Experience

Twist was founded by two former ad agency vice presidents, both with multidisciplinary skills, who enjoy doing the real hands-on work that attracted them to the business in the first place.

Fredrick Yavorsky has been a senior art director for top agencies, including Foote, Cone & Belding and Ketchum Advertising. His work has won accolades for organizations such as The Pennsylvania Lottery, Air Products and Chemicals, DuPont, Campbell Soup and Kraft/General Foods.

In the 1980s, Fred left Ketchum and started his own graphic design business. After four years, Ketchum persuaded him to return as vice president, creative director of the agency's new design group. Eventually, he found the adventure of entrepreneurship more exciting. Back on his own since 1994, Fred joined creative forces with Merrell McGuire to form Twist Communications in 1999.

Merrell McGuire has created and implemented communications plans that have incorporated everything from trade ads to trade shows. At Air Products and Chemicals, she researched and developed the strategy for an award-winning positioning campaign, which was used as a case study in a Houghton Mifflin marketing textbook. Merrell received two corporate performance awards at Air Products—one for her role in coordinating the company’s first multimedia road show tour.

Later, Merrell joined Ketchum Advertising. As vice president, management supervisor, she directed more results-driven programs for clients such as DuPont, Hewlett-Packard and The Graduate Hospital. DuPont recognized Merrell's contributions with two achievement awards never before presented outside of the DuPont Company.

As a writer/editor who studied graphic design, Merrell has experience that runs the gamut—from strategy and planning to creative development. In addition to her client contributions, she contributes her time to a variety of volunteer activities. She is the cofounder of one of the largest 5K races for charity in Philadelphia.