Ethan Whitehill
CEO AND FOUNDER

With an approach founded on research and forged in creativity, Ethan leads Two West’s consulting services and agency solutions practices to deliver brand growth results. He empowers clients to not only embrace change, but to harness its potential to benefit their brands through problem solving, strategic partnerships and innovative ideas. Ethan has worked with several Fortune 1,000 and Forbes 500 clients including: American Century Investments, Ferrellgas, H&R Block, Hallmark, Holiday Inn, Sprint, Time Warner and Underwriters Laboratories. He began his career as a writer and producer for one of the nation’s leading hospitality advertising agencies and then enhanced his extensive client-side experience in marketing and communication by earning an MBA.

In his spare time, you’ll find Ethan with his family in the wilds of an Arkansas retreat or manning the helm of a sailboat, somewhere in the Caribbean.

Kris Flint
PRESIDENT AND FOUNDER

Employing a successful combination of determination, dedication and discipline, Kris drives the operational aspects of the business he helped co-found. With a keen eye for technology, finance and management, he ensures that all aspects of Two West run efficiently to provide the highest quality of service to his clients. In addition, Kris has been instrumental in landing numerous high-profile accounts.

Kris began his marketing career by helping launch and run a subsidiary of MMG Worldwide. He then advanced into key marketing communications positions at American Century and Ferrellgas before co-founding Two West Inc. in 1997. In 2009, Kris was appointed President of Two West. Expanding his responsibilities beyond maintaining operational excellence, he also leads the Los Angeles office to increase sales, secure new business and form strategic relationships.

Outside of the office, Kris teaches martial arts and has earned the rank of sixth degree Kukiwon Black Belt Master from the World Taekwondo Federation. When in LA he expands his martial arts expertise and receives special training in Ki Gum Do — a Korean sword-fighting art.

Scott Burditt
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, ACCOUNT DEVELOPMENT

While most kids were hanging with friends, Scott at the young age of 12 was helping his father, a fourth generation farmer, transform his declining business that no longer was able to consistently support his family. Watching his dad’s success with innovation, Scott discovered his passion for helping people and companies remain relevant in changing times by transforming their lives and businesses.

At Two West, Scott leads a team of marketing consultants responsible for inspiring brands in transition. He consistently starts with the end in mind, and facilitates collaboration between clients, researchers and designers to create and implement marketing strategies that increase a brand’s awareness, distribution and sales. Some of the retail and consumer brands he has represented include Sprint, Fort Dodge Animal Health, Hallmark, Miller Brewing, Baker University and Alta.

For more than 15 years, Scott has led multiple efforts of innovation. He led the creation of the first transactional mutual fund web site that changed the way investors transact business. He oversaw the development of the financial industry’s first electronic statement, trade confirmation and compliance documentation. He facilitated the collaboration of stakeholders from around the world to explore new uses of soybeans. And, he conducted open innovation for a 2,000 person financial services cooperative delivering secondary loan products and international money transfer services to credit unions across the country.

In his spare time, Scott can be found with his nose in the latest business book, his eye behind the camera, his hands on the handlebar of his bike or his feet kicking a ball with his kids.

Melanie Paykos
SENIOR CREATIVE DIRECTOR, BRAND

Able to elevate a brand beyond the noise and clutter of the marketplace, Melanie oversees conceptualization, design, trend research, branding studies and campaigns for Two West. Her career started at LucasFilm LTD designing books, corporate communications, licensing & fan club materials and most noteworthy, the RETURN OF THE JEDI one-sheet poster.

Melanie was principal and creative director of her own full-service graphic and brand identity design firm for 20 years. Her clients included NBC, Universal, CBS, Paramount Pictures, Mattel, Turner Entertainment, and Kathy Ireland Home by Alta. She merged Melanie Paykos Design with Two West in 2008.

A published jewelry maker, Melanie also paints having participated in the juried painting residency, Painting’s Edge and group shows at Idyllwild Arts. Loving the outdoors, she enjoys hiking in Griffith Park, escaping to her cabin in Montana or training for her next marathon.

Lou Thurmon
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, HUMAN POTENTIAL

As a certified Change Management Practitioner, Lou helps clients successfully embrace brand-building change internally, especially in regards to employee engagement and change management issues. She collaborates with the project team to develop employee research tools, communication plans and transition messaging.

Lou utilizes innovative human resource practices to promote employee satisfaction, stakeholder adoption and healthy cultural change. Her clients have included Sprint, Fed-Ex, Hallmark and National Academy of Railroad Sciences. Lou also oversees Two West’s organizational development, working with the Executive Team to forecast growth, encourage professional development, foster internal communications and conduct recruitment.

In her spare time, Lou enjoys pursuing her passion for epicurean delights. But her current, favorite indulgence is when her husband takes care of their toddler and allows her to sleep in on the weekends.

Gavin Johnston
CHIEF ANTHROPOLOGIST

Take an ex-chef who’s now a full-fledge anthropologist and set him free to conduct qualitative research, ethnography, brand positioning, semiotics, and sociolinguistics studies and you have Gavin. He leads the research and strategy team in turning research findings into actionable results that provide solid business strategies for clients.

Gavin holds advanced degrees in Cultural Anthropology and Human-Computer Interaction. He has done research worldwide for a diverse set of clients and research topics within legal, telecommunications, health care and consumer products industries. And while you can still find him cooking up amazing dishes in the Two West kitchen, this anthropologist prefers to relax by sculpting, exploring fine single malt scotch and indulging in the joy that is cheese.

Justin Shaw
VICE PRESIDENT, ACCOUNT DEVELOPMENT

Insight, experience and leadership breed confidence in what you do and those for whom you do it. Justin leads his client team at Two West in delivering promotional solutions that support and strengthen the client’s brand. He brings over 10 years of strategic management, communications and business development experience to Two West.

Justin has a wide range of industry experience including financial services, e-commerce and technology, healthcare, retail, destination and event marketing and more. He has worked for such companies as IBM, Lotus, PayPal, and Sprint and holds an MBA (focusing in finance) from Suffolk University in Boston and a BBA in Marketing from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

A displaced Bostonian, Justin enjoys spending time with his wife and three kids. He also enjoys writing and has two novels under his belt.

Sara Buck
VICE PRESIDENT, ACCOUNT MANAGEMENT

Passion for people fuels Sara’s enthusiasm for helping her clients transform their brands for growth. And for over 15 years, she has been doing just that for national brands like LG, 3M, Hill’s Pet Nutrition, Bayer and Sprint. Her disciplined approach to strategic planning and results-driven marketing communications bring Transformation Design to life.

A Two West account team leader, Sara shares her expertise in traditional advertising, strategic planning, branding, public relations and channel marketing, as well as her current focus area — sustainable retail to help grow the clients share of market, wallet, and voice.

A Missouri native, Sara strives for the perfect work/life balance and hopes she can help both her clients and her two young children achieve their goals.

Julie Holland
VICE PRESIDENT, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

Transformation Design starts with the ability to envision a brand’s true growth potential. Julie works with new clients to help them begin the process and then delivers strategic solutions to help them achieve the results.

With sales and marketing, corporate communications, public relations, and accounting experience, Julie brings valuable insight into growing brands. Her career began with Ernst and Young as an auditor for clients including Oracle Corporation and Legacy Partners. She then worked with Pacific Gas and Electric Company, where she played a key role in developing and positioning internal communications during the company’s transformation. Julie then worked in Affiliate Sales and Marketing for MTV Networks.

After nearly a decade in California where she enjoyed marathon running and wine tasting in her free time, she was drawn back to her family and hometown, Kansas City.