Ryan Gill

Chief Executive Officer / Co-Founder

Ryan is the spearhead of the vision for Suitcase Interactive Inc, enabling cutting edge design and development solutions that help leading companies across North America to increase revenues, solve communication problems and deepen customer brand loyalty. Ryan has been a leader in the interactive marketing and communications industry for nearly eight years. Known as a creative visionary, Ryan works closely with the executive team to ensure Suitcase clients achieve the consumer experience they have been dreaming about. It is Ryan’s role to push Suitcase to strive towards industry leadership by blending a strong creative foundation with innovative technology to deliver simple communications that engage end users.

Ryan and his two partners founded Suitcase Interactive in 2001 with the idea of creating a company that possessed a true passion for interactive excellence achieved through functional creativity that would attract and retain the best people in the industry.

As CEO of Suitcase Interactive Inc., Ryan actively pursues opportunities to expand Suitcase’s growth in Canada, the U.S. and abroad. Since founding the company he has been responsible for adding many of the world-class brands that make up Suitcase’s client roster - accounts such as Shell, CIBC, WestJet and United Way - and has helped build an award winning company, including creative, management and team awards.

A passion for excellence is further demonstrated in Ryan’s commitment to teaching and inspiring others about the importance of relationships in business, the power of simple technology and the necessity of being a creative thinker. To this end Ryan speaks at many conferences and to organizations such as the Sauder School of Business (MBA Program UBC), the Canadian Marketing Association, multiple Canadian Government initiatives and advises MBA students.

Ryan is also strongly committed to his community, philanthropy and charity works around the world. He serves on a city planning committee, sits on boards for the United Way, his company actively volunteers at a homeless shelter in the city of Calgary, and he also helped found a charity organization called Project Smile that operates under the umbrella of the Suitcase Interactive Inc. brand. This initiative is something very close to Ryan’s heart, as he closes the company doors for 1 week every year and shuts down operations in order to fly his whole team to Mexico to feed children and build community feeding-centers.

On a personal level Ryan enjoys spending time with his dog Snoop, traveling, and plays highly competitive soccer in the City of Calgary.

Joel Goldberg

Sr. Web Strategist / Co-founder

Joel is a man consumed by the challenge of realizing tangible and measurable results for Suitcase Interactive’s clients. In his role as Strategy Director at Suitcase, Joel’s ultimate goal is to deliver projects that are practical, smart and elegantly simple. During his seven years in interactive media Joel has gained an immense amount of knowledge across all areas of the industry…knowledge he imparts in large doses for the benefit of Suitcase clients.

Joel’s background is in Fine Arts and visual design, and on the rare occasions when this guru is not thinking about his next strategic masterpiece, he might be found in the gym or at the pub watching soccer.

Trent Martens

Chief Creative Officer / Co-founder

We live in an age saturated by information and advertising. We get ads on the radio when we wake up, during the breakfast show, on the side of the road on our way to work... and then we get spammed all day at work. Consumers are getting smarter and are learning to take what they need and filter the rest. This is why it’s so important in business to understand what your product or service is really all about and how it adds value to peoples’ lives.

As a Co-Founder, Trent has succeeded in not only establishing the Suitcase Interactive brand, but in creating the unique Suitcase approach to design and creativity that allows clients to compete proactively in a noisy and overcrowded marketplace. With Trent’s vision and creative direction, Suitcase is quickly becoming a company recognized not only for being a trendsetter, but also as an industry leader setting the standards for interactive branding and online solutions that add true value to the lives of consumers.

Jamie Garratt

General Manager, Vancouver

For over 10 years Jamie has been involved in the development of many highly recognized brands, with a core focus on digital media. With a strong background in creating and building global teams (Canada, The United States, and Europe) and establishing effective delivery models, Jamie has overseen many successes with clients such as Nintendo, Quiksilver, Nike, BMW, and Electronic Arts.

Jamie has underlying experience and knowledge of Product Development and Delivery of Services implementations in both web and software industries, working within various verticals including; Action Sports, Healthcare, Automotive, Music, TV Media, Gaming, Apparel, Travel, Real Estate and Education. His sincere passion for innovation is reflected in his interest to build world-class marketing solutions.

As General Manager, Jamie is responsible for driving new business as well as ensuring successful partnerships with existing clients. He works closely with the Suitcase Interactive internal account teams as well as external clients and their partners. Internally, he ensures that each account and project is delivering business value at all levels and that they represent the needs of the client to ensure that the solution exceeds expectations. Externally, Jamie works with clients and their teams to understand evolving business requirements, facilitate management discussions, resolve issues, and identify opportunities for continuous business improvements.

On top of his experiences within the interactive world, Jamie has worked in a variety of marketing driven industries from retail management to board sports coaching, where he has operated a Vancouver based wakeboard training facility and school since 2004.

In addition to his professional experience, Jamie’s educational background includes Business Management, Software and Web development, and Project Management. His personal interests include: Snowboarding, Surfing, Wakeboarding, Skateboarding, Motorcycling, and Hockey.

Kent Speakman

V.P. Accounts & Strategy

Kent has 10 years of management and ownership experience in the Entertainment and Hospitality industries. His vast background ranges from running marketing and promotional departments for companies grossing $12,000,000 annually to directly managing and overseeing a staff of over 500 employees. Kent himself comes from a marketing background with practical experience in developing ad campaigns for television, radio and print. He has worked in partnerships with local and national campaigns for companies such as Warner Brothers, Molson, Red Bull, Labatt, DXL Magazine, UMM Magazine and ITL Tobacco to name a few.

Kent also has experience working in the film production arena as an executive producer and consultant on television pilots and independent films. He has worked on a variety of concepts and been a key part of the interactive development in support of these projects.

Megan Hardisty

Project Manager

It could be a degree in psychology that makes Megan Hardisty so apt at dealing with staff and clients - but we chalk it up to her stint as a ski instructor. If there's anything that takes more patience and tact than account management, it's teaching seven-year-olds the art of the slopes.

Currently, Megan lends her expertise to the Suitcase team as a project & account manager. In this role, she single-handedly ensures that staff, clients and partners are heard, and that their best interests are represented. Megan excels at balancing best practices with unique and tailored solutions, and ensuring that the end result is a mutually satisfying one. Prior to this, she worked in a similar role for a financial institution and at one of North America's top interactive agencies. While there, she orchestrated large-scale projects for some of the world's biggest brands.

Between ski school and finding her niche as an account manager, Megan also worked as a stylist in Montreal. Her seven years in the city ignited a passion for the French language and fashion - meaning she's also the best-dressed member of our accounts team.

Megan's love of clothing is only matched by her love of travel , so when she's not in this Suitcase office, you can find her in far-flung destinations like Costa Rica or Saudi Arabia.

Rob Swiderski

Director of Insight & Planning

Rob Swiderski joins our team with over a decade of marketing and promotions experience - including several years spent with North America's top entertainment company. During his time there, he focused on developing & leveraging both new and existing business relationships and forming profitable partnerships.

Rob's communication strengths lie in his ability to recognize & maintain an organization's core values while identifying new strategies for success. To further hone his skills, this life-long learner regularly attends internationally recognized business workshops and conferences.

One of Rob's many passions is his community, and his fundraising experiences for diverse non-profit organizations are a tremendous asset as Suitcase moves forward with its own philanthropic efforts. His personable and inquisitive nature are also of great value to the Suitcase team, as this natural-born 'people person' is as apt at relating with our diverse staff as he is with our diverse client base.

In his spare time, Rob continues to play and coach hockey - a sport he's played for over fifteen years. Though he's played competitively at nearly every level, he insists his most challenging on-ice moments actually happened on-screen: Rob once played a professional hockey player in a sports film shot in Vancouver.

• Ryan Gill
• Joel Goldberg
• Trent Martens
• Chris Dykstra
• Kent Speakman
• Megan Hardisty
• Rob Swiderski