DEUTSCH LLC
SURFSIDE, FLORIDA

Yes, we’re like other agencies. We work across media and use data and creativity to drive business change for our clients. We also have dogs, beer, ping pong tables, and a lot of exposed ductwork. But that’s not what’s interesting or makes us different. We developed one of the strongest brand technology teams in the country. Building everything from enterprise-level .com experiences to creative AI solutions. We’ve built out Steelhead Studios, one of the largest agency-owned production companies in the country, to make more content more efficiently. We have a world-class branding and design team that helps big and emerging brands stand apart in the market and have a division dedicated to launching new music acts. We have one of the deepest toolboxes in the business. And it’s ever-changing, so we can keep brands ahead of culture and deliver a disproportionate return on their investments. There is no Deutsch without Mike Sheldon. He’s been at the agency for 20 years and while he’s had quite a bit of success, he’s the most blue-collar white-collar guy you’ll ever meet. Growing up in Michigan he worked cleaning locker rooms at the ice rink – eventually landing his dream job as a Zamboni driver. Mike was only 14 and without a driver’s license, but since nobody asked…His big takeaway? If anyone ever asks if you can do something, say yes and figure the details out later. “If I’m not making something, it’s because I died.” That’s the essence of Pete. In the office, he nurtures a bicoastal creative department, with the mission of making the most original and shareable work in the world. Out of the office, he’s designed and built a sustainable LEED-certified home on PBS’ “This Old House,” and directed the acclaimed MTV documentary “I Can’t Breathe.” Pete and his wife Amy are cofounders of 100Pieces.org, an industry art and charity event to help raise awareness of the homeless youth problem in LA. To his mother’s chagrin, you’ll never find a photograph where Pete is making a normal face. You never know which is bigger—Val’s brain or heart. With Deutsch for 25 years, she’s helped build mega-big clients and mom and pop brands, while simultaneously being leader, mentor, and culture cultivator to the Deutsch family. Bronx born, with the accent to prove it, Val was brought up in a tight-knit family with three sisters and accepts no compromise between winning and having fun doing it. Precious family time with her husband Dick and son Bryan is spent exploring the vast richness of NY’s “museum mile,” cooking, and squeezing in as much travel as they can! An east coaster by birth with a west coast vibe, Winston is a multifaceted builder, thinker, and ideator. He’s propelled unexpected brands into the world of AI and invention through project’s like VW’s “Unleash Your Rrr” and Taco Bell’s “Taco Bot.” Winston finds his best source of creativity outside, while making rapid mountain descents on alpine skis and bikes. He’s a passionate advocate of non-profit Protect Our Winters, and enjoys making and listening to music of all kinds. But the best joy in his life comes from spending time with his daughters—Parker and Ilona. A 15-year vet of Deutsch and a champion of the entrepreneurial spirit, Kim has led the LA office to some of its greatest wins in nearly 20 years. She never surrenders in the defense of good ideas, embodying the agency’s philosophy, “care the most.” Kim’s a California optimist with the continual desire to learn something new. (Right now, it’s surfing and fly fishing.) She’s a staunch advocate of parents in the workplace, and a proud mom of two. She’s been known to walk around the office barefoot and has the loudest laugh in the building. Jeff grew up in a construction household, spending his youth hammering, crafting, and digging post holes. A combination of unbridled optimism, hard work, and a desire to always be building things has helped him lead the agency to some of its greatest periods of growth. His energy attracts clients with incredible ambition and a proclivity for bold ideas. You can find Jeff sporting wigs at the summer party or pumping up the crowd at agency town hall meetings. He spends his free time having tea parties and rehearsing the soundtrack of Moana with his little girls. Erica is a straight shooter. She calls it a Brooklyn thing. We call it an Erica thing. “Be smart. Be sharp. Make it happen.” might just be her favorite sentence. With the agency since 2000, Erica has been an advocate for using Deutsch’s creative resources for good, supporting organizations including The Michael J. Fox Foundation, Live Out Loud, and the Ad Council. Erica enjoys classic movies from the 1940s and ‘50s…though today, pockets of free time are spent with husband Kenny and her son Richard, watching football and baseball, and the latest princesses, with daughter Daniella. Director of Integrated Production, LA Vic’s a maker at heart and a proud champion of his team and the work. Since 2009, he’s brought unmatched production craft inside the agency, growing the integrated production team by more than 200%. You’ll never catch him without an iced coffee in hand or a lively story from life on set. He’s an east coast family guy who loves classic cars, and he’d give Matt Damon a run for his money in his support of Tom Brady and the Patriots. Nerdy by nature, Pam is the bridge between creativity and technology. She understands the end game and is a lifeline for the team to get there. She’s three steps ahead of whatever the kids are doing these days, but doesn’t make the rest of us feel bad about it. Her tech acumen has brought ideas to the table that not only drive business for brands, but create a halo of innovation and progress. She and her husband are both east coast transplants now residing in Malibu, CA, with their daughter Olivia and a number of in-home voice assistants. Matt describes himself as an “odd-shaped” strategist. We like to think of him as a unicorn; he’s created award winning work in every category from social gaming, to direct response, to digital product and innovation, to global brand work. He’s also a wannabe outdoor fanatic and is currently a retired free-fall skydiver, retired rock climbing instructor, retired snowboarder and skier - most likely due to his very-fully-employed job as father to five high energy boys and one even higher energy little girl. He says exhaustion is a state of mind. We’re not convinced.