What’s in a name?

Going to the Sun is the name of the 52 mile long road that crosses the magnificent terrain of Glacier National Park. It has been designated as a National Historic Landmark and is considered one of the top engineering achievements of the 20th century. The road received its name for the spectacular ascent (over 3500 feet), “reaching up to the Sun” from open green valleys at both entrances to the high alpine climate and awe inspiring views of 10,000 foot peaks and glaciers on the continental divide through Logan Pass. We firmly believe that this achievement symbolizes the hard work and achievements of many entrepreneurs as they strive to find their place “in the Sun.”

Company profile

Going to the Sun Marketing Associates is based in Whitefish, Montana, and provides comprehensive and innovative marketing, sales and financial solutions to enterprises which are emerging onto the marketplace or who are already established, but require guidance and expertise to take them to the next level of achievement and profitability. We offer more than 60 years of combined executive level experience and demonstrated success in a wide variety of disciplines and business environments. The firm was founded with the strong belief that the skills and expertise necessary to grow your business profitably can be provided to you effectively, economically and most importantly with a personal, hands-on approach. Many businesses fail to thrive and survive because their excellent product or service was not marketed, promoted or sold properly. Additionally, entrepreneurs are often so caught up in the day to day demands of the business that the necessary planning was overlooked. We have a proven track record of success in marketing, strategically planning and selling hundreds of different products and services throughout the country. We are presently focusing our services in the following areas: food processing and packaging, companies interested in doing business with the public sector, and firms involved in travel, tourism and recreation. As a team we know these areas very, very well and know what it takes to succeed. Please note, however, we do always welcome the opportunity to discuss the marketing and strategic needs from other disciplines as well. We recognize that almost all businesses operate in very competitive environments and that keys to success are most often effective product or service differentiation and promotion. As such we work closely with our clients as an affordable, independent and objective resource that will provide you with the tools, training and expertise necessary to effectively demonstrate that your product or service is the one to select in your competitive marketplace. Our success is measured by our clients’ successes in the marketplace.

Who we are

Michael A. Moffitt – Michael is President of GTTS, and brings over 25 years of hands-on, successful marketing, sales and executive leadership experience to the table. Prior to founding GTTS, he most notably served as the Director of Marketing and Sales for Whitefish Mountain Resort (previously known as Big Mountain Resort) in Whitefish, Montana, served as the Director of Marketing and Sales (public sector) for Cadillac Products, Inc (a national, multi-plant manufacturer of packaging materials), and was the Commanding Officer of a major Department of Defense manufacturing activity while serving as a Commander in the U.S. Navy.

Michael is a member (and past board member) of the Research and Development Associates, a nationwide consortium comprised of the food industry, the federal government, and academia dedicated to advancing food processing, packaging and preservation technology. He is also an active participant in both statewide and regional travel, tourism and recreational initiatives. Michael received his Masters in Business Management from Central Michigan University, and his undergraduate Economics degree from Pennsylvania State University.

David Moffitt – David is the Creative Director for GTTS. His background includes a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Film and Animation from the Rochester Institute of Technology. He has been actively participating in the print, web and video field professionally for over 14 years. One of his proudest achievements to this day remains his earning Eagle Scout rank during his years in Boy Scouts.

David’s skill set ranges from the very technical (AutoCAD, web programming, etc), to the highly creative (retail packaging design, print design, etc). In addition to actively enjoying the work he does on a daily basis, he also pursues photography, painting, motorsports, skiing and tennis.

Travis Clark – Travis handles our Public Relations needs as well as copywriting and social media communications. He joined the GTTS team as a graduate of the Advertising and Public Relations program at the Rochester Institute of Technology.

He was previously “employed” as a journalist, editor, photographer, disc jockey, videographer and all-around goodwill ambassador while serving as a Mass Communications Specialist 2nd Class Petty Officer in the U.S. Navy.

Ryan Fetzner – Ryan is responsible for sales and client relations, and also works closely with the graphic design team, to ensure all client needs are met. Prior to being a GTTS team member, he was the Art Director at a local marketing and design studio while also working as a freelance designer on the side. Ryan’s past experience in print and web design have made him an invaluable asset to both the GTTS team and to our clients, who appreciate his ability to explain the design and marketing process.

Ryan received his Bachelors of Fine Arts degree in Design from the Rochester Institute of Technology. Prior to that, he received an Associates degree in Illustration from Sage College of Albany.

Nicole Holdener – Nicole has had diverse experience; from flying airplanes and climbing the Alps, to training horses. She has lived in four countries and speaks two languages. Nicole holds a BFA in Film/Television Production from UCLA. She worked for five years in the marketing and advertising department for Adidas AG in Germany. Nicole managed their video department, which included shooting, producing, and editing product launch videos. In addition, she served as an Adidas photographer at various sports venues including the Olympics. Nicole was also instrumental in launching the first Adidas website. Her production experience went on to include extreme sports programs and later working as a web producer for West Wayne, an ad agency based in Atlanta and Florida.

Her passion for the west and all its beauty brought her to Montana where she began to work as a photographer, shooting everything from bronzes to buffalo. Montana is where she began freelancing for GTTS and is now is a full member of our team serving as Photographer and as our Sales Associate in the west.

Cassandra Rife – Cassandra graduated from the University of California, Berkeley with a degree in Rhetoric and a minor in Education. It was during this formal training in persuasive communication that she discovered her natural talent for graphic design, after helping her discussion group design their own website. She started providing freelance graphic design services for her family, friends and departments within the University itself.

After completing her studies in California, she moved to New York to pursue her formal career in marketing and graphic design. In 2005, she began working with GTTS, first as a freelance artist, and then as a full time team member. Her combination of formal market research experience, graphic design talents, and copywriting capabilities enables her to craft memorable marketing campaigns and designs that have proven to be an invaluable asset to our clients.

Why should you choose us

We would like to humbly proclaim that you should consider us because of the following reasons:

• We have all “been there – done that”! Our combined 60 years of hands on, real life experience in the trenches, learning what works and what doesn’t work means we will provide solutions and results that will exceed your expectations.
• We are passionate about what we do. This isn’t just a job for us – it’s a personal process where we invest our heart and soul into your organization to help make it successful, just as you do for your own business.
• We recognize there is no “cookie-cutter” solution for every problem. Each company has its own challenges, both internal and external that must be carefully analyzed and tackled successfully and comprehensively for any solution to be effective.
• We bring to the table proven success in disciplines necessary to grow your business: Marketing / Sales, Promotions, Strategic and Financial Planning.
• Finally, but very importantly, we are there for you when you need us. We consider a client as a valued friend and partner for life, who can depend on us for guidance and assistance always.

How we make a difference

We can and do make a difference for our clients because we bring to you a unique and in-depth perspective and knowledge about how and why effective marketing, selling and planning techniques are integrated into each company’s overall plan for success. We have created, planned and delivered many innovative and successful campaigns in both good times and bad and quite frankly are very confident we can do the same for you.

• Our relationship with every client starts with truly getting to know you and your business internally. This is not just a walk through to say hello to folks, but rather an in-depth analysis of who you are and what your goals and objectives are.
• Next we take a good long and hard look at the business and market that you are competing in and make honest, concise and meaningful initial recommendations on how to best position and promote your product or service in your competitive environment.
• Once we have consensus with you on goals and objectives a very detailed and specific marketing, sales and strategic package is crafted to meet your needs. This plan takes fully into account your company’s strengths, needs and ability to deliver in the marketplace. At this point we can and often do bring to bear, if needed, additional resources to the table that will further enhance and improve the process such as creative advertising, public relations and promotional expertise.
• Training and implementation is the next and very important step in the process. The skills and knowledge that we collectively possess must be effectively shared with your people. We are there every step of the way and most importantly personally train and implement with you the agreed upon plan of attack. This is a very much hands on process for everyone.
• Finally, and as we said earlier, we are there for you after we have delivered for you and will be there to assist you as you grow. In some cases we will continue to act as your marketing, selling and strategic planning arm for a long period of time. In other situations your own team will only need “refresher” training by us once you are confidant of your abilities. After all we are very proud to see our clients succeed.