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January 14, 2008
This Week’s Boston’s
Future Leader
Andrew Graff
Title:
President & CEO
Company:
Allen & Gerritsen
Education: B.S. – University of Maine; M.B.A. –
Suffolk University
Andrew has spent the past 25
years in the marketing field and has been a
member of the executive team at Allen &
Gerritsen – one of New England’s largest
independent advertising agencies – since 1995.
A&G is a full service advertising agency with a
roster of consumer and business-to-business
clients including The Boston Celtics, MFS
Investment Management, and New England Baptist
Hospital. Andrew is also chairman of the New
England Board of the AAAAs and an active member
of the Ad Club of Boston.
PG: What is the
coolest part of your job?
AG: Working with a mix
of highly creative people – from artists to
musicians to athletes (some personify all of the
above). That’s part of the fun of working in
advertising.
PG: If you were recruiting someone
to work for you, what would be your number one
selling point about Allen & Gerritsen?
AG: One
of our employees commutes 3 hours each way from
New York (for the past five years). That’s how
much she likes working at A&G.
PG: What is your
favorite thing about working in Boston?
AG: An
incredible sense of community. We’re proud to be
from the Hub and rally around everything Boston
– from our sports teams to our universities and
charitable organizations. Our city fosters
creativity and culture, science and technology.
PG: Favorite place to take a client for lunch?
AG: The 99 Restaurant (a client!)
PG: If you
could have any job in Boston, other than your
own, what would it be and why?
AG: The traffic
reporter who gets to fly above frustrated
commuters in his helicopter.
PG: Where do you
see yourself in 10 years?
AG: My grandfather
worked until he was 93, so that gives me 50 more
years at A&G.
PG: What’s the best piece of
career advice you have ever received?
AG: Give
back to the community. My work on non-profit
boards has been very rewarding.
PG: Favorite
place to relax after a long week?
AG: Martha’s
Vineyard.
PG: Best place for an after work
drink?
AG: Donahue’s in Watertown. You can even
check out their website to prove it!
PG: Who do
you admire in the business world?
AG: Norman Leventhal who is an example of a successful and
philanthropic businessman. Leventhal’s Map
Center at the BPL is a wonderful legacy for our
city.
PG: How can young professionals expand
their networks and increase their impact in
Boston?
AG: Have a life outside of work.
PG:
What reading material is on your nightstand?
AG:
I’m a big magazine reader- Adweek, Advertising
Age, Fast Company, Men’s Health. As far as books
go, anything by James Patterson.
PG: Tell us
something we should know about you.
AG: I get up
every morning at 4:30 am so I can make it to my
first job of the day as a spin instructor. Then
it is off to the office. ____________________________________________________
For more information on the
Boston’s Future Leaders Program, please contact
Jody Kieval,
director of member services.
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