Rob VanGorden

Here’s the thing about Rob: He used to command tanks. Yep. Great big Abrams M1s, with gun turrets, grenade launchers, and everything. And you know what? He was good at it. By the time he’d put in six years of service, Rob had earned a Bronze Star and an Air Medal for combat actions in the Gulf War.
That was in addition, of course, to graduating with distinction from the U.S. Army Infantry and Armor schools.
So. Knowing this, you sort of have to wonder why Captain VanGorden left the military to market Velveeta for Leo Burnett in Chicago. Near as we can figure, he seriously misunderstood the phrase “guerrilla marketing.” Either that, or he was tired of being shot at.
Regardless, the army’s loss was advertising’s gain. After a successful run on Kraft Foods accounts like Parkay, Kraft Salad Dressing, and Altoids, Rob made the move to North Carolina, where he served as a vice president at Trone Advertising. Since joining The Richards Group in 1998, Rob has spearheaded agency efforts on Chick-fil-A, Motel 6, Bridgestone, Firestone, and Wawa; led the charge for Georgia Power, Kiwi shoe polish, Omni Hotels & Resorts, and NatureSweet Tomatoes; and gone to battle for Steward Health Care, UCHealth, and Cayman Islands Department of Tourism. He will probably do even more once we find some new military puns.
An accomplished photographer, cyclist, and triathlete, he shares a happy home with wife Jill and, when they visit, their four children (Matthew, Sarah, Meghan, Jack). When time permits, he enjoys cruising around town in his vintage VW convertible. Wearing an army helmet. Making weird “ker-pow!” noises with his mouth. At least, that’s what we like to think.