Travis York – Ad Astra

Above: Photo by PT Sullivan

The advertising business is a game of ups and downs, lefts and rights. No agency knows this better than Manchester’s Griffin York and Krause, which has gone through a few sets of initials in recent years. But managing change is what it’s all about, says new president of GY&K, Travis York. Setting the strategic direction for one of New England’s best known ad agencies sometimes involves zigging when most folks want to zag — particularly in New Hampshire. “There was a time when we lagged behind other parts of the country,” he says. “But we’ve caught up.” He should know. Local business is in his bloodline and his great uncle Peter Agrafiotis ran the first real advertising/PR agency in the state. Travis keeps his uncle’s old Remington typewriter near his desk, just to remind him how time flies in the advertising business.