SpiritBank's 110th Anniversary Experience

I was trusted to lead the planning and creative execution of SpiritBank's largest internal celebration of the year, not as a supporting player, but as the owner of the project from first concept through the final live experience.

The goal was never to throw a company party. It was to celebrate 110 years of SpiritBank in a way that made employees feel genuinely appreciated while reinforcing the culture, history, and mission that brought the bank here. Instead of a traditional corporate event, I created a movie-inspired experience that made the people behind SpiritBank the stars of their own story.

I directed the creative concept, sourced the venue, produced an original anniversary film, designed the visual identity, developed the employee communications, coordinated vendors and executive stakeholders, delegated volunteers, and managed the live production for more than 130 employees and guests.

Building Anticipation

The experience began weeks before guests arrived at the theater.

I designed and built an employee intranet page that served as the central hub for the invitation, event details, FAQs, and announcements, building anticipation while keeping employees across every location informed in one place.

The 110th anniversary intranet landing page

Extending Dreams in the Making

The celebration was not created in isolation.

SpiritBank's 2026 brand campaign, Dreams in the Making, centered on movies and the stories behind people's ambitions. To extend that creative direction into the employee experience, I sourced Circle Cinema, Tulsa's oldest historic movie theater, as the venue.

The setting reinforced the concept before the program even began, transforming the anniversary into an immersive extension of the campaign rather than a separate one-night event.

Preserving the Story

Working alongside our EVP of Marketing, we uncovered archival SpiritBank footage dating back more than 30 years. I then filmed and edited new interviews with current employees, weaving the past and present into one original anniversary film.

The finished film became the emotional centerpiece of the evening, connecting SpiritBank's history with the people continuing to shape its story today.

More than three decades apart, connected through one story.

Creative Direction & Custom Movie Posters

To make the experience feel personal across every location, I invited each of our five branches to select employees to represent them, and several chose more than one. Those 12+ employees became the stars of 10 custom movie posters, inspired by recognizable films and popular movie genres.

Using my original headshot photography as the foundation, I combined AI-assisted creative exploration with Photoshop compositing and design to create each final poster. Displayed throughout Circle Cinema, the posters turned employee recognition into one of the most memorable parts of the experience.

Five branches, 12+ employees, 10 posters, one shared premiere

Bringing It to Life

On event night, I directed volunteers and staff, coordinated vendors and leadership, and managed the program from Circle Cinema's projection booth, overseeing each video cue, transition, and interactive moment as the experience unfolded below.

I also created a live Kahoot experience hosted by our COO, giving employees an opportunity to participate in the feature presentation rather than simply watch it. I hired and directed the event photographer while also documenting portions of the evening on 35mm film, creating both polished event coverage and more candid, editorial moments.

Employee Reactions

The strongest measure of success was not simply attendance. It was hearing employees describe how connected, celebrated, and included they felt.