AUSTIN, Texas — July 23, 2013 — GSD&M announced today that Michael Dezso will return to the agency as vice president, strategy director to oversee strategic planning on the Southwest Airlines account and lend support to new business efforts.

Michael Dezso returns to GSD&M from JWT Atlanta, where he was head of account planning and led strategic development for brands like USMC, Shell, FEMA and Transamerica, as well as new business efforts. Prior to that, Dezso was vice president and senior account planner for BBDO for more than two years. There he oversaw strategic and research work for REI, ING, Georgia Pacific, Georgia Lottery, Erickson Retirement Communities and car2go.

His other roles in advertising have included deputy director of planning at Modernista! and former senior planner at GSD&M.

“Michael’s brand planning experience positions him to be a driving force to further integrate creative and media strategy at the agency,” said Matthew Childs, SVP/Experience & Insights. “He has awesome instincts and mountains of energy, and we’re thrilled to have him back.”