The Columbus College of Art & Design has appointed two new members to its Board of Trustees, effective July 1, 2026. Joining the Board are Matt "Monty" Montgomery, owner and CEO of RMD Advertising and a 2004 CCAD graduate, and Jeffrey Pongonis, FASLA, PLA, principal and landscape architect at MKSK.
Together, Montgomery and Pongonis bring decades of leadership experience spanning creative marketing, entrepreneurship, urban design, and civic engagement. Their appointments reflect CCAD's commitment to cultivating a Board of Trustees whose expertise strengthens the college's mission, expands opportunities for students, and helps shape the future of creative education.
"Monty and Jeffrey each bring remarkable experience leading organizations, building communities, and advancing creative work," said CCAD President Dr. Melanie Corn. "Their perspectives will help strengthen the college as we continue investing in our students, our campus, and the future of creative education."
MATT "Monty" Montgomery
A creative business leader and entrepreneur, Montgomery has built his career at the intersection of creativity, culture, and business. After graduating from CCAD’s Advertising & Graphic Design program in 2004, he spent 17 years at Abercrombie & Fitch Co., rising to Executive Creative Director and Group Vice President, where he led global creative marketing efforts for brands including Hollister, Gilly Hicks, and Social Tourist. In late 2023, he acquired RMD Advertising, a Columbus agency he has since focused exclusively on food and beverage brands. RMD works with challenger CPG and restaurant brands on a simple premise: food brands don't grow through ads, they grow through people.
Montgomery's perspective comes at a time when CCAD is committed to preparing students to shape both culture and commerce in an evolving creative economy. His experience building global brands for emerging generations gives him unique insight into the audiences today's creatives serve and the skills graduates need to succeed in a rapidly changing marketplace. In addition to leading RMD Advertising, Montgomery serves on the Development Committee of the board at Flying Horse Farms, and is a member of the SeriousFun Children's Network founded by Paul Newman.
Jeffrey Pongonis
Pongonis is a nationally recognized landscape architect and principal at MKSK, a collective of Planners, Urban Designers and Landscape Architects whose work has helped shape some of the Midwest's most transformative civic spaces and urban environments. Throughout his nearly three-decade career, he has led planning and design efforts that connect people, neighborhoods, and public spaces while advancing environmental resilience, economic vitality, and community well-being.
His expertise comes at a pivotal moment for CCAD as the college reimagines its downtown campus through strategic investments that enhance the student experience, support evolving academic programs, and create new opportunities to engage the broader community. Combined with his civic leadership, including service on the North Market Board of Trustees and the Downtown Commission, Pongonis brings valuable perspective on placemaking, institutional growth, and creating welcoming destinations that will help inform CCAD's long-term vision.
Supporting CCAD's future
CCAD's Board of Trustees provides strategic leadership and fiduciary oversight to advance the college's mission and long-term success. Drawing on expertise across business, creative industries, education, law, finance, and civic leadership, trustees help ensure CCAD continues to prepare students to shape culture and commerce through art and design.
