1.800.961.1526 support@smartlinkus.com

The SmartLink Team

Tony Johnson

Tony Johnson

Vice President Production

With over 35 years of experience in the print & related industry, Tony brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the role of V.P. Production. After completing his education in Photography in Great Britain, Tony worked in the US as a photographer. Moving to Canada in the late 80’s working with a large format print lab, ultimately owning and operating a successful large format print production house for over 15 years. Tony has an extensive background in sales, print management, print production and business ownership and is a valuable asset to our team.

Married with three children, Tony enjoys time with family & friends, running, hockey, cooking and reading.

tj@smartlinkus.com

Tom Mittertreiner

Tom Mittertreiner

Sales

Tom has been in the marketing and advertising industry for over 35 years.

He started his career with a large commercial photography studio. He quickly developed his skills working directly with major retailers and agencies delivering quality photography. As the digital age advanced Tom included prepress, litho and digital printing to his portfolio. Today he continues to advance his knowledge to include large format printing, display & fixtures, staying on top of changing technology and techniques.

In his 7th year with SmartLink, Tom enjoys working with all types of businesses delivering a superior product in a timely fashion. Clients admire his ability to manage and bring multiple services together for any challenge a project presents.

Tom resides in the Greater Toronto Area servicing clients across North America.

tom@smartlinkcanada.ca

John Robinson

John Robinson

Visual Marketing Specialist

John is a Visual Marketing Specialist who has honed his unique skills with real world experience in a career spanning over 35 years.

He graduated with honours from the Advertising & Graphic Design program at Humber College. John is also a past President of the Toronto Advertisers Guild working with the group to help educate and inform industry members.

Always an early-adopter John has seen many changes and innovations in the digital design world and has always been at the forefront when adopting and utilizing new technologies.

Whether it was his work in graphic design, litho/digital printing, large format graphics, trade show displays or digital billboards, John’s goal has been the same, to help his clients deliver their brand message with clarity, quality and in the most cost-effective way possible.

A warm and easy to talk to person John enjoys meeting new people to discuss their visual marketing challenges and working closely with them to find innovative and affordable display solutions to maximize their ROI and drive new sales.

John also enjoys cooking, culinary adventures, travelling and spending quality time with his wife, three kids and two Dachshunds.

john@smartlinkcanada.ca

Joel Karabinus

Joel Karabinus

Lead Creative

With over 30 years experience in the advertising and marketing industries, Joel has been honored to work with some of the top creative teams in the mid west. Beginning with the basics, he has made a point to assimilate himself in each area of creative as it has developed.

From the early years of hand drawn storyboards and layouts to the more technically advanced computer programs, his ability to excel with technology, is only one of his strong assets. His international award winning creative, from television to print to interactive, reflects Joel’s high standards of providing his clients with the best creative to provide premium results.

jak@smartlinkus.com

Ian Hessel

Ian Hessel

Managing Member

Ian Hessel is a certified public accountant with extensive experience with finance, operational efficiency, mergers and acquisitions, turn-arounds and entrepreneurial ventures. Mr. Hessel and the current team launched SmartLink in 2009 with the simple idea to provide the highest quality visual marketing products to our clients at the lowest possible cost by deploying a technology focused, variable cost model. Since then, this model has grown to serve our clients throughout North America with great success.

Mr. Hessel has served in leadership roles in several companies ranging from large, multi-national manufacturing businesses to smaller, more entrepreneurial technology development businesses. Mr. Hessel was a founding partner CK&Co, a private equity fund that grew Hilite International Inc. from a $60 million business in Texas to a $400 million global supplier to the worlds largest automotive OEMs. This process involved five acquisitions, two of which were in Europe, and two green-field start-ups in Hungary and China. Prior to CK&Co., Mr. Hessel spent eight years with Arthur Andersen where he was a Senior Manager in the audit practice and was a leader in  the leveraging of computer technology to enhance audit effectiveness.

Mr. Hessel sits on several boards of several private companies and also runs Hessel Solutions Inc. When he is not at work, he can be found on the golf course or training for a triathlon.

ibh@smartlinkus.com