our principals

In 1967, Jim founded Genesis in a tiny storefront office in Evanston, Illinois, and he has served as the company's lead strategic communication and marketing advisor ever since. Jim's creative ability to identify and solve the "right" problem has gained him the trust of the senior executives and management of Genesis' client companies, as well as the internal teams for which he provides leadership.

Jim began his career with Container Corporation's Center for Advanced Research in Design, working with some of the great minds of the Bauhaus movement. It was during this period that Jim developed a fundamental belief that guides Genesis to this day - that by linking a company's behavior, communication, culture and strategy to its corporate identity, the resulting combination of design and identity creates a higher state of order that serves the client, shows respect to the intended audiences and elevates the overall experience.

Over the years, Genesis' approach to positioning and branding projects has evolved to become more holistic, in the belief that an entity's image, reputation, belief system and communication cannot be separated. Genesis' design must fulfill a larger purpose in service of our clients: we must act as advocates for the user.

His more than 35 years of experience developing strategic positions, building brand equity and achieving real results has proven successful for clients that range from small start-ups to Fortune 500 companies, including Steelcase, Frontier Airlines, Gerber, Pratt & Whitney and Toro. Jim's expertise and creative talent have earned him numerous national and international communication and design recognitions.

Mike began his career with Genesis thirty years ago as a freelance designer, working on identity and design projects while he finished design school. Later, he worked in advertising, and developed his love for combining the words that tell a story with the inherent beauty in design. He returned to Genesis in 1976, where today he is both partner and creative director.

Mike's creative portfolio ranges from annual reports and corporate communication to consumer marketing and advertising campaigns and comprehensive consumer product identity systems. These systems have included product design and graphics, packaging systems, trade show exhibits and marketing projects.

He believes that the beauty that Genesis brings to clients is not in "decoration," but comes from the functionality of finding the solution to the right problem, and the ability to integrate the total experience - most simply, bringing the words and the images together to make them cumulative, thereby elevating communication to a higher level.

Mike has guided strategic positioning, identity and communication programs for such firms as Kraft Foods, Schwinn Cycling and Fitness Company, The Quaker Oats Company, Steelcase, Volant Skis, The Spiegel Group and SCOTT USA, and has directed projects in the United States and Europe.

Debbie has 30 years of experience in corporate communication, investor relations, corporate affairs, employee communication, crisis management and general management and marketing, including senior officer roles at a number of Fortune 500 companies.

She has advised senior management and boards of directors concerning strategic positioning, value creation and integrated communication programs, providing a capital markets point of view. Her work in building investor relations programs has been viewed with great distinction, and in 2001 she became the second-ever honoree to receive the Lifetime Achievement Award from Investor Relations Magazine.

Her corporate experience spans consumer products, building materials retailing and conglomerates with diverse businesses, such as specialty chemicals and oil and gas, in companies that include The Quaker Oats Company, Esmark and Lowe's Companies.

In her tenure at Genesis, Debbie has directed value-enhancing investor relations, corporate communication, and strategic brand positioning projects for Allegiance Corporation, Arvin Meritor, Barrick Gold, Boeing, Johns Manville, 3M, McDATA, Nordstrom, PepsiAmericas, Steelcase, and Washington Mutual.

Debbie's experience combines leadership, communication and traditional packaged goods marketing skills with a strong background in finance gained as a securities analyst and honed as an investor relations executive. She lectures frequently on corporate communication and investor relations issues in professional and university programs.

Debbie was a member of the blue-ribbon Securities and Exchange Commission Advisory Committee on Corporate Disclosure. She served on the National Investor Relations Institute (NIRI) board of directors, chaired the NIRI Task Force on disclosure issues, and served as president of the Rocky Mountain Chapter for the 1997-1998 year, continuing as a director. She is also a member of the board of directors of Perdue Farms.

Georgia Everse is a communications and marketing executive with 25 years of experience leading large and small companies to achieve sustained high performance and increased business results. She has a proven track record of finding innovative solutions to complex business problems through skilled synthesis, organization and people leadership. Georgia has served as the Chief Marketing and Chief Communications officer for a global Fortune 500 Company.

Georgia has unique talent and experience at creating systemic communications strategies for global brands. She has developed tools and processes to achieve strong and consistent internal and external messages that lead to competitive advantage and bring a higher return on communications investments. Her marketing approach is rooted in a strategic design planning methodology that brings together the disciplines of business planning, user centered research and design, and results in differentiated products and services and enhanced customer experiences.

Georgia has revitalized existing and created new brands. She advises executive leaders on building the value of brand as a strategic asset and helps internal teams discover their connection to brand essence. Georgia is a skilled executive facilitator in the areas of business planning, corporate strategy and culture change. She has extensive experience creating business-to-business marketing strategies with a strong design emphasis. Georgia has developed numerous design exhibitions. The exhiboitin WORK, LIFE, TOOLS, in collaboration with Milton Glaser, inspired a book by the same name.

Georgia's corporate experience spans international companies, global Fortune 500 companies, start-up ventures and fast growth companies. Her functional areas of responsibility have included: Corporate Marketing including advanced marketing, vertical markets, core business markets, service business markets, audiences, alliances and licensing. Product Marketing and Management, New Product Development & Concepts, Marketing Services including market research, segmentation & analysis, business reporting, marketing planning and customer experience measurement. Marketing and Corporate Communications including brand strategy, architecture and management; corporate identity, advertising, public relations, events & exhibits, sales promotion and merchandising. Investor Relations, Corporate Relations, Corporate Sales, Vertical Market Sales and Sales Administration.

Georgia frequently lectures on integrated communications, brand building, and executive woman's issues. She and her teams have won various communications and design awards for their work.

John Cummings has 25 years of corporate experience in investor relations, strategic communications, competitive intelligence and corporate development. He has held senior positions with two Fortune 500 companies including Nerco, Inc. (a former subsidiary of PacifiCorp) and Johns Manville (currently owned by Berkshire Hathaway). In these positions, John was responsible for directing worldwide investor relations/corporate communications and corporate development programs including counseling senior management on strategies to optimize valuation metrics and corporate reputation. For Nerco, John was responsible for building the company's first investor relations function including an aggressive outreach program to portfolio managers and analysts. During his tenure as head of investor relations for Johns Manville, the company's common stock more than tripled in value. John also helped to identify Berkshire Hathaway as a buyer for the company which ultimately took place in 2001 for $2.5 billion.

John has been a member of the National Investor Relations Institute (NIRI) since 1991 and is past-president of the Rocky Mountain Chapter of NIRI. The Chapter was recognized in 2005 by winning The Innovation Award for improving its member services programs. He has served on the Board of Directors for the Rocky Mountain Chapter since 1998 and has held the positions of Treasurer, and Vice President, Membership and Programs.