With over 30 years of experience, Scott Schwebel has cultivated a highly respected career as an innovative business leader, brand-centric marketer, and “perennial creative.” His expertise spans industries such as food & beverage, retail & hospitality, sports & active lifestyle, high-end consumer products, music & entertainment, and historic architectural rehabilitation. Throughout his career, Scott has consistently delivered inventive and successful results through insightful strategies, relentless ideation, collaborative team engagement, meticulous execution, and a philosophy of “constant improvement.”
As an agency Co-Founder than long-time Executive Creative Director at the boutique firm Hanson Dodge (early 2000s–2011), Scott led strategy, advertising, design, and marketing efforts for some of the world’s most beloved brands, including Trek Bicycle, Burton Snowboards, Wilson Sports, Harley-Davidson, Nike Cycling, Wolverine Boots, and Carver Yachts. Scott and his team created internationally recognized, brand-defining campaigns that shaped their clients’ omnichannel experiences and global businesses.
Following his agency tenure, Scott spent a significant portion of his career as Vice President of Brand, Marketing, and Retail for Colectivo Coffee (2011–2021), where his innovative leadership permeated all aspects of the company. He is notably credited with rebranding Alterra and creating the Colectivo brand, leading a decade of explosive growth and transforming the beloved local business into a nationally respected retail brand with a creative personality, distinctive cafes, and endearing products.
At Colectivo, Scott also created the Troubadour Bakery and Letterbox Tea brands, spearheaded product
development, and drove innovation and expansion strategies. He led the creation of the nationally acclaimed music venue, The Backroom at Colectivo, in collaboration with the Pabst Theater Group, and launched the creative MIAD Cup Collaboration. Scott was instrumental in Colectivo’s digital transformation, including the development of the app and Digital Loyalty Program, and the expansion of its national eCommerce business. He also oversaw the growth of Colectivo’s cafes from six to 21 locations across Madison, Milwaukee, and Chicago, and was pivotal in building strong community partnerships.
Scott’s early professional years were spent as a musician and co-founder of The Gufs, a signed artist with major label Atlantic Records. While touring and working in the studio, he also built a freelance branding and design business, serving the music and entertainment industry, restaurants, and small retail companies. Scott has been an independent consultant since the early 2000s, offering his expertise to a variety of organizations. He played a key role in the development of 88.9 Radio Milwaukee, and advised on the launch of both Bublr Bikes and The Hop Streetcar. His recent work includes strategy and intellectual property development for Vibrant Body Company, which landed on Fast Company’s 2023 list of the World’s Most Innovative Brands.
Before joining the Milwaukee Art Museum as Chief Experience Officer, Scott spent two years as Chief Marketing Officer at J. Jeffers & Company, where he helped scale the organization and expand its transformative impact through historic preservation and adaptive reuse real estate development. Notably, he participated in the historic rehabilitation and relaunch of the Milwaukee Athletic Club, Journal Commons (the former Journal Sentinel Building), the master-planned Belle City Square campus in Racine, WI, and the upcoming Colman Yards District in Rockford, IL—one of the largest historic rehabilitations in Illinois history.
Personally, Scott and his wife Alexis have been married for 17 years and have two children, August (14) and Colette (12). Scott is the Founder and President of the Jeffrey Schwebel Memorial Foundation, benefiting children battling cancer since 2000. He is a former Adjunct Professor of Design at UW-Milwaukee, Board Emeritus at MIAD, and a passionate enthusiast of music, arts, food, coffee, architecture & design, soccer, golf, motorcycling, philanthropy, and family life.