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As President and Founder of Renoun Creative, Dan’s main goal is to facilitate Renoun’s continuous organic growth, but on a day-to-day basis he’s responsible for much more. A proactive, strategically-inclined thinker with a long career of graphic design experience, Dan guides the direction of the agency, focusing heavily on employee development, and maintaining client relationships. His passion and knowledge of design also means he’s an active, encouraging participant in the creative process.

Receiving degrees both in illustration and graphic design during his tenure at RIT, Dan has worked in various capacities on design work for a wide variety of local and commercial brands for the entirety of his career, with much of that work gradually becoming a management-focused role. This provided him with robust experience at managing a design firm, informing the philosophy he applies to managing Renoun Creative as a company, and how best to build relationships with employees and clients alike.

Renoun itself began in 2006 as a label for Dan’s freelance design activities. However, it was after working as a graphic designer for both a chocolate-supply company, and later a small design studio, where Dan decided to take an evolutionary step in his career. In 2013, Renoun evolved from a small freelancing outfit, to a fully-fledged marketing and design agency.

Dan had always known he wanted to run a business, a desire born out of his strong sense of self-reliance, and a devotion to providing for himself and others. Dan loves the strategic puzzle of problem solving. His defining attribute as a professional is his “Find a Way” mentality, something which encourages Renoun staff to forge their own paths, finding solutions to problems which capitalize on their unique talents and traits as professionals and people. Dan recognizes the value of the individual, and its that trust in the abilities of his team that makes Renoun the collaborative, positive, and effective work environment that it is.

Outside of work, Dan still spends much of his thought focused on Renoun, always striving to realize the full potential of the agency. Dan is also a devoted husband and father. He enjoys home improvement, as well as all manner of activities in the outdoors; Dan loves to hike no matter how inclimate the weather. When he’s not doing that, he plays in an adult baseball league, and even loves to cook.

exene is our VP and head of Brand Strategy & Success. That means they help lead and manage our own marketing & new business development, client brand strategy, brand/account management, and organizational development–among other things.

With an eclectic background, including participation (and leadership) in a popular personal development approach (aka self-help cult), a long and successful run of organizational development consulting with small businesses,  and of course helping double the size of the agency over the last few years – along with their experience as an independent (publishing and touring) musician and songwriter, community organizer/activist,  unwavering sense of humor, and staunch commitment to people over profits (yes, even in the workplace, and even in this industry) – they bring a perspective to the work we do that is incisive, empathetic, and wholly unique.

And it shows, in our own results and of course those of our clients.

At Renoun Creative, exene works with clients to develop their core strategies and execute on their growth goals. You can check out their thoughts on standing out as a brand here.

Nicole Cooke is one of Renoun Creative’s Brand Managers. Experienced, adaptable, and resourceful, Nicole is responsible for formulating brand strategies that best ensure client success; developing trusting relationships with Renoun’s clients through transparent communication from a place of understanding. Nicole collaborates closely with her colleagues at Renoun in order to facilitate great creative work is produced in a way that ensures client satisfaction, while retaining Renoun’s signature brand of creative problem solving.

After obtaining her Bachelors in Art Nicole applied her background in photography, interning and later working at New Era Cap Company as a photographer; an important first experience working in a professional studio environment. After three years at Delaware Camera which followed, Nicole began the first step in shaping her Brand Management career and her long tenure of working with nonprofit organizations when she was hired by Valu Home Center. Originally working as a photographer, Nicole assumed every responsibility she could, learning all about social media management, public relations, and non-profit work, constantly progressing from one title to the next as her experience and skills expanded. Soon after, Nicole became executive director of the Western New York Book Arts center, overseeing an award-winning rebranding campaign that earned her recognition as a “Rising Star” by Arts Services inc. Her work building a community engagement program at Valu Home Centers also recognized her as one of Buffalo Business First’s “30 Under 30”.

Nicole is a tactful and amicable communicator great at building relationships and clearly expressing ideas, but another great attribute of her’s is an ability to quickly learn lots of new information and apply it just as fast. She demonstrates this every day through the wide variety of clients she represents at Renoun, as well as her intimate knowledge of the roles of Renoun’s team. Not only can Nicole quickly develop an understanding of a brand’s identity, goals, and demographics, she can also direct other members of the team more effectively in achieving those goals while setting accurate expectations of factors like timeframe and budget for clients.

Outside of her work at Renoun, Nicole loves to read. Sometimes about business, but she’s usually enraptured by fiction books. She also loves to travel, spends lots of time outdoors, and has achieved incredibly through her yearly participation in the “Ride for Roswell”. For over 11 years, Nicole has ridden her bike and raised over $30,000 in honor of her late grandfather. When not doing ant of that, Nicole spends time with her boyfriend Mike, and their two cats Biscuit and Porkchop.

Ryan Hirliman is Renoun’s senior developer. Ryan’s responsibilities include developing websites largely designed in-house by Renoun’s creative team, planning and building-out tools and web apps for client sites to help them increase their functionality and streamline the user experience, as well as maintaining websites for Renoun and its clients.

Ryan’s love for computers was fostered at any early age, something he attributes to growing up as a teenager in the 90’s; a time where computer technology was evolving faster than ever, and their possibilities seemed boundless, new, and exciting. Ryan learned he had an interest in web development while in college, developing a site to host the work of independent artists. Graduating from Buffalo State University with a Bachelors in “Communication Design”, Ryan developed a keen understanding of how to convey information, as well as the principles of design. Following school he worked primarily as a graphic designer in various capacities, designing everything from brochures and ads, to signage and product packaging. However, web development was always where his heart was, something he found again after years of design work.

After working professionally as a web developer for five years, Ryan joined the team at Renoun, where his knowledge of graphic design and strong passion for web development has coalesced into a career well-suited to his skills as a professional. While everyone at Renoun shares a love for finding solutions to different problems, Ryan takes that mentality into the web-development space, engaged and fascinated by the puzzle of accomplishing his coding and development goals. There are always many ways to solve web-development tasks, but Ryan’s skills lie in his innate ability to always deduce the best, most efficient and organized solutions possible.

When Ryan isn’t entrenched in his responsibilities as Renoun’s resident web developer, he largely spends his time as a husband and father. An avid admirer of nature, Ryan loves going on hikes and nature walks with his kids, and has a strong interest in woodworking, home repair, and a burgeoning interest in 3D printing. Ryan’s main hobby is his incredible passion for film; he may not go to the theater as much as he’d like, but he’s a great admirer of film history, the artistry of moviemaking and the endless forms of expression the medium can capture.

Em Kaczynski is Renoun Creative’s Graphic & Motion Designer. As a part of the agency’s creative team, her responsibilities include executing print and digital design solutions such as video editing, animation, web design, photo editing, as well as creating static graphics including branded elements like logos, business cards, and more.

Em thrives in the ever-evolving work environment at Renoun, where every day yields a variety of different projects and clients. It’s this constant flow of new design skills, tasks, and concepts that keeps them flexible, adaptable, and engaged in their work, citing this adaptability as a quality which makes her best-suited for the variety of responsibilities her work entails.

Graduating from Villa Maria College with a BFA in graphic design during the tumultuous year of 2020, Em’s various student Addy wins, and the opportunity to design the SKALD publication in 2018 & 2019 marked an illustrious school career that led seamlessly into their position at Renoun, something a formative graphic design internship at the NFTA (Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority) also prepared her well for.

Em’s Queerness and a strong devotion to body-positivity-advocacy is an integral part of their identity and personage. She strives to motivate others to become more positive about themselves and their own respective identities so they may find the same self-motivated fulfillment which she finds strength and assurance in every day.

Outside their work life, Em spends most of her time immersed in video games, engaging with them as interactive pieces of art, but they are also an avid reader of horror novels, and devotes time with her boyfriend, her pitbull Apollo, and her cat Buttercup.

Andrea Torres is one of Renoun Creative’s in-house Graphic Designers. As a part of the agency’s creative team, her responsibilities primarily involve website design, where she strives to create webpages that prioritize user experience and accessibility while retaining functionality and a vibrant visual identity perfect to suit the requirements and brand of any client. In addition to web design, Andrea’s work at Renoun involves executing print and digital design solutions including branding materials such as logos, along with running website audits and providing illustrations.

Originating from Colombia, Andrea is a fluent speaker of Spanish and English, with an international background of diverse work and educational experience. Graduating from Luis Amigo Catholic University in 2016 with a Bachelor’s in advertising, Andrea fell in love with graphic design, combining her passion for illustration and the arts with her education. Following her college career, Andrea interned at Colombia’s largest newspaper; there she fostered a passion for editorial illustration and merchandizing design.

One of Andrea’s greatest attributes as a professional is her diverse work experience, covering everything from branding, marketing, art direction and digital product design; thriving in a work environment where new problems are constantly being introduced and new approaches are consistently required to solve them. Andrea thinks of her diverse range of skills as a toolbox of abilities she can apply the right combinations of to accurately address any task. From the complex to the trivial, Andrea welcomes them all, always up for applying tactful solutions to complex problems.

Apart from her design work at Renoun, Andrea’s love for illustrating extends beyond what she creates for others, often spending as much time as she can illustrating purely for her own love of art. She is also a devoted animal rights advocate, taking considered care of her two cats, Zephyr and Aether. When not working or drawing, Andrea loves playing video games, reading, spending time with her partner, Caleb, traveling to Colombia to visit family and friends, and is even trying her hand at writing, something she hopes to accompany her illustrations.

As one of Renoun Creative’s digital marketers, Chris Michel uses his decades of experience in journalistic and marketing writing to create optimized copy for Renoun’s clients. A sharp thinker who trusts in his ability, Chris writes a bit of everything: from blogs, website copy, and emails, to newsletters and radio scripts. He also supports his peers behind the scenes, assisting with a variety of tasks that help client websites function correctly.

Chris graduated from St. Bonaventure University with a degree in journalism and mass communications, later earning his master’s degree in integrated marketing communications. Following school, he went on to have a fulfilling career in journalism, working as a city reporter and editor for nearly a decade – earning a few writing awards along the way.  From there, Chris began his marketing career, working for a local economic development corporation and chamber of commerce.

Starting as a writer, his role gradually expanded to include managing large grants, overseeing projects, and assuming numerous other responsibilities. Before joining the team at Renoun, Chris also served a similar role as digital marketer at another marketing agency.

A professional writer since 15, Chris’s extensive experience writing in various capacities enables him to quickly grasp a client’s brand voice, capturing it to effectively communicate with their audience and attract future customers.

Outside of work, Chris spends time with his family, and enjoys a diverse range of hobbies and interests. Among them are beer brewing, pizza making, and vegetable gardening, the fruits of which he shares with family and friends. He’s also a devoted Star Wars, Tragically Hip & Weird Al fan. Generally, Chris’s life seems full of surprising anecdotes that keep his peers curious.

In her role as one of Renoun Creative’s Project Coordinators, Kira Kolb keeps projects organized and on schedule, facilitating communication between her clients and Renoun’s creative team. Hardworking, empathetic, and cool under pressure, Kira tactfully balances the relationship between client needs and the priorities of her peers.

A graphic design major, Kira is a graduate of Mercyhurst University. Following her education, she began her career as a project manager for an advertising agency in Buffalo. She spent the next two years learning on the job, growing into her role. Before long, she realized it was a natural fit. After another successful project management position working remotely, Kira joined the team at Renoun Creative.

Kira cites her ability to multitask and her level-headed demeanor as qualities that help her thrive in her role as Project Coordinator. She interprets every day, meeting, and task as an opportunity to develop her communication and organizational skills further. Self-improvement is a priority for Kira in and outside of work. When out of the office, she’s always looking for ways to iterate on her wellness, fitness, and approach to life.

Kira finds joy and fulfillment staying active and spending time with her family and friends, filling every weekend with activities and outings with those closest to her. Despite not being a Buffalo native, she’s also become an avid Bills fan, catching games with her boyfriend and heading to the stadium when she can.