At a time when the post-production industry continues to recalibrate around shifting budgets, new platforms, and evolving creative demands, The Colonie stands out for its ability to adapt while remaining grounded in craft. That combination of experience, flexibility, and forward momentum makes The Colonie a natural choice for Reel Chicago’s Post-Production House of the Year.
Chicago based premiere post-production house The Colonie entered a significant new chapter as longtime collaborators and life partners Bob Ackerman and Susan Okimoto assumed full ownership of the company. With decades of experience across commercial and film based storytelling, the couple is guiding The Colonie with a steady, experience driven approach that values craft, collaboration, and adaptability in a changing media landscape. That forward momentum is mirrored in the company’s newly remodeled offices, completed while remaining at its longtime location at 610 North Fairbanks Court, reinforcing both stability and a renewed investment in collaboration and growth.
Ackerman and Okimoto’s partnership stretches back to their early days at Swell Pictures, where they developed their skills working across short films, music videos, and commercials. Their individual career paths further expanded that foundation. Okimoto went on to Digital Kitchen, contributing to major campaigns for McDonald’s and Motorola, as well as a memorable PBS campaign featuring the Muppets. Ackerman later joined Avenue Edit, where his work included national campaigns for McDonald’s, Nintendo, and Disney, along with editing a Primetime Emmy Award winning Hallmark spot.
In 2008, Ackerman and a core group of Avenue Edit alumni co founded The Colonie. The company quickly earned a strong reputation through creative partnerships with leading agencies including Leo Burnett, FCB, and Burrell. From its earliest days, The Colonie distinguished itself through editorial excellence and an ability to collaborate seamlessly with agency creative teams.
Equally important has been the company’s early embrace of emerging platforms. The Colonie became an early partner of Facebook, now Meta, helping define best practices for social media storytelling and advising Fortune 500 brands as they navigated the shift toward digital first campaigns. That experience positioned the company well as the industry began moving away from traditional linear workflows.
In the years following the pandemic, The Colonie further strengthened its position by expanding direct client relationships while continuing long standing agency collaborations. This diversified approach has allowed the company to remain agile as production models evolve and creative teams seek experienced post partners who can move fluidly across formats and platforms.
The Team Behind the Work
A key factor in The Colonie’s continued success is the depth and stability of its core team, whose collective expertise spans editorial, motion design, VFX, production, and operations. This multidisciplinary structure allows The Colonie to respond thoughtfully and efficiently to the evolving needs of agencies, brands, and direct clients alike.
Producers
Anne Siwek, Senior Producer
Zach Day, Executive Producer
Editorial
Bob Ackerman, Editor and Partner
Addy Bieniarz, Editor
Joe Clear, Editor
Phil Lee, Editor
Motion Design
Jeff Borowiak, Senior Motion Graphic Designer
Lindsey Fisher, Senior Motion Graphic Designer
VFX and Finish
Tom Dernulc, Senior Finishing and VFX Artist
Operations
Susan Okimoto, Operations and Partner
Together, this team reflects The Colonie’s long standing commitment to craft, collaboration, and adaptability, values that have remained consistent even as the industry around them continues to shift.
In a city known for its depth of post-production talent, The Colonie exemplifies how experience, adaptability, and thoughtful leadership can sustain a company through industry wide change. Their ability to evolve without losing creative identity reflects the best of Chicago’s post-production community and underscores why The Colonie stands out as Reel Chicago’s Post House of the Year.
The Work
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