An agency built on your success.

ON Advertising was founded in 1993 and is owned by John Hernandez, Eric Garcia, and Ron Meritt.

Over the years, ON has developed a reputation for being one of the most creative, accountable advertising agencies in the Southwest and beyond. We have built a culture of client service where an open flow of ideas is encouraged and every strategy is shaped with a business objective in mind. We provide an exceptional range of marketing, advertising, creative, public relations, digital services and event services to a client base that spans some of the best-known brands in a broad spectrum of industries. Meet the team that leads our agency.

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John Hernandez
Owner

John oversees corporate operations, structure, planning, and development for the agency. He works tirelessly for our clients on business strategic planning, business development, and creative branding strategies.

Before joining ON Advertising, John gained extensive media experience working as a producer, photographer, reporter, anchor, and news director for TV stations all over the country. He understands how media works and knows how to leverage this knowledge to achieve measurable results for clients.

John studied Broadcasting and Journalism at the University of Arizona. He is involved in many organizations in the Hispanic community. John is perhaps the Cardinals’ biggest fan – the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team, that is.

 
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Eric Garcia
Owner/Chief Creative Officer

Eric began his career in 1991 as an Assistant Art Director at Robinson & St. John Advertising in Florida. While at RSJ, he was part of the team that produced advertising and marketing campaigns for national and regional accounts including AT&T, Bank Boston, Ford Motor Company, and Wendy’s Restaurants. His talent as an illustrator was also utilized in a number of campaigns developed by RSJ.

In 1995, Eric launched his own multidisciplinary design firm, EFG Creative, in Albuquerque, NM. Wanting to expand to the Arizona market, EFG came to the valley looking for an advertising agency to pair with. In January 2018, EFG merged with ON Advertising.

As a hands-on designer Eric has a meticulous eye for detail and a fresh graphic style. Eric is a fine artist and a native of New Mexico.

Using his vast knowledge of fine art, Eric founded EG Structural. EG Structural, has won several public art awards in the US. Please visit egstructural.com to learn more.

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Ron Meritt
Owner

Ron opened ON Advertising after working in television for many years. He wanted to take skills honed in his broadcasting career to help clients navigate the ever-changing media landscape. As President, Ron oversees day-to-day operations at the agency while guiding the strategy, client service and performance. He does this by uniting a unique combination of strategic thinking and business innovation.

In addition, Ron manages the agency’s Crisis and Issues Management division. Ron leads a nationally-accredited seminar that provides training for clients on how to communicate in crisis situations and manage the impact of a crisis. His depth of experience and expertise is unrivaled in this area.

Ron has degrees in Broadcasting and Public Relations from Northern Arizona University and in Meteorology from Mississippi State University.

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Darren Higgs
President & General Manager

Prior to ON Advertising, Darren honed his skills as an Account Executive for six years at EG Structural, ON’s sister company. Joining ON Advertising in August 2017, Darren climbed the ranks quickly, ascending to Vice President of Marketing by 2019. In this capacity, he supervised all clients and oversaw marketing, social media, and web services within the Account Services Division. Known for his strategic acumen and supervisory prowess, Darren was entrusted with all marketing and PR accounts.

In 2023, he was appointed President & General Manager, where he assumes responsibility for daily agency operations and staff development. He offers strategic recommendations to owners regarding agency structure and operations. His comprehensive expertise and leadership abilities underscore Darren’s integral role in the success of ON Advertising.

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Dawn Webley-Fadda
VP, Agency & Media Operations

With over 20 years of marketing experience, Dawn is a seasoned media operations and strategy expert. Her impressive track record includes collaborating with some of Arizona’s most rapidly expanding agencies. She has been instrumental in empowering brands across diverse industries throughout her career, consistently delivering award-winning work. Dawn’s approach revolves around a strategic mindset, prioritizing high-touch media planning, seamless execution, and comprehensive analytics to achieve outstanding results for our clients. Her expertise and dedication make her an invaluable asset to our team, driving our company’s media endeavors to new heights.

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Catie Richman
Senior Account Executive/Events Director

Catie joined the ON team in 2020 as the Director of Events and Marketing, a role which she priorly held at Evans Communications. In 2023, she assumed the role of Director of Marketing Strategies. The Arizona native previously worked as a publicist in Los Angeles and as a PR consultant for a luxury marketing firm in Paris, France. She leads key event accounts with a results-oriented approach to produce meaningful and impactful events of all sizes from intimate networking events and fundraising galas to international conferences. She leads on all aspects of event planning from strategic development, timeline and budget management, event design and theme creation, vendor negotiation and management, on-site implementation and attendee and staff coordination.

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Laura Avey
Creative Operations Manager

With over a decade of combined experience in the dynamic realm of advertising, Laura takes the stage as our adept Creative Operations Manager. Boasting a rich history in the creative landscape, Laura brings a distinctive touch to our agency, seamlessly optimizing creative processes and ensuring a strategic approach to operations. Renowned for efficiently managing diverse projects and maintaining a keen eye for detail, Laura is a strategic force in ensuring seamless creative workflows. Instrumental in managing projects for high-profile clients and implementing innovative operational enhancements, Laura is recognized for her meticulous attention to detail. Thriving in the fast-paced world of advertising, Laura excels in multitasking and decision-making, aligning seamlessly with our agency’s commitment to excellence. As the Creative Operations Manager, Laura is poised to leverage her extensive experience to streamline agency creative workflows, foster collaboration, and elevate the quality of our creative output for our esteemed clients.

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Skyler Adney
Senior Social Media Manager
Ean Warren
Director of Video Production
Nikki Harcey
Senior Graphic Designer
Alexandra Warrick
Senior Account Executive
Daniel Bamonte
Account Executive
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Lilidiana Cruz-Pazos
Website Developer
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Megan Brenneke
Media Buyer
Karah Royse
Copywriter
Lee Iovino
Video Editor
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Skyler Adney
Social Media Manager
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Victoria Nilo
Social Media Manager
Tessa Kleiner
Graphic Designer
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Sahara DeLaughter
Office Manager
Macy Wilbur
Macy Wilbur
Account Coordinator
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Erin Higgs
Account Coordinator
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Rachel Putman
Account Coordinator
Sophia Parsa
Social Media Intern