• by Richard Whitman , Columnist, January 13, 2015

As Chicago Business Journal columnist Lewis Lazare insightfully writes: "Perhaps for understandable reasons, this time around, C-K [Cramer-Krasselt Chicago] opted not to select a top creative executive with deep roots in a foreign country. Instead, Erke's roots are firmly planted in the Chicago ad industry."

Lazare is referring to the agency's recent hiring of Ken Erke as chief creative officer. Erke replaces Derek Green, who left the agency late last year to return home to his native Australia. Erke will begin February 17.

Erke joins the agency from the Chicago office of R/GA, where he oversaw the satellite office's creative duties. Prior to R/GA, he was with Young & Rubicam in Chicago working on the Sears account.