Elgin is an advertising, marketing and business professional with more than four decades founding and directing some of the Northwest’s most successful firms. He began his advertising career as an undergraduate intern at Cole & Weber and as a copywriter during his senior year. After graduation he was called away by the U.S. Army where he served as an officer during the Vietnam War. After being honorably discharged, he returned to Cole & Weber but this time on the business side as an account manager. Ten years later after ascending to Managing Director, he co-founded Elgin Syferd as the market’s first truly integrated communications agency with clients such as Holland America Line, Jansport, McDonald’s, Nordstrom and Ste. Michelle Wine Estates. Additionally, he co-founded the Hornall Anderson design firm; the CF2GS direct marketing agency and AdWorks, a retail ad agency. Within 10 years the agency had grown to a quarter billion dollars in billings and was sold to DDB Worldwide – the 4th largest global agency. Elgin remained as CEO of Seattle, became CEO of DDB US Retail, and a board member of the parent organization until his retirement at the end of 2011. For his career efforts, he was awarded the highest Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Advertising Federation. Elgin also served on the boards of Hart Crowser, Knowledge Anywhere, Fluidmaster Global, Quu, Zimron, Opt-in Media and Veterans Promise Coffee. Elgin’s philanthropic commitments are just as numerous and the alumnus has held leadership roles at Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Ronald McDonald House, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Swedish Medical Foundation, Special Olympics, PONCHO, Alliance for Education and America’s Foundation for Chess. In light of his civic efforts, he has been honored with numerous awards. He recently completed a humorous account of his life in advertising titled “Huckster.” Elgin currently resides in Seattle with his wife of 45 years, Bonnie, but they are frequent visitors to their daughter and family in Laguna Beach, CA.