About me
As Executive Director of VML's Kalamazoo office, Mike heads up a full team serving a range of clients including Kellogg's, Kimberly-Clark and Stryker.
He joined Biggs|Gilmore in 1987 in account management and spent 13 years as co-owner and president. During this time, he was responsible for overall operations and overseeing their development group, ensuring that the agency stayed ahead of the technology curve. Biggs|Gilmore joined the global VML family in 2014, Mike and his business partner, Jane Tamraz, assumed roles on the executive leadership team as executive directors of VML.
A Western Michigan University graduate, Mike has a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration. His experience includes clients in consumer packaged goods, healthcare, and business-to-business markets.
Mike is dedicated to instilling VML’s culture and working with the rest of the executive leadership team to ensure we remain our clients’ most important partner.
?My role is to nurture and enhance a fun, productive and respectful environment for the people who work here,? says Mike Gerfen. ?I am constantly reminded by people outside Biggs|Gilmore that the energy created from the collaboration among members of this agency is truly unique in the world of business.
?It?s been exciting to participate in the agency?s evolution,? says Mike, who joined Biggs|Gilmore in 1987. ?We?ve become involved in our clients? business on a much deeper level. We are providing services today that go far beyond those of a typical advertising agency or communications firm. Our objective is to help provide creative communications solutions based on a sound business strategy, and our goal is to be indispensable to our clients.?
A Western Michigan University graduate, Mike has a bachelor?s degree in business administration. His experience has been diverse, and includes clients in the industrial and business-to-business markets and nearly all segments of the health-care industry, including managed care, pharmaceuticals, health-care providers and devices.
In addition, he has developed communication plans for new-company and new-product launches, and worked extensively with sales force training and development. Mike?s client experience includes Armstrong International, Bronson Healthcare Group, Greenstone Healthcare Solutions, Osco/Sav-on, Pharmacia Corporation and Pfizer.
Besides maintaining the agency?s work environment, Mike is responsible for overseeing the agency?s operations and identifying long-term growth opportunities.