After nearly five decades in the advertising industry, Chicago-based Midwest rep David Wagner has retired. He has been responsible for contributing to the careers of assorted directors and is credited on some of the most successful campaigns in the region since the 1980s. Among the many colleagues he mentored is Sam Sloma who grew up in the small town of Fremont, Ohio, and at a young age met Wagner. Sloma recalled that Wagner would come into town every so often from Chicago, along with his wife, a childhood friend of Sloma’s mom. Sloma said that Wagner was “engaging, curious, energetic, smart; he became my standard for success in the big world outside of Fremont. He guided me into film and communications, and throughout college sent me DVDs of commercials and short films to review–ALWAYS asking questions and explaining why he found something interesting. Upon graduation, I moved to Chicago the following day to begin interning for David. We would go on to spend the next 12 years working together, eventually forming David&Sam in 2019 where we worked as partners until his retirement. I never became David Wagner, but David Wagner made me the professional I am today,” affirmed Sloma. “Proud to call him my mentor, my partner, and my friend.” In the wake of Wagner’s retirement, Sloma has founded Known Associates, which handles Midwest representation for RESET, ProdCo, Supply&Demand, Farm League, World War Seven, Exile, and Mosaic. In an online post, Wagner related, “I am so immensely proud to have Sam Sloma carry things forward and start his own new chapter as Known Associates. It is well deserved and overdue.” Looking back on his career, Wagner shared, “Thank you to all the incredible directors that I have been able to represent! And the EPs and company owners that gave me the opportunity to represent their production companies.” Wagner added, “I was so lucky to have been given a book early in life, ‘The Success System that Never Fails’ by W. Clement Stone. I carried that book in my backpack, and then briefcase for 20 years. I still think of it often as a path to create character and strength in the most difficult of times. As I gratefully sail off into the sunset (quite literally) I am off to new adventures and challenges!”…
Rep Report for February 28, 2025
TMT Insights, a provider of professional services and operational management software for the media and entertainment industry, has appointed Gregory Cox as VP of sales and business development for the Americas. He will be responsible for the growth and expansion of TMT’s footprint across the Americas as well as focusing on providing strategic guidance and innovative solutions to TMT’s clients. Cox brings over 20 years of experience in media and entertainment solutioning, working with clients across studios, broadcasting, streaming platforms and technology companies. He offers extensive expertise in delivering scalable business solutions focused on driving operational efficiency, reducing costs, and delivering clear paths to achieve success. Throughout his career, he has worked with well-known companies such as Deluxe, Codemill and ThinkAnalytics....
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