Rob Conrad traces his roots in marketing back to the fourth grade, when he re-wrote his part in the Christmas play and convinced Sister Mary Paul that his version was better than the Gospel according to Luke.

A copywriter by trade, Rob has worked at the nation's leading advertising agencies, including DDB, Leo Burnett and JWT, developing hundreds of original ideas for a wide range of brands. His portfolio includes award-winning work for United Airlines, McDonald's and the Northwestern Mutual Financial Network, plus packaged goods work for Kellogg's PopTarts, Nutri-Grain Bars, Secret Antiperspirant and Suave Beauty Care that helped each of these products achieve number one status in their respective categories.

In 2002, Rob was recruited into the field of healthcare marketing, where he exercised his strategic and creative leadership skills to launch multiple showcase pharma brands.

Rob founded Canteen in 2008, to offer marketers novel solutions to their advertising and communications challenges. He also serves as Adjunct Professor of Integrated Marketing at Northwestern University.

In his spare time, Rob devotes his energies to writing, travel and several local charities, including the University of Chicago Cancer Research Foundation. He and his family divide their time between Chicago and a weekend house in Michigan, where they enjoy the pleasures of small-town life.

Clay started his career as a fundraiser at Stephen Winchell & Associates and Lewis & Co, both Washington, D.C. agencies specializing in direct mail fundraising for political and non-profit organizations. In 1985 he joined Leo Burnett's Account Management group where he worked with some of the world's most iconic businesses and brands, including M&M/Mars, McDonalds, Altoids, Pillsbury and Philip Morris. Clay left Leo Burnett in 1994 when his love of direct response and interactive communications moved him to start his own consumer mail order business...but he was lured back to Leo Burnett in 1997 as Account Director on Pillsbury, Altoids, and Philip Morris USA.

In 2002 Clay joined Omnicom start-up Element 79 Partners and became the first ever recipient of all three Element 79 employee awards in the same year: Prospector (for contributions to Client business), Golden Ruler (for leadership) and Alchemy (for team building). Clay brings entrepreneurial spirit and extensive experience building brands and getting results for leading retail, packaged good and telecommunications clients.

He views Canteen as an exciting opportunity to combine his knowledge of brand building advertising and interactive communications with inspired digital media plays. Clay and his wife, Sharon, have three children and live in Evanston, IL.