John Shirley Bio

Creative Director / Copy and Broadcast Production

John Shirley wandered into creative advertising 20 years ago when he realized a career built on rock documentaries was not a long-term proposition.

He graduated with a cum laude degree in Broadcast Journalism from the University of Tennessee and worked briefly for Chris Whittle (creator of Channel One). He joined Ensslin & Hall Advertising as a junior writer and rose to co-creative director, writing and producing projects for clients like the Honor automatic teller system, Wendy’s, Jeep, Lykes Meats, St. Joseph’s Hospital and Florida Power.

As his administrative responsibilities within the agency grew, Shirley discovered his actual creative time shrinking. Returning to his roots, he co-founded Shirley/Hutchinson in 1988 as an alternative creative resource for agencies and clients.

The company has concentrated on regional and national clients, including the Marriott, Checkers, Lockheed Martin and Hyatt. Shirley’s work has been profiled several times in Adweek. He hasn’t had the urge to interview someone with tattoos and purple hair in years. He has been overheard
saying, “This is the most fun I’ve ever been paid for.” He means it.

Keith Goolsby Bio

Senior Art Director

When he wasn’t surfing, Keith Goolsby was working on his fine art skills. In high school. As the only candidate selected for the Portfolio Program, he spent a half-day, every day, creating work that was displayed in a Tampa Tribune feature (among other places).

In college – as part of the generation hard-wired from birth – he expanded into digital art, digital media, software applications and from there, commercial art. In 2005 he interviewed with founding S/H partner Jim Hutchinson for an apprenticeship. And Jim took him under his wing… doing daily, hands-on instruction gleaned from a half-century of advertising-design experience. Then a Shirley/Hutchinson art director left, and suddenly Keith was in the deep end of the pool. Working closely with his mentor, he contributed to a wide variety ofclients and new-business
projects: U.S. Cigar, Panchero’s, Jumburrito.

Keith began to focus on web design and development, from concept to writing code. This inside-out knowledge has given him special insights, on everything from Search Engine Optimization to Social Media Marketing.

After Jim Hutchinson retired in 2009, Keith stepped in. And up. Today, he is the visual pilot of S/H, bringing tried-and-true approaches to evolving techniques for a more-effective hybrid. Strategic design meets future media. Somewhere, Jim is smiling right now.