Our team consists of a diverse group of individuals with a wide range of work and life experiences. We invite you to get to know some of our senior practitioners.
Agota Gabor - President
After receiving a degree in Journalism from Ryerson University, Agi launched her highly successful career as a broadcast journalist at the CBC. She worked as a reporter, producer and director of CBC shows including: Take Thirty, Take Sixty, Adrienne at Large and Some of My Best Friends are Men. She was also producer and on-air host for CBLT’s TGIF and a story producer for the station’s six
o’clock news program, 24 Hours, and CBC Radio’s As It Happens.
Since starting The Gabor Group in 1980, Agi has directed the company’s media training workshops for hundreds of private and public sector executives and conceived, produced and directed television specials, corporate videos and advertising campaigns for an impressive list of clients.
Agi is the principal for Gabor’s integrated campaigns such as the Driver Distraction Campaign for Insurance Bureau of Canada and the Quit & Get Fit for Ontario Lung Association.
Suzanne Hughes – Vice-President, Public Relations
Suzanne’s ability to solve communications problems with creative and cost-effective solutions has resulted in a loyal client following throughout her career. Over the years, she has launched national beer brands, promoted energy-efficient housing for the Ontario government, publicized Canadian tourism in overseas markets and helped to raise the profile of young entrepreneurs for the Business Development Bank of Canada.
Her early career included a stint in journalism, editing trade magazines for Southam Press. On the corporate side, she managed internal communications for a large pulp and paper company and directed internal and external communications for a Canadian airline. She joined The Gabor Group in 2003 after heading up the public relations business of one of Canada’s leading advertising and communications agencies.
Ken Clarke – Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer
Ken joined The Gabor Group in 1999 and quickly became indispensable first as a video editor working on numerous television specials, corporate videos and video news releases, and organizing satellite media tours. Over the last 10 years, he has continued to hone his skills and impress clients with his creativity and management capabilities. At Gabor, he has produced countless videos, TV specials and digital media campaigns.
As the Director of the IBC’s Be Smart. Be Safe. Community Outreach campaign, Ken created the DUMB Car driving simulator, which has generated an unprecedented volume of positive media coverage for Insurance Bureau of Canada over the last six years. It has also demonstrated the dangers of driving while distracted to thousands of Canadians and captured the attention of the provincial governments and the media.
Ken has a BA in Film and Video from York University and continues to follow film and embrace technology and media trends.
Ken was supervising producer for both Insurance Bureau of Canada and Ontario Lung Association.
Scott McMann – Creative Director
Scott is an award-winning designer and art director with more than 20 years of experience working for a broad range of clients. As well, he is an instructor of graphic design. His creative talents have helped blue chip clients like CIBC, the Government of Canada, Insurance Bureau of Canada and the Ontario Lung Association stand out in an increasingly crowded communications environment. At The Gabor Group, Scott’s talents have been applied to a wide range of assignments from displays, websites and apps to traditional print and TV ads and corporate identity campaigns. His design of The Dry House, a 10’ x 10’ interactive display for Insurance Bureau of Canada, has won a number of awards. Scott has taught graphic design at various colleges in Ontario and was part of the Adobe beta team for InDesign. A graduate with distinction from St. Lawrence College, Scott’s other passions include photography and stand-up comedy.
Marylou Hilliard - Integrated Communications Strategist & Client Liaison
Marylou has earned an impeccable reputation as a tireless integrated communications champion. She has held senior strategic branding positions at industry powerhouses such as BBDO, Vickers & Benson, JWT and Maclaren:Lintas, where she managed client communication needs and implemented best practices for Coca Cola, Nestle, Bayer, Glaxo Smith Kline, Campbell’s, Wrigley, Sony and Unilever.
As executive vice-president at McDonnell Haynes, Marylou led a multi-stakeholder team including government officials from Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut to develop an integrated economic development and tourism campaign comprised of television, cinema, print, event marketing and public relations. At Arnold Worldwide, Marylou led the first communications campaign for the Canadian Psychiatric Research Foundation, which included extensive negotiation to garner pro bono media support. Other not-for-profit experience includes United Way of Greater Toronto, Psychology Foundation of Canada, the Consumers Council of Canada, Track3 Ski Association for the Disabled and International Federation on Ageing.
Lara Brady - Account Executive
Lara joined Gabor as an Account Executive for IBC and the Rosedale Main Street Business Improvement Area (BIA). In addition to managing IBC’s home show tour circuit, Lara is also responsible for planning and executing projects for the Rosedale Main Street BIA.
Lara also acts as tour manager for IBC’s Be Smart. Be Safe. Ontario tour. This includes hiring staff, planning and implementing events and news conferences; writing brochures, media materials and speaking notes; and liaising with non-profit and other stakeholder groups. Lara also handled training and facilitated media training for IBC’s Atlantic Be Smart. Be Safe tour.
Lara is fluent in English, French and Czech and has basic oral skills in German.
Jeremy Houghton Social and New Media Strategist
After studying Media, Information and Technoculture at the University of Western Ontario, Jeremy became co-founder of VMG Cinematic, a leading-edge digital video production company specializing in branded entertainment for Internet distribution. He was responsible for the execution of distribution strategies for Internet video that also incorporated social media tactics when these were still emerging technologies.
At the Gabor Group, Jeremy plans and executes social media strategies. He also develops and promotes websites, microsites and blogs. He has mastered integrated social marketing strategies, which synergistically align websites with Twitter and Facebook applications. He has also developed specialized techniques to monitor, manage and measure brand reputation online through social networking platforms.
Krystal Sandler – Graphic Designer
Krystal joined the Gabor Group as a student while completing her degree in Graphic Design from the Ontario College of Art and Design. Upon completing her degree, she came aboard full-time and has been a key member of the creative team for the past five years. Her role includes designing print materials (posters, brochures, logos and magazine/newspaper ads), designing for websites and email blasts, ad buying, media monitoring and any other job that comes along. Krystal is a well-rounded creative individual with talents not only in the visual arts but in the performing arts as well with a strong passion for music and theatre.
Lindsay Kane – Production Coordinator
Lindsay is a valuable member of the Gabor team. She works primarily in video and new media production. Lindsay graduated from the Radio and Television Arts program at Ryerson University with minors in English and History. When not at work, she can be found cooking, baking, and doing crafts. She also volunteers with Gilda's Club Greater Toronto helping to put together the It's Always Something Variety show fundraiser held each November.
Erin Altenburger- Client Services Coordinator
A graduate of University of Guelph (Bachelor of English Studies) and George Brown College (Travel and Tourism: Special Event Delivery & Planning Diploma), Erin began her career as the proprietor of an e-commerce floral and gift solutions shop. With a new understanding of the entrepreneurial environment, she soon moved on to Polar Mobile where she implemented and ran the growing agency’s internal processes. When the Vancouver-based agency, Rethink, expanded eastward, Erin was hired to help set up Rethink Toronto’s new digital shop. Erin joined The Gabor Group in 2011 and is currently coordinating the agency’s client operations and internal processes.
