Working at BFT
You might join us for the opportunity to do great work. You’ll stay for the energy, the positivity and the sense that anything is possible.
“Everyone at BFT has individual strengths, but together we are a powerhouse group creatively solving tough marketing challenges.”
- Rob Christensen
The Colony Group
New Website & Messaging Strategy
Gilda's Club Chicago
Paid Social Media Campaign
Spartan Motors
New Website
“I'm proud to be a part of this passionate group of people who deeply care about each other and the work we do.”
- Tyler Wayner
“It is always refreshing to go to work with people who you don’t dread seeing. Hopefully, I’m not that person for everyone else."
- Timothy Phiscator
Pentair
IntelliConnect™ Product Launch Video
“Every day I experience the respect between team members – from the top down. It's clear that trust is key to our culture.”
- Laura Hill
TAG Advisors - Recruiting Website
New Website Redesign
NFCC
Improved Lead Generation System
Pentair
Social Media Sweepstakes
Cetera Financial Group
Integrated Awareness Campaigns
Pentair
Website Replatforming
Founders Brewing Co.
Cadre Marketing Automation
Better because we have fun doing what we love because we love taking on challenges because we are true to each other way of learning and teaching way of working as a BFTeam way of supporting one another
The Team
We’re marketing professionals, but we’re also a fun, open-armed bunch with a completely eclectic mix of outside interests.
Josh Stauffer
Josh Stauffer
CEO and President
Things you should know...
- I’m up 4-5 days a week at 4:30 am to do CrossFit and start my day the right way, but I won’t annoy you with the details unless you ask.
- I went to Art school and have 1/2 a Masters Degree in Oil Painting but taught myself to program after graduating – which led me to my first software development job.
- I’m wildly uncoordinated and don’t know anything about “sportsball.”
- I’m a massive nerd at heart; I love sci-fi and fantasy books, I DM a long-running campaign of D&D with my two girls, I grew up painting miniatures and playing Warhammer 40k, and I still own my childhood collection of Starwars and He-man action figures.
Han Shot First, it's fine.
Raising Dough for Special Olympics with a Marathon Row Competition
I love speaking in front of groups of marketing professionals like the AMA.
My wife and I share a love of Fitness; yeah, she's tough.
More gingers in the office is never a bad thing.
I still get to practice my skills as an illustrator - My girls circa 2021.
Find Your Better®️️
I don't think I could pull this off in real life...
I once grew a beard that had to be cut.
Laurie Moran
Laurie Moran
Vice President
Things you should know...
- I have a degree in Broadcast Journalism from Olivet College. I wanted to be an epic newscaster or Oprah. Clearly, I changed my mind.
- I plan to own a hobby farm when I retire. It will be a place where unwanted and discarded animals will live their best lives.
- I have aspirations to be a professional Pickleball player. I’ve never played a game in my life.
- I am obsessed with my dog. He is a heartworm positive rescue from a high kill shelter in Texas.
Summer walk and resting with James.
John and Tori.
Grand Haven with my favorite humans.
We always take a selfie when we’re together.
Early morning adventures with James.
Sporting event and matching sunglasses. He humors me.
I love clouds!
More adventures with James.
Maria Halper
Maria Halper
Director of Finance
Things you should know...
- I am a quilt maker and a generous holiday cookie baker.
- I try to plant a vegetable garden every year. Love the fresh vegetable and the pumpkins for Halloween.
- I enjoy going on vacations. Some places I have visited are Hawaii, Alaska, and Paris.
Visiting the Louvre Museum in Paris, France.
Bird of paradise flower in Maui, Hawaii
Vegetables Garden at home.
Waterfall in Alaska
Susan Bray
Susan Bray
Chief Strategist & Head of Financial Services
Things you should know...
- I believe in the power of asking questions; they create common ground and connectivity.
- I love starting with a clean slate, filling it with complex info from multiple data dumps, and connecting the dots to solve a problem.
- In my work, I draw inspiration randomly, from wherever. I’m always striving to uncover opportunities and craft the right strategies.
- I’m a volleyball mom, and I love to visit botanical gardens and go for walks along the ocean.
The composition of the colors and shapes radiate positivity, and the angles reveal new perspectives.
Scenic vacations and walks bring me serenity, letting me focus on the moment and path.
Spontaneous card games bring people together, sparking fun conversations, thoughtful maneuvers, and collaborative competition.
Every bike ride is an adventure.
Laura Hill
Laura Hill
Account Director
Things you should know...
- The things I am most proud of are my husband and my three daughters. They are venturing out on their own, and I am so proud to watch them flourish as strong women.
- When I’m not working, there is a good chance you’ll find me running on my treadmill or biking the White Pine Trail.
- My alter ego: a professional driver on a closed course, tossing the “do not attempt” language to the wind. I love the magic of pressing the pedal and feeling whisked away.
Our three girls are getting older so it’s hard to get them all in the same place at the same time. It’s such a treat when we’re all together again!
Family time together in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, trying to embrace the cold temperatures.
Our newest happy place: Treasure Island, Florida. We visit there several times a year, and it’s such a nice break to recharge with a view of the Gulf of Mexico.
My parents bought at place on Torch Lake 20 years ago for my two siblings and me to bring our families. It’s been our family spot to enjoy the water and sunsets, and to stay connected with each other.
Rob Christensen
Rob Christensen
Senior Developer
Things you should know...
- My reset button is outdoors. Hunting, fly fishing on a quiet river, or walking in the woods.
- Vacations are often judged or planned based on how good my wife and I think the food was or will be.
- I spend after-work time helping coach my son’s multiple baseball, basketball and football teams.
- I like to grill year-round. It’s the best way to cook.
My son pitching for his team. I’m so proud!
Birthday celebration at home with my wife and son.
Hard work and practice pay off. We are the champions, my friends!
Is there anything more summer than relaxing at the ballpark?
Daisy girl enjoying the view.
Exploring San Francisco, circa 2011
Taking a walk in the back field at our family’s property at sunset.
One of my favorites. Goofing around and looking fresh.
No, you are! Coffee tastes better out of an inspirational mug. Fact.
Found at an art show, this now serves as a large reminder as my desktop wallpaper.
The best girl, my Daisy girl.
Once my son and his friends decided to build their own go-karts. The results were amazing. Custom helmet was icing on the cake.
I mustache you a question. Who wore it better?
Manarola, a village in Cinque Terre, Italy. The most beautiful place I’ve ever seen.
Beers and pizza at The Filling Station in Traverse City, Michigan with my favorite person.
A nature walk along the creek at Blandford Nature Center in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
A view of "the back 40" at my family’s property in northern Michigan. Fall is my favorite season.
Tyler Wayner
Tyler Wayner
Senior Designer, UI/UX Strategist
Things you should know...
- I love woodworking, carving, and woodburning
- I began my career with BFT at the age of 10 as a swimsuit model in a client photoshoot
- I strongly believe pineapple DOES NOT belong on pizza. Hard stop.
A rocking panda I designed and built for my niece
Exploring the Upper Peninsula of Michigan with my family
Carvings
Building Legos with my kids, bonus points for all if it’s Star Wars!
Camping is great
Lego mini figure piggy bank
Started at BFT as a child model for our client, Pentair
Tiffany Kreh
Tiffany Kreh
Copywriter
Things you should know...
- I’m a lefty, a firstborn, and a Leo.
- I’ve never had a speeding ticket.
- I’m a mom to four boys.
- My favorite travel destinations have been: Florence, Aruba, Milan, Cinque Terre, San Francisco, Isla Mujeres, Kaua’i, The Grand Canyon, St. John, and Curacao.
Floating down the Thornapple River with my boys.
Exploring Cinque Terre was a culinary delight.
The Duomo in Milan was a surreal experience.
We love traveling to Mexico and exploring with friends.
The beaches of St. John were unreal.
Chris Beaudoin
Chris Beaudoin
Senior Content Creator
Things you should know...
- Skiing fast takes me to that sweet, sweet perilous space between chaos and perfection.
- Fly fishing is an endless exercise in geometry, the suspension of time, flow, mimicry, and the quest for grace. Always grace.
- I am fascinated by boundaries — between shallow and deep, darkness and light, hot and cold, knowledge and mystery.
- My favorite professor was a PhD in atmospheric physics who showed me beautiful things in the sky.
Chicago style deep dish.
Young moose, Agawa Rock pictographs, Ontario, Canada
Sunset mirage near Muskegon, Michigan USA
Frontside rippin’ on a bluebird day
Ziggy Stardust. Name all your screech owls after rockers.
36-degree pitch: no place for mistakes
Totality. Standing at the boundary between human emotional chaos and the perfect order of the universe
After XC skiing, Muskegon Winter Sports Complex, Michigan
Sunset shadow from a storm cell 60 miles away
Subsurface deception: streamer for trout fishing
Meat + Fire. Nice.
Always worth the hunt
Amazing combinations of flavors and textures
Easy to grow, great in anything
After the windstorm
Magnetite sand makes great homemade carbonite
Disruptive technology for skiing on ice rubble
Pure gold
Light above the big lake
Night trees
Diona Medrano
Diona Medrano
Senior Project Manager, PMP
Things you should know...
- My name is pronounced like “Fiona”, but with a “D” [dee-yo-nuh]
- I’m born and raised in Chicago, but still have love for my NYC days
- I love traveling. Some of the cities and countries I’ve been to include Paris, London, Lisbon, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Rome, Venice, Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Cairns, Auckland, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Cayman Islands
- In my spare time, I like to be out and about with my family exploring the city, including hitting up street festivals, museums, pop-ups, restaurants, sporting events (Go Cubbies!), theater (love a good Broadway musical), biking along the lake, 606, and North Branch Riverwalk, and whatever local events are happening.
"I’d rather have a passport full of stamps than a house full of stuff."
Me and mine
Some of my random celebrity sightings/encounters include Jennifer Garner, Kevin Costner, Anne Hathaway, Kristen Bell, Gary Sinise, Seth Myers, Denis Leary, Kristen Wiig...
Watching my alumni, Michigan State, beat Stanford at the 2014 Rose Bowl. Go Green! Go White!
Bumping into fellow Cubs fan, Eddie Vedder. Photo taken by former Blackhawks player, Chris Chelios.
Empire State of Mind. My favorite city.
Proud Chicagoan. Born and raised in the city.
At the "Most Magical Place on Earth"
Brian Stier
Brian Stier
Digital Marketing Specialist
Things you should know...
- I always enjoy learning new things and taking on new challenges.
- I spend my free time gaming, with personal projects, working on cars, building things, and spending as much time outdoors as possible.
- I enjoy sports such as disc golf, basketball, and ping pong.
- I have been fortunate to be able to teach thousands of business professionals new skills to help them in their careers.
Would love to have a beer with John Carmack to learn where VR is headed.
Frequents YouTube, Anantech.com and SearchEngineLand to keep his game razor sharp.
Would love to see analytics for sites like Amazon and YouTube.
Music tastes run toward Polyphia, Tool, Rage and other 90s rock/metal, old school hip hop, chill and retrowave.
Daniel Gallegos
Daniel Gallegos
Senior Designer
Things you should know...
- I firmly believe pineapple belongs on pizza, the best thing in the world.
- Born and raised in California, I moved to Arizona in my mid-20s. #WestCoast4ever
- My love for music influences everything I do, it is one of my fuels for staying creative. Some of my favorite genres include but are not limited to Lofi, City pop, Phonk, Hip Hop, Neo-Soul, etc…
The entrance view to the Byodo-In Temple
My pomeranian kids, Epyon (boy) Dolce (girl).
My favorite tequila, Clase Azul.
I love making pizzas!
The home office setup
More pls thx
If I was a manga character
One of my early website designs back in 2004: good old sprites, inline CSS and graphical visuals.
Homemade ramen, enjoy.
No Man’s Sky, one of my favorite survival, open world space games.
Grilling carne asada and cebollitas.
Celebrating my birthday at MDRD with Don Julio 1942 ‘Ultima’ Extra Anejo.
My boy showing off the BFT swag.
Building Gundam model kits is so relaxing for me.
Metal samurai helmet replica I found at an antique flea market.
Back in the mid-2000's I did a lot of digital art, especially abstract art.
Kayla Fournier
Kayla Fournier
Account Manager
Things you should know...
- I have a maltipoo named Finn who simultaneously dictates my life and melts my heart.
- In the summer, I prefer to be on a golf course or by a pool reading fiction.
- My last meal of choice would be surf and turf, specifically lobster and filet mignon.
- I’m a strong advocate for functional fitness and strength training.
Easter 2021 with my nieces and nephews
If you can't tell, Finn is allowed on the furniture. #spoiled
Lochenheath Golf Club in Grand Traverse
Sometimes you just have to smile through the pain.
New York Strip at amical in Traverse City. Drool-worthy.
Spartans will. Go green!
Timothy Phiscator
Timothy Phiscator
Accounting Assistant
Things you should know...
- I’m a person who would rather watch things than be a part of them (audience participation is the devil), and everyone else here can talk to you all day about exercise, biking or cooking.
- I’m best summed up by a comic I read that said something like “Yes, it’s a beautiful sunset. I bet it would look even better on TV.”
- I also play video games in my spare time as a relaxing escape and not to be frustrated, so my style most aligns with Nintendo with things like Mario and Zelda and not shooters or horror.
- After years of not decorating my office and being razzed for it, I finally decided to have puzzles be my decoration.
Movies are my main thing, and going to the theater is always preferred, especially for the big summer movies.
I have been playing The Simpsons Tapped Out for nearly 10 years now (so many wasted hours designing my Springfield...).
Clue (1985) contained so many of my favorite actors from my youth. Love it. You should watch it right now.
New game I'm playing as of November 2022
My crowning achievement.
Puzzle completed in the office After Hours Puzzle Nook.
Completed puzzles for my office.
Benefits
We believe in taking care of our people and their families with a generous package of familiar tangible offerings. And we also support mind/body/spirit with a flexible, engaging work environment and better opportunities for personal renewal.
Health Savings Account (HSA)
401k Retirement Plan
Health Insurance
Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
Dental Insurance
Parental and Bereavement Leave
Life Insurance (employee only)
Vision Insurance
Two-Week Agency Shutdown
Flexible Work Schedule
Transparency
Unlimited PTO
Nerf Wars, Office Shenanigans
Good People
Free Parking
