Name: Thomas J. Armitage
Job Title: Public Relations Manager
When did you start at Overit?
I started in March 2012.
Where are you originally from?
Utica, NY.
What are you known for in the office?
Apparently, I’m known for drinking hot cocoa at the office instead of coffee. Just to be clear though, I do drink coffee too – it’s just usually cinnamon bun flavor with vanilla creamer and four packs of traditional sugar. So it might as well be hot cocoa…
Are you an early bird or night owl?
Early bird. It’s most likely because when I was a kid, my brother Joey and I would wake up super early to play Donkey Kong Country II Diddy’s Kong Quest. As a result, I still wake up at the crack of dawn and I still enjoy playing old SNES games.
If you were a television/movie character?
I’d be Jason Bourne with a little bit of Rusty Ryan mixed in.
What is your favorite artist or band and why?
DJ Premier is my all time favorite artist. I’ve always respected that he was willing to work with underground rappers who weren’t known to the mainstream crowd – unlike most other producers in the game. Plus, Gangstarr was one of the greatest duos ever. RIP Guru.
What is one of your bucket list items?
Riding a dolphin like the cool cat in this Career Builder commercial: http://bit.ly/Iuc3ui.
What was your college nickname?
My college nickname was White Noyes. It derives from my DJ name since I was very involved in the campus radio station. I grew up near Noyes St. in Utica and I’m a white dude, so I simply put the two together and thought I would rock the party. My college friends still refer to me by this name – I’m actually not even sure some of them know my real one.
What is your worst vacation mishap story?
My fiancé and I went to Cedar Point in Sandusky, OH last summer. We both love rollercoasters so we thought this would be an amazing time! Unfortunately, it was boiling hot that day (102 degrees) so we quickly became melted wax while waiting for 2 and half hours in each of the lines. But here’s the real kicker. After riding only two coasters and almost near the front of the line for the third, the Millennium Force, a thunder and lightening storm swiftly moved in. The ride was cancelled and we obviously lost our spot. Then the rain became so torrential that it was like we jumped in the pool with all our clothes on. My watch (which I received from her as a gift during the prior Christmas) broke from the wetness. And on top of that, we were freezing because the temperature must have dropped a good 30 degrees. It was incredibly awful.
What are you most likely to be doing on a Sunday afternoon?
Watching the Cowboys while eat something terribly unhealthy but overly delish!
What is your favorite part about your job?
Watching my teammates dance when they land a briefing for a client. We’ve seen some “Thriller” moves (Jen), Vogue-like motions (Jeff), and of course there are the freestyle wherever-the-mood-takes-you dances.
What is the most unique thing about this work environment?
For me, the fact that we’ll be working inside an old Catholic Church. As a practicing Catholic, I find this to be a little strange but almost comforting. I think the stain-glassed windows, the high ceilings and the antique pews will not only provide an elegant and classy atmosphere but also help to activate creativity and productivity.
If you could live anywhere in the world…
Probably London. I’m half English so I think it would be fun to see how my ancestors lived. I also am envious of the traditional artwork and architecture. It looks amazing in photos – I hope to at least visit someday.
What is the last book you read?
Strategic Communications Planning for Effective Public Relations and Marketing (5th ed.). Sighhh. My master’s program doesn’t allow for too much leisure reading.
What is the song that most often gets stuck in your head?
“Tom’s Diner,” by Suzanne Vega.
What is the song you’re most likely to karaoke?
As soon as I hear a Biggie beat, it’s all over.
Who inspires your creativity?
Music always helps me to be creative. Usually 90s grunge lyrics that are extremely bizarre and metaphorical (a product of the excess amount of meth in the songwriters’ systems) helps me to use my imagination.
When you were eight, what did you want to be when you grew up?
Starting point guard for the Orlando Magic with Hardaway, O’Neal and Grant as my go-to guys. But even at 8, I knew this was a long shot, so my backup plan was to be a SportsCenter anchor.
What is your favorite place in upstate NY to visit?
Cooperstown. Nostalgic, baseball, quaint shops and restaurants. And only an hour and a half away. Perfect.
Where is somewhere you haven’t been but want to go?
