Business ■ Jimmy Launce...9am-Noon ■ Warren Pierce 8 Jacqueline...lpm-4pm ■ Jim Davis...4pm-7pm ■ Bob Hynes...6am-9am ■ Eli Zaret...6am-9am ■ John DelleMonache...6am-9am Call IYlillieAlcli today for adrertising rates and information (248) 433-WYUR ex/(,/siott 204 Since 1986 STEVEN TARNOW, C.R. (248) 626-5603 PREFERRED BUILDING CO. Fax 248-932-0950 Residential & Commercial Remodeling Building Quality Into Every Project With Unmatched Personal Service. NARY Featuring Andersen Windows Licensed & Insured AMOMO.I OP 11111aCIOKINGIOUPEILT o p,TE m 0-11-ta rri Mc) n IPIcs C .191 4130 C ) UP C 2 Featuring Fine Art and Select Artwork 810-352-3340 Gallery Hours: Mon., Tues., Wed., Fri. 10:00-6:30, Thurs. 10:00-8:30, Sat. 10:00-6:00 • Doner also was the only indepen- dent, privately held agency among the four finalists, another factor which may have affected its selection. Doner started work on Mazda in October, although the effective date was Jan. 1. Their work can be seen in print and television ads debuting this month for the launch of Mazda's new Miata roadster. Doner's emotional rebound — how the agency was able to pull together after the fire — still amazes Kalter. "Computer memories, only hard dri- ves, were the only thing salvageable. There was nothing else salvageable through the entire building." Doner had already outgrown their 72,000-square-foot office at the Lodge Freeway and Civic Center Drive. They now work from a 54,000-square-foot space in the 300 Galleria Building, with 50 more peo- ple on staff. The fire began in a defective com- puter printer late Sunday afternoon in Doner's creative department. That area. was destroyed by flames, and the rest of the agency fell victim to smoke and water damage from the night-long blaze. Employees began to come to the office while it still was burning. Kalter got into the building at 7 a.m. Monday and surveyed the damage. Department heads set up meetings next door at a command post in the Maccabees Building. Employees went out on their own and found work space at the nearby Southfield Public Library, at clients' and vendors' offices or at their homes. Everyone got cellular phones or pagers. "Our clients were fabulous," said Kalter. "We started calling clients Sunday night and had called every client by 9 a.m. Monday morning. They were very supportive and understanding, but we also recog- nized that understanding would only last so long, and that they had busi- nesses to run. We couldn't use this as an excuse to fall down on the job." Remarkably, Doner did not miss one meeting or deadline, and every ad made it on time. A video presenta- tion was supposed to be made that Friday to BP (British Petroleum) for their new television commercial, and all the storyboards were destroyed. "We recreated the storyboards and went to Kinko's. We got the boards done, made the meeting, sold it, and got it on the air right away. The forti- tude of the individuals really shined," says Kalter. There were no layoffs. But there were plenty of rumors about Doner going out of business. "It would have been easy for competitors to solicit our talent and for us to eventually lose our clients because we couldn't service them properly," says Kalter. But neither happened. In fact, 1997 was the best year in the history of the company. In addition to Mazda, Doner added FTD and American Greetings to their client roster. And there's even an upside to the fire. Doner is expanding the building by adding a third floor, giving them 34,000 additional square feet when – they move back in May. "It just proves the old adage that `what doesn't kill me makes me stronger,'" says Kalter. ❑ 29911 Northwestern Highway • APPLEGATE SQUARE IR- ASTER HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING CO. RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL. SERVICE • SALES • INSTALLATIONS YOUR INDEPENDENT DEALER FOR LENNOX & Michael Levey frrnriWww:4-i: BERKLEY W. BLOOMFIELD 788-9073 399-1800 TRANE ItS Ha 7b Stop AD-ane: N. OAKLAND GROSSE POINTE 8824870 682-9090 baby and me LAYE I FE, INFANT AND CHILDREN'S NEW SPRING ARRIVALS ALWAYS 20% OFF 3/6 1998 132 HOURS Monday - Friday 10:00-5:30 • Saturday 10:00-5:00 (248) 855-3214 We accept VISA, MasterCard and American Express 6718-C Orchard Luke Road*West Bloomfield, Nlichigon (1/4 mile south of Maple Rd. in ifie West Bloomfield Plaza) ,. .: :; ;:c .: it . : i , d Barbara Dale t Ian Torn Sharp, (Solomon Friedman adifOr: man . .: - -De4ii . Fti6 tising), ad guru Michael Shapira and seven.*-. :...:c re ative directors at area ad agencies. :. . ., : ,, : :4 , i ,.,. :,. . : . . . .„. : „.:.,.:., „ . :. ,. .