t be happier about it.

If you ever hit a logistics nightmare you need a solution for – give it to Courtney to figure out.

Her bio makes her sound like she might be a tad on the serious side. Not true! For her wedding, she gave all the guests his & her Whoopie Cushions. That’s how funny she thinks farts are!

We asked her what she would choose as her preferred food and drink on a deserted island and she said ‘wine. Don’t need food!’

2 Truths& 1 Lie

Pick the lie

I once went shopping and shopped at 4 Target stores in one day!

I once went shopping for 24 hours straight!

I once went shopping for 18 hours straight!

Alex

Experiential Marketing Manager

You know those kinda cool dudes who you just look at and say ‘ya man they are kinda cool? But not so smart…’.?

Alex isn’t one of those kind of cool dudes.

Does anyone call anyone a cool dude anymore?

Yes, so; Alex is super smart. And kinda cool.

He is our chief of XM event planning, strategizing and organising. But he really is so smart that he helps us figure a bunch of other things out when we need it, as well.

He puts his mind to it and it gets done. That simple!

Fun random stuff about Alex: He would like to meet Neil Armstrong only because he is sure he could fly a spaceship better than him.
He thought, for the longest time, that Draught Beer was made from Barley that was grown during a drought – just because of the similarity of those words
&
He seems to think that if he was stuck on a Deserted Island, he could turn a coconut into a smartphone – not to call for help but so that he could read reddit articles. Maybe not as smart as we thought.

2 Truths& 1 Lie

Pick the lie

I've spent months in Guyana

I prefer surfing to snowboarding

I find pineapple ruins a pizza

Mike

VP of Revenue Operations

Mike is the resident Texan on the team; supplying obscure/folksy sayings, a killer bean-free chili recipe and more than a decade of agency, in-house and mentorship experience.

Having walked the fine line between operations, account management and business development he’ll be your go-to when it comes to setting up a team that fits your goals and your budget. When he’s not working to balance all those things, you’ll find him in the mountains of Colorado; running, talking to the chipmunks and hoping not to run into a bear.

For his desert island beverage, he went with water until which time he can escape the island, and then it’ll be bourbon.

2 Truths& 1 Lie

Pick the lie

I’m an Ironman (triathlete, not superhero)

I once ate an entire onion like an apple

I’m an accomplished carpenter

Kirby

Office dog / Muse

Kirby is our office dog. He’s super chill and always brightens our day whenever he stops by.

When he’s not laying at Matt’s feet having a snooze, he can be found in our creative hub — which is decked out with squashy chairs and comfy pillows — again, having a snooze. It’s often said that having a dog hanging around the workplace can bring positive vibes to your team, and Kirby does that for Midfield.

Did you know that Kirby wears a good luck collar for big meetings? Ask him what it means.

2 Truths& 1 Lie

Pick the lie

He has a twin

Doesn't like to play in mud

Knows most tricks

We call it
Liquid Talent

We never learn new things at our client’s expense

We know that one of the things that make us uniquely creative is that we boldly take on new challenges, figure things out and develop new skills.

But never on our client’s dime. They shouldn’t have to fund our learning curve. That’s why for every new challenge we bring on the right expert.

Liquid Talent helps us stay nimble, flexible and ready for anything.

Maybe it’s an industry consultant, or a tech engineer, coder, statistician, influencer, professor, lawyer, cultural anthropologist — whatever the job requires!

Joel

Guest Creative Director

What we believe in
1
Health & Happiness

There is power in prioritizing the health and happiness of our team.
What we believe in
2
Experiences

Relationships are formed by creating shared experiences.
What we believe in
3
Balance

Harmonious design requires equal parts form & function.
What we believe in
4
Empathy

Empathy is king. Always do what’s right, not what’s easy.
What we believe in
5
Learn

Never guess, learn. Never fail, learn.
What we believe in
6
Loyalty

Loyalty and reverence are not myths. They can be earned.

What we believe in

Cinq à Sept?!

We’re back baby!

Our September’s Cinq A Sept was a blast. Stay tuned for our next one to share a few laughs and make new memories.

Our People

There is nothing average about us.

Ryan

Founder/PartnerDirector of Strategic Innovation

2 Truths& 1 Lie

Pick the lie

My cousin is Joey McIntyre from NKOTB. (That's New Kids on the Block for those born after 1985.)​

I once ‘Sweated to the oldies' live on stage with Richard Simmons

I have a naturally occurring extra hole somewhere on my body (please let this be the lie)

We call itLiquid Talent

We never learn new things at our client’s expense

Joel

What we believe in

Health & Happiness

What we believe in

Experiences

What we believe in

Balance

What we believe in

Empathy

What we believe in

Learn

What we believe in

Loyalty

What we believe in

Cinq à Sept?!

We’re back baby!

Book a brainer

Founder/Partner
Director of Strategic Innovation

My cousin is Joey McIntyre from NKOTB.
(That's New Kids on the Block for those born after 1985.)

We call it
Liquid Talent