Meet the Team

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  Jon Girsch

  Principal

  Growing up in a home with self-employed, toy-inventor parents was pretty much a guarantee that Jon would want to run his own creative agency someday.  The problem?  He was also a computer geek. The digital revolution was born and Jon was ready!  Computers are great, but people are way better.  He has enjoyed working with such clients as Holland America Line, Microsoft, Alaska Airlines and Bank of America.  He is happiest surrounding himself with great friends,  a great team and great clients.  Oh, and he likes to travel too.  Does anyone know where he left his passport?

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  Karen Chase

  Project Manager

  Karen loves details. So it’s a good thing she manages them for a living. She makes sure our clients and designers have everything they need and keeps the machine well-oiled. This includes acting as a liaison between Avenue B Design clients and staff, juggling project calendars and much more. Her talents have been used in the past by Microsoft, the George Eastman House International Museum of Photography and Film and many others. Toss her a few chocolate malt balls and she’ll be putty in your hand.

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  Tara Haskins

  Account Manager

  Tara is a princess, fashionista and Coach-afficionado. One look at her closet and you can see right away that she’s put together and follows the trends. What better characteristics for your account manager to possess—someone who is going to strategize and organize your business and take it to the next level? Tara comes to you with years of experience in the travel industry at Holland America Line, as well as online and email marketing with smaller businesses including Eagle’s Roost Productions and Rogue Wave Embroidery. And of course there’s the occasional moonlighting as a fashion writer for Examiner.com. Next on Tara’s list? Horse training with her recent family addition of a pinto National Show Horse mare—and of course blogging and shopping for the new princess too!

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  Meredith Nelson

  Copywriter

  Meredith wants to be a professional traveler. Luckily, she gets to write about amazing people, places and things all day long. In between managing a non-profit organization for poetry with her husband and catching up on her TiVo programming, she makes sure that all copy she writes for Avenue B Design clients is succinct, clear and has the perfect amount of energy. Her talents have been used by Holland America Line, Microsoft, REI, MSN, Expedia, USAToday.com and many others. For fun, you can watch her blow a gasket if you confuse there, their and they’re.

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  Michael Olson

  Creative Director & Senior Designer

  Michael can play the didgeridoo. He’s pretty good at playing with pixels as well. In between keeping his music dreams alive at his in-home studio and people watching around Green Lake, he helps Avenue B Design clients keep their brand promises and develop exceptional interactive experiences by ensuring that the creative for any project is consistent. His work has been showcased by Safeway, Dykeman, Housing Hope, Northwest Face, PEMCO and more. Ask him about circular breathing. He’s apparently very good at it.

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  Peter Popp

  Art Director & Senior Designer

  Peter believes that one ring will rule them all. When he’s not indulging his Lord of the Rings-centric hobbies, he’s practicing the art and craft of raising his daughter, one Elvish word at a time. He brings this same creativity and imagination to the design and illustration work he does for Avenue B Design clients by art directing and designing projects from start to finish.  His portfolio includes work from M&M's, Chevrolet, Cadillac, Pontiac, GMC, NASCAR, Charles Schwab and more.  Challenge him to a game of dominos if you think you can hold your own.

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  Dave Repp

  Data Manager & Software Architect

  Dave thinks machines are far less complicated than human beings.  That’s probably why he’s so good at bending computers to his will. He once traded his lunch money for a broken Walkman, which he repaired with a paper-clip. He’s traded in the paper clips, but makes sure the backend tools capture, store and process information effectively for our clients at Avenue B Design. He’s done work for Microsoft, Intel, WaMu, RE/MAX Realty and many more. Ask Dave about the thousands of bike miles he once logged in Los Angeles.

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  Alan Taylor

  Business Strategy Manager

  Alan is addicted to Pilates. This is a good thing for our business, since strategy is always at the core. In between satisfying his voracious appetites for music and his wife’s gourmet cooking (not necessarily in that order), he is busy building relationships, building client loyalty and helping to make sure Avenue B Design business stays on strategy.  His services have been used by IBM, Citrix, HP, Microsoft, Novell and many more. Oh, and he owns two cotton farms in West Texas. Now there’s a conversation starter!