NYC colorist Sudul here as part of new post alliance

Chicago welcomes New Yorker Ron Sudul

When Optimus colorist Oscar Oboza gave notice that he would be returning to Minneapolis, where he’d worked for years, to be closer to his family, Chicago’s Optimus  and New York’s Nice Shoes post company felt this was the opportune time to launch the working alliance they had discussed doing for years.

Nice Shoes’ physical presence will enter the Chicago market Sept. 15 with the arrival of colorist Ron Sudul, a 17-year veteran of Nice Shoes, who brings the expertise of one of the industry’s leading color companies to the Windy City.

At the same time, Optimus, which always has operated a branch in LA, will now have its first presence in the Big Apple, at Nice Shoes’ headquarters at 24th and Park Avenue. Explains Optimus president Tom Duff, “Eventually, we will have an Optimus person working out of Nice Shoes.  For now, the two companies will be partnering in selling editorial services.”

“We’ve wanted to establish a presence in Chicago for years,” says Dominic Pandolfino, Nice Shoes partner/CEO, who has talked about such an alliance with his friend Duff for years. Earlier this year the two companies had started a Remote Color partnership.

A native New Yorker from Long Island, Sudul didn’t need a heavy pitch to sell him on relocating to the Midwest.  “He spent a day here at Optimus and he was sold,” says Duff with a laugh.

Besides Optimus’ Chicago clients, Sudul will work remotely with his long-time New York clients, such as AT&T, McDonald’s, UPS, Starbucks, MTV, Beyonce, Food Network and Toyota.

While New Yorkers like Leo Burnett’s Susan Credle have been recruited from Mad Ave to Heartland agencies, Sudul will have the distinction (as far as we know) of being the only native New Yorker working in Chicago postproduction.