Client Start Year End Year
American Electric Power (AEP) 2022 Current
Analog Devices, Inc. 2019 Current
BlueCross/BlueShield 2018 Current
Cargill 2016 Current
Comcast 2018 Current
CSG International 2016 Current
Georgia-Pacific 2022 Current
Highmark Health 2021 Current
LeJeune Steel 2020 Current
Lenovo 2018 2020

Since 1979, we’ve moved mountains by inventing, elevating and amplifying brand voices to create meaningful impact. We believe every brand has a true voice that is compelling, distinctive, and clear. We help brands find the voice that gives them the best opportunity to compete and win.

We believe the world of brand and the world of sales aren’t separate destinations. They’re fundamentally joined, and the success of one profoundly affects the future of the other. We believe every brand has a true voice that is compelling, distinctive and clear. We help brands find the voice that gives them the best opportunity to compete and win.

We have the best minds across disciplines, specialists with years of experience across categories and are dedicated to our clients' success.

From brand positioning to advertising to digital content, what we make is meant to be noticed, embraced, and activated.

So, let’s go.
Let’s make things that change fortunes.
Let’s be real in the digital world.
Let’s be unignorable, original and brave.
Let’s rewrite the rules and change the game.
Let’s believe in each other – and where we’ll go together.

  • Kathy McCuskey

    CEO

    Kathy is one of the most accomplished and successful marketing professionals in the industry. Her national and global experience spans numerous categories, including technology, manufacturing, CPG, healthcare and retail. She has been at the helm of Yamamoto for 12 years, leading the agency’s record growth and expanded office footprint. Kathy has been named one of the Top 25 Women in Business and voted one of the 10 Most Admired CEOs in Minnesota.
  • Andy Ross

    Director, Client Experience & Growth

    Andy is a strong, seasoned and strategic leader. He’s worked at agencies in New York and Minneapolis on several high-profile, complex accounts. He brings a collaborative approach to client relationships and uses his creative expertise to bring multichannel ideas to life.
  • Shawn Pals

    Executive Creative Director

    Shawn is a true creative leader, mentor and inspiration to his creative teams. He’s a thoughtful creative director with design roots, leading all major brand work at Yamamoto. Shawn has been the creative heart and soul of our body of work at Yamamoto. Everyone appreciates Shawn’s collaborative nature and immense talent. He’s highly driven to find smart, creative solutions that solve real business problems.
  • Jon Trettel

    Chief Digital Officer

    As chief digital officer, Jon leads, develops and directs Yamamoto’s digital efforts – responsible for the creative quality, design, development and deployment of all digital marketing initiatives. Jon lives and breathes digital and experiential. Not just how things look creatively, but how they work within physical and digital properties. He is a dominant force with a strong business acumen, staying ahead of trends in digital technology to advance our clients’ businesses.
  • Chris Rahill

    Chief Strategy Officer

    As the leader of the strategy practice at Yamamoto, Chris has a brilliant mind and inherent curiosity – a powerful combination. Regardless of industry or objective, Chris looks at things from the client’s perspective, analyzes complex marketing issues, then breaks them down to clear, concise solutions that positively impact business.
  • Lori Sharbono

    Director, Business Development

    Lori is one of the most experienced and respected business development leaders in the industry. She’s contributed to the growth and success of agencies such as Martin Williams, Campbell Mithun and Periscope. Under her leadership, her former agency grew from a small regional shop to become the fifth-largest independent agency in the country.
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