Awards & Press

Star Tribune Names Ovative Group a 2022 Top Workplace  

Ovative Group was ranked #12 within mid-sized companies on Star Tribune’s Top 200 Workplaces list for 2022. This is Ovative’s seventh consecutive time on the Minnesota list. Additionally, Ovative earned National Top Workplaces accolades for Innovation, Compensation and Benefits, Purpose and Values, and Leadership.  

In the past 12 months, Ovative has added over 160 new team members, focusing on building an inclusive environment that welcomes and attracts diverse, top talent from across the nation. Ovative’s relentless focus on attracting and retaining top talent hasn’t gone unnoticed. Ovative has been featured in multiple articles from Star Tribune and TCB showcasing their commitment to team first initiatives from innovative hiring and retention practices, Champions of Change social impact initiative, dedication to ELEVATE training and development, zero-cost health insurance options, space expansion, an office puppy, and more.   

The pandemic shed light on the critical role of digital marketing and measurement for all brands, fueling opportunities for Ovative to expand existing client relationships and win work with new logos like Domino’s and Post Consumer Brands to name a few. While the uncertainty of the pandemic left many organizations challenged, Ovative’s team of experts quickly adapted to new working norms, adjusted financial operating structures, and remained ever focused on driving measurable performance for clients. Photo of Ovative Employees at StarTribune Top Workplace 2022

“We are honored and humbled to be ranked 12 out of the Top 200 Workplaces in Minnesota”, said Erin Aberg, Vice President of Talent Services at Ovative. “This award means even more to us because it’s calculated based on our employee responses. We believe that fostering a diverse and inclusive culture is not a one-time commitment. It is a commitment Ovative, and all our team members, make each day to act.”

Top Workplaces recognizes the most progressive companies in Minnesota based on employee opinions measuring engagement, organizational health, and satisfaction. The analysis included responses from over 79,000 employees at public, private and nonprofit organizations in Minnesota. 

“Since I founded the company in 2009, our commitment has always been to prioritize people – our team, our clients, and our partners. That commitment remains as steadfast as ever”, said Dale Nitschke, CEO at Ovative. “We continue to drive positive results and help our clients transform their businesses. This wouldn’t be possible without our amazing team.”  

Star Tribune Publisher Michael J. Klingensmith said, “The companies in the Star Tribune Top 200 Workplaces deserve high praise for creating the very best work environments in the state of Minnesota. My congratulations to each of these exceptional companies.” A complete list of those selected is available at  https://www.startribune.com/top-workplace-companies-of-2022/600181021/  and will also be published in the Star Tribune Top Workplaces special section on June 19, 2022.  

Read the full articles featuring Ovative here:

Ovative is a digital-first media and measurement firm seeking to transform the measure of marketing success. At Ovative, we help brands move the needle. Connect with us to learn more! 


Lillian Smith

Senior Analyst, Paid Social

About the Author

Lillian is a Senior Analyst on the Paid Social team at Ovative.

Dale Nitschke

Dale Nitschke

CEO & Founder

About the Author

Dale is the Founder and CEO of Ovative. After years of operating a large omni-channel business and leading a customer data initiative, Dale knew there was an opportunity to create a marketing firm that helped clients become more customer centric and drove better performance outcomes. A gap existed between business consultancies and advertising agencies that modern marketing approaches demand. He also believed that a strong, healthy culture could attract and develop smart, talented team members. In 2009, he formed Ovative to bring media, measurement, and consulting together under one roof to enable an enterprise approach that drives more revenue and grows clients’ customer base.

Prior to founding Ovative in 2009, Dale spent 23 years at Target Corporation where he served as President of Target.com and grew the ecommerce business from start-up stage to a $1 billion+ business and established the foundation of Target’s Guest database capabilities. Previously he served as SVP Merchandising at the Department Store Division of Dayton Hudson. Dale has advised retailers and brands globally on business, growth, marketing, and measurement transformation strategies.

Outside of Ovative, Dale is a leader on topics including business strategy, change management, and team leadership. He serves on the board of Allergy Amulet and on the Dean’s Advisory Board of the Wisconsin School of Business at UW-Madison.  He enjoys spending time with his family, up north in northern Wisconsin, playing golf, and cheering on Wisconsin sport teams.

Seth Brand

Senior Manager, Consulting

About the Author

Seth is a Senior Manager on the Consulting team at Ovative.

Amanda McCann

Senior Manager, Consulting

About the Author

Amanda is a Senior Manager on the Consulting team at Ovative, specializing in Retail Media Networks.

Jenny Reinke

Senior Analyst, Measurement Solutions

About the Author

Jenny is a Senior Analyst on the Measurement Solutions team at Ovative.

Annie Zipfel

Executive Vice President, Media

About the Author

Annie is the Executive Vice President of Media at Ovative. She oversees delivery and growth across paid and owned media (digital, traditional, and retail media) and creative services.

Annie has more than 30 years of experience in media, brand management, insights/analytics, marketing, and product. She has also developed large, high-performing teams and built new measurement capabilities. Annie led the marketing team at Andersen Windows & Doors, leading the digital, social, content, customer insights, and creative functions. Prior to that, Annie served in multiple marketing leadership roles at Starbucks, REI, Target, and General Mills, with a keen focus on brand, media, insights, analytics, and measurement.

Annie is an industry leader in brand management, customer insights, e-commerce, social media, and analytics. She enjoys hiking, traveling, cooking, fishing, and spending time with her sweet dog and two sons.

Bonnie Gross

Executive Vice President, Talent Services

About the Author

Bonnie is the Executive Vice President of Talent Services at Ovative. She is responsible for attracting and retaining top talent and creating a culture in which our team thrives personally and professionally. Under Bonnie’s leadership, Ovative has defined an industry leading leadership and development program and transformed our approach to talent recruitment with a focus on diversity, equality and inclusion. Prior to her current role, Bonnie led Ovative’s Client and Business Development team overseeing client satisfaction and new growth opportunities.

Before joining Ovative in 2014, Bonnie spent 13 years at Target Corporate as the VP of digital and Digital Marketing where she led the launch of Cartwheel, an industry-leading social shopping application. Bonnie was the VP of Marketing for Fingerhut for 15 years prior to joining Target.

Leander Cohen

Analyst, Consulting

About the Author

Leander Cohen is an Analyst on the Consulting team at Ovative.

Will Silva

Analyst, Measurement Solutions

About the Author

Will is an Analyst on the Measurement Solutions team at Ovative.

Sarah Chang

Sarah Chang

Analyst, Consulting

About the Author

Sarah Chang is an Analyst on the Consulting team at Ovative.

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