BRAND - Key Persons


ASHLEY TOLLEY

Job Titles:
  • Creative Director
As Creative Director, Ashley brings a decade of creative experience immersed in brand history and trends, and has strategically and efficiently led creative initiatives for clients, large and small, across all industry verticals. She's organized a team of Brand Creation Project Managers and Global Creatives that are second to none in this industry. Branding is in her blood. She's so ingrained in our proprietary methodology, that she even used it when naming her pets (Freya and Loki - named after Norse gods, of course).

CHIP BARTHELMES

Job Titles:
  • Design Director
Chip leads all client design, visual brand development and oversees the creation and execution of our internal brand. Chip continuously provides superior design for Brandsymbol clients through his drive, expertise and passion for building unique and meaningful visuals. His passions for music and culture run parallel with his knack for design and his work is truly second to none. In his free time, Chip can be found collecting, listening to and even producing his own music down on the beaches of the Florida Gulf.

CLAYTON TOLLEY - CEO, President

Job Titles:
  • CEO
  • Member of the LEADERSHIP Team
  • President
As President and CEO for Brandsymbol and CEO of SafeMark, Clayton's collaborative philosophy fuels the growth for the agency and its teams. Beginning his career in branding in 1993 at Addison Whitney, Clayton's passion for brand naming and drive for success propelled him to President and CEO. In 2010, Clayton's vision for innovation and client integration for creating world-class brands was utilized as the bedrock for Brandsymbol and its safety partner, SafeMark.

DANIEL PLAISANCE - Managing Director

Job Titles:
  • Managing Director
As a Managing Director, Danny leads our pharmaceutical business and guides the strategic direction of the agency to better serve our pharmaceutical and biotechnology clients. As a leading healthcare branding veteran with 25 years of pharmaceutical/biotechnology experience, Danny has successfully lead the development of over 100 global pharmaceutical & biotechnology brand names for some of the most recognized brands in the industry. Danny's passion for branding and marketing makes him a great partner to mentor clients from the inception of an idea to the final stages of product & brand development, name safety and commercial testing and global regulatory acceptance.

DOUGLAS RAND - Managing Director

Job Titles:
  • Managing Director
  • Member of the LEADERSHIP Team
As Managing Director, Doug maintains a focus on team building and revenue generation. With nearly three decades of industry experience, Doug has developed highly recognized brands for some of the world's largest companies. His leadership approach prioritizes the client experience and building trusting relationships. Doug's experience in the field and dedication to learning is an inspiration to the entire Brandsymbol team. His dedication to knowledge also makes him the best trivia partner.

DYAN ROWE DAVIS

Job Titles:
  • President of SafeMark
Dyan blends a background as a pharmacist with a law degree and over 15 years' experience in name safety testing, to provide regulatory leadership and marketing guidance to our team. Throughout her extensive career, her regulatory review and expert advice have been utilized by branding agencies on hundreds of brand and generic naming projects for the pharmaceutical and medical-device industries. Known for her keen sense of detail, Dyan can be found recharging by birding with camera in hand.

ERIK WALDER - CFO

Job Titles:
  • Chief Financial Officer
As the Chief Financial Officer of Brandsymbol and SafeMark, Erik is integral to the overall financial health and profitability of both agencies. Erik has been instrumental in developing new financial and operational processes and controls, while ensuring such changes continue to provide the highest levels of client satisfaction. As a licensed CPA, Erik has over 22 years of experience in both public audit and corporate accounting.

RICHARD GEORGE

Job Titles:
  • Member of the LEADERSHIP Team
  • Chief Brand Strategy Officer
Rich has built a career designing and deploying strategic, go-to-market Branding plans for numerous Fortune 100 clients. His rigorous, fact-based analysis and professional perseverance has led to innovative brand solutions for P&G, Folgers, Pringles, and many more. If he isn't examining and analyzing brand data, he's fighting for our climate as a climate crisis warrior.