Meet a Legend – Luke Sklar – Founder of Sklar Wilton & Associates (SW&A)
Luke Sklar is all about helping others succeed. That’s what led him to create Sklar Wilton & Associates (SW&A), a marketing consulting firm dedicated to helping smart marketers succeed by turning strategic insights into game-changing business initiatives.
Twenty-nine years later, SW&A’s client list is long and showcases many of Canada’s most recognizable brands including Molson Coors, Tim Hortons, Canadian Tire (including Sport Chek and Marks), Shoppers Drug Mart, Canada Bread, and Mars. Over the years, Luke and his team have uncovered insights that have grown these businesses via new product launches, award winning creative, new store designs, portfolio strategies, acquisitions and more.
In addition to business achievements, Luke cares deeply about the people behind those achievements and is committed to mentoring the next generation of marketers. To these mentees, Luke brings his trademark passion, energy and focus to helping them achieve their career aspirations.
Internally at SW&A, Luke has worked hard to build a different kind of company: one where people are truly valued and appreciated for their contributions. This investment in people has created remarkably high engagement (100% of the 35 employees agreeing that SW&A is a great place to work) and retention (9 years on average).
Luke also lends his talents to fundraising initiatives for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, providing marketing
communications leadership to Holy Blossom Temple and contributing to the Ivey Business School through alumni
magazine contributions and presentations to marketing students.
Prior to founding SW&A, Luke held marketing roles at Kraft General Foods and advertising roles at Vickers & Benson
Advertising. He is a graduate of the University of Western Ontario’s business school, now known as the Richard Ivey School of Business.
Luke enjoys traveling with his wife and helping his three daughters transition through university to adulthood.
Who Is an Enabler?
This category was designed for marketing communications professionals (e.g. advertising, direct marketing, public relations, design, identity, sales promotion, research, media, production and online specialists) with a proven, long-term track record of providing excellent brand building expertise across multiple organizations and/or to a single brand entity.
Want to meet a Legend?
You can get up close and personal with the newest inductee’s on January, 21st, 2016 at 7:00 PM at the Marketing Hall of Legends gala which will take place at The Artifacts Room, located at the Liberty Grand Entertainment Complex in Toronto. The winner of the Marketer on the Rise award will also be announced at the event that is anticipated as one of Toronto’s most noteworthy social gatherings of the year. Previous inductees have included Arlene Dickinson, Lise Watier, Aldo Bensadoun, Bonnie Brooks and Frank Buckley. Tickets are available now at http://www.amamarketinghalloflegends.ca/tickets/.
About the Marketing Hall of Legends
Founded in 2004, The Canadian Marketing Hall of Legends is dedicated to honouring Canadians who have dedicated their lives to the pursuit of excellence in the field of marketing. The award was created to spotlight the stories, people and brands behind Canada’s greatest marketing successes and recognizes a body of work and a life time of achievements. The criteria for selection is based on those Canadians whose ideas and contributions to marketing and brand building have made a tremendous impact in the Canadian and/or global marketplace. Inductees are nominated annually each Spring and reviewed by an independent panel of top marketing professionals: http://www.amamarketinghalloflegends.ca/judging-panel/. According to Stadnik, this year, the judges reviewed a deep field of more than 300 nominees.
