bios
- Keith Alper, founder and CEO
- Steven Leek, president and co-founder
- Israel Denlow, CFO
- Mark Witzling, senior vice president, sales and marketing
Keith Alper, founder and CEO
Keith Alper is the founder of Creativeworks, the first marketing and advertising agency to meet the growing need of small- to mid-sized businesses that traditionally have had no single resource to fulfill their marketing needs in a cost-effective, professional manner.
Keith has extensive experience in the communications field. Before launching Creativeworks, Keith co-founded Creative Producers Group, Inc. (CPG) an Inc. 500 corporate communications and marketing agency that serves clients including Wal-Mart, General Motors, American Airlines, Ernst & Young, Nike and Coca-Cola. Hope Reports has ranked CPG in the "Top 100," out of 11,000 corporate communications companies. Today Keith remains the driving force in the company as its chairman.
Prior to starting CPG, Keith became one of the youngest executives at the Six Flags Corporation by becoming their director of entertainment at the age of 20. He was responsible for over 300 employees in one of the corporation's most exciting divisions.
A native St. Louisan, Keith is also an active member of the business community serving on a number of boards including: Enterprise Bank, Southern Illinois University - School of Business, Civic Entrepreneurs, and St. Louis Enterprise Centers. He is also a past international president of The Young Entrepreneurs Organization (YEO) and served on the international board of YEO and The Young Presidents Organization (YPO).
Keith received his Bachelor of Science degree in Television/Radio Media from Southern Illinois University and is a graduate of MIT's "Birthing of Giants" three-year program.
Steven Leek, president and co-founder
Since helping co-found Creativeworks in 1997, Steven Leek has led the organization through its inception, emphasizing delivery of world-class, integrated marketing and advertising solutions. His experience in the marketing operations, strategic planning and human resources fields have greatly impacted the company's ability to meet its clients' needs.
Prior to joining Creativeworks, Steven spent 13 years at Edison Brother Stores, one of the nation's largest retailers with over 2,000 specialty stores. During his last 10 years with the company, he served as vice president of human resources where he developed recruitment and training strategies in addition to playing a key role in the success of retail start-up operations in Latin American markets.
Throughout his career, Steven has also worked with or served as a marketing consultant to a number of growing companies and non-profit organizations such as: Junior Achievement, Ernst & Young and Paylinx. Steven holds his Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing from the University of Utah.
Israel Denlow, CFO
Izzy has been a management consultant for the past sixteen years specializing in providing financial advice to corporations as a part time/full time CFO who are in a start-up, turnaround, or growth situation. He has worked in a variety of industries including computer software, internet services, advertising, publishing, retail, construction, instrumentation, foundry and wholesale distributors.
Mr. Denlow has a B.S. Degree in Ceramic Engineering from the University of Missouri - Rolla (1970) and an MBA from the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business (1976, top 10%). He has a CPA, winning the Missouri gold medal for the highest score. He practiced with Ernst & Whinney (Senior) and Alexander Grant (Manager) as a member of the audit and consulting staff for over 5 years. He worked three years as a research engineer for Babcock & Wilcox working on steel mill related projects. He is a member of the National Association of Accountants and American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. Also, he has taught accounting courses and seminars at Washington University's evening college and the community college.
Mark Witzling, senior vice president, sales and marketing
Mark Witzling and his team are responsible for all of Creativeworks marketing initiatives which include branding, advertising, business development, Creativeworks´ online agency, public relations, alliances and promotions.
With over 20 years of marketing experience, Mark brings to Creativeworks a successful and diversified background. He has held senior level brand and marketing positions with Gillette, Mars and Ralston Purina, where he launched and headed their successful Purina Interactive Group.
Mark also brings experience from his executive role with sportshuddle.com where he served as VP, Marketing & Sales and directed all their marketing efforts, including trade and consumer print advertising, direct mail, local and national events, public relations, and innovative marketing alliances.
Mark received his MBA degree from Boston University in 1986.
