“Matt DeGroot’s website design truly captured the spirit and adventure of my cross-country bike ride to raise awareness and funds for PKD. His creative approach brought my journey to life, perfectly reflecting the passion and dedication behind the cause. The site’s dynamic visuals and engaging storytelling not only highlighted the mission but also inspired others to join in and support the fight against PKD. Thanks to Matt and team, my ride’s impact has reached far beyond the road!”

WILL KLEEMEIER
Organizer, Pedaling for Kidney Disease

“I am delighted to recommend Matt DeGroot for any opportunity he seeks. For 6+ years, I've had the pleasure of working with Matt, during which time he's consistently demonstrated exceptional creativity, leadership, and strategic vision.

Matt’s ability to blend innovative design with effective marketing strategies has led to numerous successful projects for such brands as MINI, BMW, Atkins, T-Mobile and Intel.

His leadership skills are evident through his management of creative teams, where he inspires and guides talent to produce outstanding work. His approach is both collaborative and strategic, always pushing the envelope while aligning with client goals and brand objectives.

Matt’s strong work ethic, combined with his deep understanding of the creative industry, makes him a valuable asset to any team. I have no doubt Matt will bring the same level of excellence and enthusiasm to future endeavors.”

SHAWN SHIELDS
Creative Director, Dentsu Creative

“Matt is first and foremost a great creative director. As an art director who has worked with him, I feel he stands out from most of the CDs I’ve worked with. He’s clear and constructive with his direction, understands how to nurture a project from brainstorm through delivery, and has the communication and people skills to foster great teamwork between those he works with.

Further, he’s capable of his own creative excellence and in helping guide others to excellence, while maintaining a clear focus on the strategic needs of projects to deliver creative that truly works for his clients.

And if that weren’t enough, he’s just a very easy person to like. And that’s a great challenge for those who strive to deliver great creative and push teams to do the same. He’s a versatile and talented team lead who I would gladly recommend for any position he’d choose to pursue.”

MARTIN HERBERT
Art Director/Designer Dentsu Creative

“Matt is a dedicated, thoughtful creative who approaches each project through a strategic lens. He takes a data- and insight-driven approach to gain a deep understanding the target audience, then applies art direction and copy that resonate on an emotional and rational level.

Matt has an extensive understanding of "brand to demand" creative philosophies, and his versatile talents span the spectrum — from delivering high-level concepts to crafting response-driving content. He is also an omni-channel expert who can activate big ideas across every touchpoint, delivering compelling journeys that heighten customer experiences.

Matt is a highly collaborative teammate who leads by example through his courteous demeanor and supportive tone. He is also extremely passionate about helping others grow and succeed. For example, Matt oversaw our internal presentation club, which offered a safe, encouraging environment for those who wanted to build their skills and advance in their professional development.

Lastly, Matt is highly dedicated, always putting in extra time and effort to ensure projects get completed on schedule. He is a kind, all-around great guy who anyone would be lucky to work with!”

JENNIFER WOOD
VP, Group Creative Director, Merkle

“I am writing to recommend Matt DeGroot, with whom I've had the pleasure of spending almost four years working closely on key accounts, including MINI Cooper and BMW where he took active working and leadership roles in creating and designing digital and print media, as well as large-scale email campaigns as part of our CRM strategy.

Matt is a self-starter with a remarkable ability to engage with clients and team members. His analytical mind and creative flair have consistently elevated the quality of our work. His deep understanding of client needs and his innovative problem-solving approach have made him an invaluable asset to our creative team. Matt takes the time to truly understand the larger strategy and goal of each creative pursuit. His work on the MINI Cooper and BMW accounts stands as a testament to his ability to deliver impactful results while fostering strong client relationships.

Our organization benefits immensely from his skills and dedication, and his contributions are keenly felt. I envy any other team that will have the privilege of working with him and am confident that he will continue to excel and make a significant impact in his future endeavors.”

DANEALLE KARTHEISER
Senior Account Manager, Merkle

“Matt DeGroot is a smart, talented, and collaborative creative leader, art director, and designer, as well as being a pleasure to work with.

Matt thinks through the work in terms of delivering the best creative solutions for the business challenges a client is facing. He is committed to making the work great. If that means putting in extra hours to get there, he does it. He also gets the balance between making the work the best it can be and working within deadlines to satisfy different (and sometimes conflicting!) client constituencies. His visual sensibility draws on timeless design principles while still tapping into what’s relevant now.

Matt holds to high standards for himself and his team. Plus, he’s easy-going, buttoned-up, on top of things, and has a great sense of humor. Matt’s the real deal.

MAGGIE POWERS
Creative Director, Dentsu Creative

“As a Project Manager, I had the great pleasure of working with Matt this year on an AI Account-Based Marketing technology client. Matt was instrumental in helping the team successfully manage, design, produce and deliver an array of creative assets including multi-page landing pages, social media ads and emails. Matt is someone who takes his work very seriously and is very thorough, he also is someone who takes a lot of pride in his work...it will always be his best. The marketing communications he creates are not only visually appealing and on-brand, but engaging to drive performance and results. He is also an absolute awesome team player and always shows up with a smile and a "can-do" attitude...even during difficult times...he will do what is needed to deliver for his team, his company and his clients. Anyone that has the chance to work with Matt will find it enlightening, educational and enjoyable.”

TARA DIFRANCESCO
Project Management Director, Dentsu Creative U.S.P

“Besides being a pleasure to work with, Matt is a take-charge person who is able to present creative ideas and communicate the benefits. He is very knowledgeable over a wide range of job responsibilities and works effectively with others. I highly recommend Matt for employment. He is a team player and would make a great asset to any organization. I am happy to act as a reference for Matt and can speak to his interpersonal skills, work ethic and professionalism.”

KELLY O’BRIEN
President, Comply Enterprises

“Matt’s contributions to the USO year-end Wishbook campaign were invaluable. He was the main creative driver of the campaign, and it couldn’t have been such a success without him. Throughout the process, he showed incredible dedication and expertise, and I feel strongly that his input led directly to the client raising more funds than ever before.”

CATHY ELTON
Creative Director, Merkle

“Matt works incredibly hard to not only deliver what the client has asked for, but to work towards the best solution. While managing his own workload, he’s also willing to pitch in on other accounts whenever the need arises. All of which makes him a valued and well-liked member of the team.”

STEVE M.
Creative Director, Merkle

“Matt is a pleasure to work with. He has a terrific design sense, and his work has been exceptional. He takes feedback very well, and he proactively thinks about and solves problems. He also has great attention to detail. I wish we could use him more often! Matt is a problem solver and delivers above and beyond what is requested.”

HOPE M.
Creative Director, Merkle

“What impressed me about Matt is how he went above and beyond our request to make the end result more compelling. He read the copy draft, thought about how some information could be presented better, did his own research and proposed a new solution. And he checked in with me along the way, maintaining open and effective communications.”

MARGARET N.
Creative Director, Merkle

“It is our pleasure to testify on behalf of Matt DeGroot. During Matt’s employment at Compass, we found him to be an intelligent, thoughtful and dedicated person. Matt impressed us with his ability to wear many hats whether in design, project management or client relations. He works very well with others and quickly developed a rapport with our clients that was admired and respected. Matt will be a great addition to your organization.”

BRAD WHIPPLE
ANNE MCLAIN
Principals, Compass Digital Media

“After working with Matt on a few small email projects on the USO account, I asked the creative director if we could utilize Matt on a much larger, more design-intensive email campaign for USO. I was impressed by his work and thought he could bring a fresh perspective to this larger campaign and help us move the needle for USO.

On a basic level, he delivered solutions that were thoughtful, buttoned-up, attractive, integrated Merkle’s best practices, etc. On top of that, he was a good sport in the face of numerous challenges we faced from the client and the developer for this campaign. He was always willing to pick up the phone and chat with me, helping me to work through each problem we faced and develop a solution. Matt is confident in his work, but he brings no ego to the game. He is able to guide the client down the path he knows is right but adjust if ultimately the client does not agree. I’ve worked with others in the past who I’ve been afraid to share client feedback with. With Matt (despite painstaking effort and attention-to-detail that went into every single component), I knew if I had to call him and tell him “The client just blew this up”, that he would work with me to forge ahead and figure out how to get it done to meet the client’s needs.

I’ve worked in marketing on both the agency side and the client side. I’ve worked closely with dozens, maybe hundreds of creatives, and I really cannot say enough good things about Matt. He has a great eye, and an amazing attention to detail. He’s open to feedback but also shares his opinions/thoughts behind why he did what he did. He proactively follows up and checks in to see how things went/if anything further is needed. He is committed to the team/his work/the project/the client, and that’s very refreshing. And he’s just genuinely a happy and enthusiastic human to work with.”

NICOLE I.
Account Director, Merkle