Our Folks
We hail from Virginia, California, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Maryland and right here in Eastern North Carolina. We are transplants and natives coming together to pool our worldly wisdom and come up with brilliant solutions for the great clients with whom we partner. You can learn a little about each of us perusing our bios. But you could learn heck of a lot more about us by meeting us face-to-face. Maybe over some barbecue and a nice cold beverage. We’d be glad to arrange it.
Will Daugherty, President
While many have the entrepreneurial spirit, few have the temerity to follow through on their vision. After three years as president of a prominent Greenville, NC-area agency, and with an impeccable reputation and a handful of contacts, Will launched Evolve in 2002. His agency quickly grew where today it boasts nine employees and has worked for more than 100 different businesses throughout the country.Will graduated with a BS and an MBA from Shenandoah University in Winchester, Virginia. After a stint with a general contractor, Will was asked to join Seaward International as Marketing Director, with overall marketing responsibility for national and international campaigns. Will regularly worked to present technical data to such accounts as Exxon, Mobile, the U.S. Navy, British Petroleum and many other international conglomerates.With his experience in mechanical design, project management, and operations management, Will brings a unique and technical perspective to his clients’ marketing and communication needs.
Brent Anderson, Vice President
After receiving his BA degree in Communications from ECU in 1999, Brent headed for San Francisco, CA, where he was account manager for InterActive Public Relations from 1999 to 2004. With his exceptional writing and media skills, Brent successfully placed articles and feature stories in publications like the Wall Street Journal, Business Week and the New York Times for high-tech national accounts such as Ask Jeeves, LeftHand Networks and Network Appliance. His success with vertical and trade publications was equally impressive. Returning to North Carolina in 2004, Brent joined Evolve Inc. as its director of public relations and was promoted to vice president in November 2005. In addition to public relations and marketing responsibilities for Pitt Community College, North Carolina's Eastern Region, Greenville OB/GYN, Select Bank & Trust, Taft Family Offices and Jenni K Jewelry, Brent is an integral part of Evolve's new business development efforts. This is truly a case where California's loss is our gain.
Brian Taylor, Creative Director
Degreed in Graphic Design and Advertising, Brian's creative talents and training extend well beyond the computer screen. Hired as a Graphic Designer, Brian kept his nose to the grindstone and climbed the totem pole to Art Director and eventually to Creative Director. While highly proficient in Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop, as well as Macromedia Flash MX, Brian is also an accomplished photographer. Brian is routinely called upon to interpret and bring to life the needs, wants and desires of clients and their customers. His uncanny ability in both design and photography has earned him critical acclaim from such clients as DSM, Greenville OB/GYN, Bone Doctors' Barbeque, Select Bank & Trust and the Jenni K. Jewelry. Brian has left his imprint on virtually every major account at Evolve.
Shari Tourlitis, Media Director
Shari Tourlitis came to Evolve in October 2005 with over seventeen years of experience in media strategy, planning, and buying. She makes sure our clients get the awareness and attention that they want and need to be successful.Varied client work has given Shari the experience to create successful marketing and advertising plans. She has worked with a wide range of media, including broadcast television, radio, internet, newspaper and magazine.Shari's accounts have included BB&T Bank, Chevy Chase Bank, Coca-Cola, Aether Systems, College of Notre Dame of Maryland, Venable, XL Health and Walden University. Her thorough knowledge of the media world, as well as industries such as banking, healthcare, insurance, and industrial business, is what helps our clients stand out from the crowd.
Brittany Acree, Account Executive
Getting her foot in the door at one of the leading advertising and marketing firms in the Southeast was exactly the first step that Brittany Acree had been looking for. With a BA in Communications from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Brittany was initially hired as Evolve's Office Manager in February, 2009. Moving into an Account Coordinator role in February 2010, and subsequently to an Account Executive Role in February 2011, Brittany works directly with several of Evolve's notable clients, spearheading research and strategic planning initiatives as well as developing project-based and campaign-based marketing plans for clients like Jackson & Sons Heating and Air Conditioning, RSB Tobacco, Rig 'Em Right Waterfowl, and JC Jackson Builders. In addition to account management and strategy work, Brittany uses her writing skills to the benefit of Evolve's clients; serving as a copywriter for various collateral pieces, websites, and press releases. Acree states, "It’s highly rewarding to work hand in hand with each client to help them create effective campaigns and projects, then stand back at the end of the day and be there to celebrate their successes with them. That’s the kind of motivation and energy that our entire team has—we fully immerse ourselves in each project, and take an active role with each and every one regardless of size. Working with a group of folks that value what we do for each client as much as I do makes me proud of the role that I get to play in helping to achieve our mutual successes.”
Mike McDermott, Senior Web Developer
When high-quality website development is needed then Mike McDermott is the one to get it done.Having graduated with a BA in Computer Science and a BS in Biology from East Carolina University in 2006, Mike has a strong background in web development/programming, IT systems architecture, web usability standards, search engine optimization, and web analytics implementation. Mike has extensive prior experience building e-commerce and CMS-driven websites, having built dozens of websites since 2006. "I approach projects with the attitude that the client deserves the very best and I give each project my all. This is reflected in the quality of my work, which is consistently punctual and operates as designed. My goal is to ensure that you get a correct-to-specification web product that is going to add value to your organization and I go the extra mile to make it happen."
Tim Ford, Art Director
As Evolve's art director, Tim manages the creative department to ensure that design, layout, photography and production form a cohesive and compelling brand identity. Tim thrives on developing original concepts and creative executions that bring brands to life. With a passion for design and an eye for detail, Tim delivers innovative visual solutions for each of Evolve's clients. Tim's portfolio includes: Albemarle Boats, Southern Bank and Trust, Coastal Hammock Company, May Craft Boats, Hackney & Sons, Regional Acceptance, Goldsboro Pediatrics and others.
Jeff Mason, Videographer
Having a passion for either motion graphics or video production is something that you look for in a great videographer. Luckily for Evolve, Jeff brings both of those qualities as well as many others to help the team grow creatively. Earning a BFA in Animation and Interactive Design from East Carolina University, he studied videography, 3-D modeling and specialized in motion design. With his experience and many talents, Jeff has quickly become a key member in the creative team here at Evolve.
Ramon Long, Systems Administrator;
With over ten years of experience in managed and hosted IT services of various sizes and complexities – from small businesses to large multi-site enterprises – Ramon brings a comprehensive and unique wealth of experience to Evolve in the practice of Systems and Network Administration. "As the Systems Administrator for Evolve, it is my pleasure to keep our IT infrastructure well maintained, scalable, and highly available while following industry standard best practices. It is my goal to make the consumption of IT services easy and painless for our clients so that they can enjoy peace of mind and get back to focusing on their core business.”
