Whitney Allen Patel, VP Operations, Creative
(Whitney Allen reported directly to Patrick)
“I worked for Pat for a little over six years and I routinely tell people he was the best manager I've ever had. Pat leads with compassion first and created an environment where his team felt valued and empowered. The result was a close-knit group of creatives knocking out great work year over year. Pat is a born storyteller and inspiring soul. His thoughtful approach to work was appreciated by clients and steadying to his team.
Pat has a non-traditional background for a Creative Director and I believe this to be one of his great strengths. He didn't take the traditional ad school route and in fact, came to IMG LIVE (now 160over90) with a client-side pedigree. This in turn meant he treated me and the rest of his team has trusted partners with our own strengths working with him rather than for him.
Beyond just our own department, Pat was a big part of the heart and soul of our company culture. This is a testament to the respect and love we all had and have for him as a colleague and friend. If given the chance, I would absolutely work with him again.”
Terence Raines, Creative Director
(Patrick was senior to Terence but didn't manage Terence directly)
“There aren't enough words to describe my time spent with Pat at the helm of our creative department. Pat is one of those rare leaders that strikes a balance between investing in both his employees' professional and interpersonal growth. During my time with Pat, he was a stand up leader with a clear direction and purpose for the creative department. He made strides in helping an Account lead agency understand how to work with a creative team while also ensuring the department generates significant margin on each program that we are engaged. He alway made time for anyone who needed an ear or shoulder to lean on and was always willing to work side-by-side with the team to see every project through to the finish line. Personally, I would endorse anything he puts his mind behind because I know that means his heart is 100% in it too!
There aren't enough words to describe my time spent with Pat at the helm of our creative department. Pat is one of those rare leaders that strikes a balance between investing in both his employees' professional and interpersonal growth. During my time with Pat, he was a stand up leader with a clear direction and purpose for the creative department. He made strides in helping an Account lead agency understand how to work with a creative team while also ensuring the department generates significant margin on each program that we are engaged. He alway made time for anyone who needed an ear or shoulder to lean on and was always willing to work side-by-side with the team to see every project through to the finish line. Personally, I would endorse anything he puts his mind behind because I know that means his heart is 100% in it too!”
Kevin Bove, Chief Marketing Officer
(Kevin worked with Patrick on the same team)
“Leadership can be defined in many ways, but effective and sustainable leadership requires one specific characteristic that Patrick has an abundance of... caring. Anyone who has worked with Pat knows he cares about you and the quality and effectiveness of the work product. Simply put, Pat cares.”
Seth Ferguson, Senior Vice President, Client Services
(Seth worked with Patrick but on different teams)
“Pat brought a valued perspective and genuine approach to Next Marketing that enhanced the culture and energized our team members. He has a positive, inclusive approach that encourages everyone to participate and contribute in both internal and external endeavors. His forward thinking vision and internal drive lead to a refresh of our office space and an update of our company's website and logo. The inspirational changes positively impact the day-to-day environment of our team and help position the relevance and modernization of our brand. Pat is a hard-working, diligent, and caring person that strives to attain high standards, and he desires to include and elevate those working alongside him. He'll roll up his sleeves and dive into any stage of production, and he'll work late into the night to achieve perfection for his clients and his team. He made us better, and he'll be a asset to any program that he supports or team that he joins.
Pat brought a valued perspective and genuine approach to Next Marketing that enhanced the culture and energized our team members. He has a positive, inclusive approach that encourages everyone to participate and contribute in both internal and external endeavors. His forward thinking vision and internal drive lead to a refresh of our office space and an update of our company's website and logo. The inspirational changes positively impact the day-to-day environment of our team and help position the relevance and modernization of our brand. Pat is a hard-working, diligent, and caring person that strives to attain high standards, and he desires to include and elevate those working alongside him. He'll roll up his sleeves and dive into any stage of production, and he'll work late into the night to achieve perfection for his clients and his team. He made us better, and he'll be a asset to any program that he supports or team that he joins."
Alicia Ferguson, Account Director
(Alicia worked with Patrick but on different teams)
“Working with Pat Conreaux has been a highlight in my tenure at Next Marketing. Pat came in and breathed life into our company and made it a brand. In his time with Next he was able to reposition the company as a modern, constantly evolving brand that is always seeking better ways to elevate performance. This included a refresh of our physical office environment as well as the look and feel of all our outward facing communications. He also inspired the company culture and helped us all see ourselves as integral drivers of a forward thinking brand. He worked with all of us to participate and collaborate on the agency’s creative ideation process. Pat is a true creative and makes collaborating enjoyable and refreshing. Seeing how he brought new perspectives and inspiration to client accounts we’ve had for many years was exciting and invigorating. He was able to suggest creative and production resources to help us invite new ideas and different approaches to both new and existing clients. Pat is a motivator, an inspiration and a breath of fresh air.”
Melissa B., Client Services
(Patrick was senior to Melissa but didn't manage Melissa directly)
“Pat was the first senior leader I had the pleasure of working directly with when I started my job at Next. He always was inviting with a true open door policy. Even though I didn't work on the creative team, Pat always took time to invite me to participate in brainstorm sessions. This was truly helpful during times I felt stuck on something particular with a client’s campaign. This allowed me to have direct input on creative processes. He truly encouraged me to research and share inspirational concepts and always showed me that he appreciated that I come to the table ready with ideas. He always encouraged everybody to think of themselves as creators, no matter what their title was. Pat was particularly good at not only teaching you PowerPoint skills to present to your client on their campaigns but always willing to help, listen, and guide you.”
Kari O'Hara, Producer
(Patrick was senior to Kari but didn't manage Kari directly)
“Pat is a truly one of a kind mentor and advocate. As head of our Creative department, he took a special interest in every single team member and lived the open door policy that so many leaders claim. He even earned the loving nickname "Spirit Wolf" because his calm, thoughtful, and protective demeanor. Any team would be lucky to have Pat leading them into battle or a brainstorm.”
Marissa Fine Marcus, Creative Director
(Patrick was senior to Marissa but didn't manage Marissa directly)
“Pat was one of the most encouraging and insightful mentors I have had in my career. He has an uncanny ability to identify and highlight each and every one of his employees' unique qualities, allowing them to find their own solutions in challenging situations while providing support and confidence in their abilities. Pat is an incredible, empathetic listener to both high profile clients, and those he works with and mentors. An asset to every team he works with, Pat handles relationship building, interpersonal conflict, and communication with the utmost composure and focus to allow an environment where creative problem solving can thrive. His guidance during my years as a young art director was invaluable, and I truly believe his mentorship was the foundation for my entire career growth moving forward.”
Matt Hilley, SVP, Global Activation
(Matt worked with Patrick but on different teams)
“Pat is a team player. He's the creative leader that's willing to reach across the aisle early & often with the belief that our best work will only come through collaboration. He's a master of resource allocation & very proficient in inspiring creative excellence from his team. I'll always appreciate Pat's willingness to get in the foxhole with the greater team to ensure a winning product.”
Megan Ashley Shagott, Design Professional and Leader in Strategy & Innovation
(Megan Ashley reported directly to Patrick)
“Pat is a wonderful boss and mentor. As a leader he challenges good ideas to become great and has the ability to see diamonds in the rough. Even in negative situations, he has the distinct ability to remain positive and stay the course. He brings much needed balance to a fast paced work environment not only through his attitude but also by looking outside the box for creative solutions in a pinch. He pushes creatives to produce excellent work but also knows when to bring in reinforcements so his team is not over worked. It has been a privilege to work with and learn from Pat. He is a stand up leader and a great addition to any team.”
Emily Dardaman, AI Policy and Public Communications
(Patrick was senior to Emily but didn't manage Emily directly)
“Pat Conreaux is one of the most inspiring, creative, and visionary leaders I have ever encountered. With him at the helm of IMG LIVE's Creative division, we thrived—both as creatives and as people.
Pat encouraged the best work from each of us in two ways: first, he led by example with humility and grace; and second, he made sure that every member of the team felt consistently heard, respected, and supported. It is so, so rare to have a leader who is so committed to industry-leading, creative excellence AND to the well-being of his team. Each job I have from this point forward will be marked by Pat's absence, and I am so grateful to have him as a model for leadership so early in my career. I can hardly stress enough how fortunate any organization would be to have him on board.”
Josh Pate, SVP, Global Experiential
(Josh worked with Patrick but on different teams)
“Pat is one of the most well rounded people that I have worked with in my career.
When Pat joined IMG LIVE he had a vision of developing a creative team that was an integral discipline of the agency. His vision transformed the agency’s perception of our creative team. The team developed from being doers to a necessary strategic component in everything that we do. This vision created more demand for the creative group and it grew from just a few people to well over 20 people in a few short years.
He is also a strong leader and has the ability to inspire people to do great work. He supports people both professionally and personally. I think this is of the many reasons you hear his team say 'I love working for Pat'.
Pat is able process complicated assignments into deliverables so they are easily understood by the team. This allows him to assign the best creative person for the task and which delivers better results for the client.
And, as part of the Sr. Leadership team Pat lead multiple areas of strategic growth for our agency. He developed initiatives from process to uncovering leading edge products and technology that made our offerings even better. He is typically the voice of reason and the balance that is needed in Senior level meetings.
Overall, Pat will make your creative better, your employees better, and your organization better.”
Tim Greiner, Vice President, Production
(Tim worked with Patrick but on different teams)
“Pat's a brilliant creative mind but that's just the start of it.
He's a great manager of people.
He's a rock to build a company's culture upon.
He's the first person to shoulder the work in crunch time.
He's level-headed and always provides sound advice.
He's invested not only in his group but also the well-being and growth of every career he touches.
In summary, Pat is the type of leader every agency wishes they could have. I count myself lucky to have worked with him for 6+ years.”
Bryan Icenhower, CMO | CEO | President | COO
(Bryan managed Patrick directly)
“I cannot thank Pat enough for his contributions to not only our Creative department, but the company in general. For the past seven years, Pat has been instrumental in starting our Creative capabilities and then taking it to the next level, all while making all of us better. He will forever be a large piece of the foundation that IMG LIVE brand has been built on.”
Courtney Ceto, Account Director
(Patrick was senior to Courtney but didn't manage Courtney directly)
“From the moment you meet Pat, you feel his enthusiasm and passion for his work, and cannot help but adopt a similar mentality. In my opinion, a huge portion of truly enjoying a position is enjoying learning from those who surround you in it. Pat made my experience at MME. I've been lucky enough to keep in touch with him since my internship years ago, and he continues to be a mentor to me today.”
Dan Adams, Account Executive
(Patrick was senior to Dan but didn't manage Dan directly)
“Out of all the leaders I have met in my life, Patrick is one of the strongest I have had the pleasure to work with. His amazing creative abilities are blended with a selfless leadership that has the power to transform a company culture. The best way to describe this leadership is genuine and compassionate as he attempts to elevate fellow employees to their highest potential. To be honest, I have never seen a leader that has such a perfect mix of creativity (introverted) and the ability to lead others (extroverted), that I consider Pat a rare hybrid in today's changing world. If you want to create a paradigm shift within your company culture, I strongly recommend Patrick Conreaux.”
Michael Cleary, Chief Operating Officer
(Michael managed Patrick directly)
“Pat is one of the more highly creative and forward thinking people I have had the pleasure to work with. I am always impressed with his keen insight that offers a different perspective and is always right on target with the client’s objective. Amongst his many strengths is his ability to bind several different ideas into a great idea. He has endless passion and energy for his work and for life…always striving for excellence in all aspects of life. He is a great leader of people and practices integrity, honesty, and fairness.”
Rick Radermacher, Managing Partner at Crabb Radermacher
(Rick worked with Patrick but they were at different companies)
“Patrick Conreaux understands that a whiz-bang creative execution without a thoughtful strategy is more than likely going to fall flat. He is the rare combination of right and left brain, marrying the diligence to dig deeply into a brand's DNA with the design style to beautifully and effectively bring a powerful idea to life. Whether it's a brand campaign, promotion or mobile media solution. And on top of it all, he's the quintessential team player with whom it's both easy and fun to work.”
Mike Wittenstein, Chief Strategy Officer
(Mike worked with Patrick but they were at different companies)
“Pat thinks in 3-D about marketing. That's what it takes to do great mobile and event projects. Pat gets the big picture quickly but sweats the details toobecause that what customers remember. Two thumbs up. A consummate pro.”
David Haas, Experiential Marketing and Operations Executive
(David worked with Patrick but on different teams)
“One word - Brilliant. Pat is, by far, one of the most creative and forward-thinking people I've ever had the pleasure of working with. He brings tremendous energy and enthusiasm to every job. Pat is very quick-minded and has an amazing ability to connect the dots thereby creating the Big Picture. I believe working with Pat has made me a more strategic, conceptual, and creative Producer. I can confidently say he is a key thread in the fabric of this organization.”
Dan West, VP, Events and Fan Experience
(Dan managed Patrick directly)
“Without question, Pat is THE most dedicated employee I have ever been around in my working lifetime. He is not only focused on his area of senior management and expertise, but works with the entire company's objectives in mind. He also works in a realistic fashion of what resources can provide and chooses to lead by example not only to his direct reports but upwards to owners and other senior executives he lives/works with inside the business. Most importantly to me personally, he has the mindset of being about the people that bring it all together especially those that work in the trenches to implement. He has "ownership" business acumen to boot. Pat is definitely would be a choice candidate for someone who is looking for an individual who can do it all from high to low end of the continuum - Strategic, creative, communication, planning, development, implementation and finish off. He leads with the heart and finishes off with intelligence and vigor. Please communicate with me directly at 404-307-9461 for any information or details you might need.”
Ceili Cascarano, Senior Vice President, Growth
(Ceili reported directly to Patrick)
“Pat was an incredible boss and mentor. He was (and still is) committed to my success, both professionally and personally, and is a constant source of creativity and passion. Pat somehow strikes the perfect combination of leadership and management and allows his team to take ownership on their projects. He is one of the most loyal, trustworthy, and hard working people I know. Pat constantly drives MME to new levels of innovation and success, and I could not have asked for a better boss.”
Enrique Casanova, Sponsorship and Lifestyle Marketing Executive
(Enrique worked with Patrick but they were at different companies)
“It's a true pleasure having Pat on our "team", as he provides superior concepts for our creative needs, always has great ideas, and is a true pro in his field. He thrives in our sometimes crazy environment, where needs can change at a moment's notice and deadlines verge upon the unreasonable. I joke that Pat will have a spot-on concept proof sent to me before I can even finish explaining my vision, yet there is truth in that - Pat has an uncanny ability to bring to life his client's disparate ideas, and his turnaround time is exceptional. I highly recommend Pat.”
Jill Ethelbah, Program Manager at Microsoft
(Jill worked with Patrick on the same team)
“I have never met or worked with another like Pat in my years of experience. He is a mentor, a leader, very creative and a driver of results all rolled into one. He can operate at all levels whether it be relating with the front line employees or a fortune 50 client VP. Pat is someone that I recommend whole-heartedly.”
Bruce Perlman, CEO / CMO
(Bruce managed Patrick directly)
“Patrick, was one of the most creative individuals I have had the pleasure to work with. He has a rare gift to not only be able to think and write creatively, but can also apply those creative juices graphically as well.
Beyond his creative talents, Patrick is a phenomenal person, colleague and friend. I was very fortunate t have the opportunity to work with him.”
