Clients Know Best

Michael Peters left the palm trees of Tampa for the skyscrapers of Manhattan and rose through the ranks of the advertising industry, handling national brands like Proctor & Gamble, Jockey and Firestone for Grey Worldwide for seven years.

After a marriage and a child, Peters outgrew his fifth-story walk-up and returned to his home town in 2001, one day before 9-11. A day later, he founded his own ad firm, Spark Branding House, now known as Spark, and even some spinoff companies, like Spark Labs, which develops new products.

His story parallels others at Spark: Under 40 people who have left Tampa, gotten big agency experience, only to return and practice their craft here.