The chamber of commerce sat down with Bill Rigo, Director of Corporate Communications at Meister Media Worldwide. Bill is an incredible asset to the chamber of commerce. He designs our most compelling and beautiful marketing pieces including the logos and materials for the Annual Willoughby ArtsFest. This year, Bill will be the co-chair of the ArtsFest. His thoughtful leadership and artistic abilities will be taking the ArtsFest to new heights in 2019!
What gets you out of bed in the morning?
My alarm clock. Seriously, I love my job as Corporate Director of Communications and the opportunity to further Meister Media’s mission to be the trusted partner empowering the business of global agriculture to grow a better world.
My alarm clock. Seriously, I love my job as Corporate Director of Communications and the opportunity to further Meister Media’s mission to be the trusted partner empowering the business of global agriculture to grow a better world.
What three words would you use to describe your role?
Innovate, create, communicate.
Innovate, create, communicate.
What does your typical day look like and what are you currently working on?
My job is to promote the creativity and capabilities of Meister Media. My current to-do list has about 24 items on it, but I’m most excited about building out our “Meister Custom” business. This expanding part of our business provides custom marketing solutions. The turn-key solutions include; print, direct-mail, email, web development, video, webinars, events, client intel, and marketing consultation to our clients.
My job is to promote the creativity and capabilities of Meister Media. My current to-do list has about 24 items on it, but I’m most excited about building out our “Meister Custom” business. This expanding part of our business provides custom marketing solutions. The turn-key solutions include; print, direct-mail, email, web development, video, webinars, events, client intel, and marketing consultation to our clients.
What is your favorite blog or app?
Hard to pick one app (I just counted, I have over 200 on my phone). Most used other than email, text, calendar, and social media are; iHeartRadio, AroundMe, DirecTV, FoxSportsGo, and my home-automation apps
Hard to pick one app (I just counted, I have over 200 on my phone). Most used other than email, text, calendar, and social media are; iHeartRadio, AroundMe, DirecTV, FoxSportsGo, and my home-automation apps
What is your guilty pleasure?
Gummy Bears
Gummy Bears
What do you like most about your job?
I love having the opportunity to work at a great company, on a creative team, to develop new ways to promote our business which in-turn empowers global agriculture.
I love having the opportunity to work at a great company, on a creative team, to develop new ways to promote our business which in-turn empowers global agriculture.
What is the best career advice your ever received?
The best career advice was from my father. He passed along a long-held musing “If you do what you love, you’ll never work a day in your life.” I’m not sure that’s completely true, but it does make life easier knowing that I have used my God-given (art/design) talents to succeed at life.
The best career advice was from my father. He passed along a long-held musing “If you do what you love, you’ll never work a day in your life.” I’m not sure that’s completely true, but it does make life easier knowing that I have used my God-given (art/design) talents to succeed at life.
What are your biggest professional challenges?
There is running joke around here that “Everyone is an Art Director”. Anyone that works in the art or design field knows that what we do is (somewhat) subjective, and that opinions are like belly buttons, everybody has one. Learning how to handle everyone’s “advice” is what separates you a true professional.
There is running joke around here that “Everyone is an Art Director”. Anyone that works in the art or design field knows that what we do is (somewhat) subjective, and that opinions are like belly buttons, everybody has one. Learning how to handle everyone’s “advice” is what separates you a true professional.
How would you describe your job to a child?
My job is to let people (mainly Farmers) know how my company can help them do their jobs better.
My job is to let people (mainly Farmers) know how my company can help them do their jobs better.
What is the first job you ever had?
I was a dishwasher at The Blue Spruce Restaurant, (corner of 306 &Tyler Blvd.) in Mentor.
I was a dishwasher at The Blue Spruce Restaurant, (corner of 306 &Tyler Blvd.) in Mentor.
What did you want to be when growing up?
Batman
Batman
Do you have a favorite movie or book?
Love reading action/thrillers. Big fan of Tom Clancy, Vince Flynn, Lee Child, and Brad Thor, but I’m a bigger movie fan. Loved spending time with my 3 daughters when they were growing up watching everything from Disney, Pixar, and Universal and my office is covered in Steve Martin movie posters.
Favorite (everyone knows): Citizen Kane; Favorite (nobody knows): The Stunt Man (1980) Peter O’Toole, Steve Railsback, and Barbara Hershey
Love reading action/thrillers. Big fan of Tom Clancy, Vince Flynn, Lee Child, and Brad Thor, but I’m a bigger movie fan. Loved spending time with my 3 daughters when they were growing up watching everything from Disney, Pixar, and Universal and my office is covered in Steve Martin movie posters.
Favorite (everyone knows): Citizen Kane; Favorite (nobody knows): The Stunt Man (1980) Peter O’Toole, Steve Railsback, and Barbara Hershey
What is the best vacation you have ever had?
We’ve taken a lot of nice trips; Mexico, Boston, DC, Houston, but I’d have to say our honeymoon in Maui had to be the best (so far). Looking forward to a trip we’re planning to Rome.
We’ve taken a lot of nice trips; Mexico, Boston, DC, Houston, but I’d have to say our honeymoon in Maui had to be the best (so far). Looking forward to a trip we’re planning to Rome.
If you were on death row, what would you last meal be?
Wow, how did I get on death row? Oh yeah that. Never mind.
Ok, food — Appetizer: Oysters on the half shell; Soup: French onion (got hooked on this at the Blue Spruce); Entrée: Steak (Porterhouse, med-rare) & Lobster Tail (drawn butter) with a side of Asparagus & French fries (+ ketchup); Dessert: Coffee with Frangelico, and a Cassata cake (large enough to hide a plasma cutter inside to facilitate my escape).
Wow, how did I get on death row? Oh yeah that. Never mind.
Ok, food — Appetizer: Oysters on the half shell; Soup: French onion (got hooked on this at the Blue Spruce); Entrée: Steak (Porterhouse, med-rare) & Lobster Tail (drawn butter) with a side of Asparagus & French fries (+ ketchup); Dessert: Coffee with Frangelico, and a Cassata cake (large enough to hide a plasma cutter inside to facilitate my escape).
What are your hopes for your industry?
That everyone understands and appreciates the importance of agriculture, world-wide. Without strong support for farming and continually improving technology we will be hard pressed to feed and clothe an ever-increasing world population.
That everyone understands and appreciates the importance of agriculture, world-wide. Without strong support for farming and continually improving technology we will be hard pressed to feed and clothe an ever-increasing world population.
What do you like to do in your spare time and time away from work?
Keep active; workout, work in the yard, snow ski, fly my drone, binge-watch Netflix & Prime, read
Keep active; workout, work in the yard, snow ski, fly my drone, binge-watch Netflix & Prime, read
What is on your bucket list?
Travel to Europe, retire (someplace warmer in the winters), and get back to my first love, Art (drawing and painting).
Travel to Europe, retire (someplace warmer in the winters), and get back to my first love, Art (drawing and painting).
What is the first concert you attended?
I truly can’t remember the first, but the most memorable was Rush on their Signals tour. Second row, center, at the Richfield Coliseum in 1983(ish). A lot of direct eye contact with Geddy Lee.
I truly can’t remember the first, but the most memorable was Rush on their Signals tour. Second row, center, at the Richfield Coliseum in 1983(ish). A lot of direct eye contact with Geddy Lee.
What is a piece of advice for all of our chamber members and potential chamber members about getting the most out of your membership?
I don’t think I could say it better than the Chambers current theme “Don’t Just Join, Belong!”. Engage in what the CC has to offer. If you’re a follower of the Chambers social media posts (like I am), you’ll be truly amazed at the number of opportunities available to members to Network, Learn, Promote, and Save every month.
I don’t think I could say it better than the Chambers current theme “Don’t Just Join, Belong!”. Engage in what the CC has to offer. If you’re a follower of the Chambers social media posts (like I am), you’ll be truly amazed at the number of opportunities available to members to Network, Learn, Promote, and Save every month.
Reprinted with permission from Willoughby Western Lake County Chamber of Commerce | January 2019