Hello! My name is Darren Burgfeld, and I’m the latest member of the team at Element 74. I jumped on board at the beginning of August, taking on the role of project manager.
What I’ve discovered quickly is that at Element 74, project managers wear a lot of hats. From designer to customer service agent to interpreter and beyond, we must learn a lot of dance steps, and I’m doing my best to shuffle accordingly.
My professional background is as diverse as Element 74’s client list. After receiving my bachelor’s degree from Southeast Missouri State University, I took on a few jobs around Cape. I did sales for a while, and also desktop publishing and marketing. I even took on cable TV installation and maintenance for a bit.
When an opportunity came up for me to completely change pace, I moved from Cape Girardeau to Dallas, TX to take on a career in the music industry. I was the US tour manager for Emergenza US Entertainment, which works with musicians all over the world. My duties included booking the bands and venues, promoting and marketing the concerts through various media, emceeing the concerts and organizing travel and expenses – Basically, running things from start to finish. I got to see a lot of the US, as well as Mexico, Canada and Germany, working with outstanding bands and with some major sponsors in the industry as well.
Of course, the rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle does not make a family man, and so I transitioned into a desk and keyboard at SHOEBACCA.com, which is based in Irving, TX. During my time there, I wrote thousands of pieces of copy, from product descriptions to press releases to SEO-rich website content. I started with the company while living in Dallas, and after my daughter was born, began working at home, eventually moving back to Cape Girardeau in 2008.
Although I was working on a contract basis for SHOEBACCA, I still had the feeling of family that one gets with the right group of co-workers. Not being in the office, I missed that connection with my crew, and as time passed here in Cape, I yearned to find a local position that would offer me a professional career path that would work symbiotically with my creativity; all while remaining sharp and cutting edge. I’ve found that and much more with Element 74.
I couldn’t ask for a better core team than those I work with. We’ve got all the bases covered, from off-the-cuff creatives to disciplined business professionals, all working in harmony. It really is a beautiful machine, though I use the term “machine” to define the efficiency, not the environment. With the level of camaraderie here, it’s about as organic as you can get.
I still get my dose of rock ‘n’ roll, singing and playing trombone with local bands Mid Life Crisis and the Tone Def All-Stars, though these days, much more time is spent with my family. My wife, Carrie, is a Cape Girardeau native, and we have a three year-old daughter, Layla and a 2 month-old son, Lawson.
To my clients, present and future: If you’ve got a question, hit me with it. I appreciate honesty more than anything else, and I have confidence in my team that we can tackle any project efficiently and effectively. I look forward to meeting and exceeding your needs. Call on me at Element 74 today!