Name: Tim Gallen
Company & Title: Aker Ink, Account Executive
Twitter: @timgallen
Facebook: @AkerInk
Instagram: @tim.gallen
Website: AkerInk.com
City you live in: Phoenix
A typical day in my life includes… words. Lots of words. Whether I’m crafting a media pitch, a blog post, a press release or an email to a client, my days are filled with words. Other than that, what’s a typical day?
I was born… in the ‘80s. But I came of age in the ‘90s, so that decade’s more my jam.
My favorite thing about my city… Pizza. Seriously. Phoenix is a pretty amazing pizza city. I also love downtown Phoenix. I lived downtown for several years and it has an energy that a lot of other places in the Valley don’t.
I’m listening to… the voices in my head. Just kidding. Well, sort of. I only really listen to them when they’re talking to me. Otherwise, I ignore them and put on an Apple Music playlist.
My family… is more important than anything to me.
If I could have dinner with anyone, it would be… the Doctor from Doctor Who. Not one particular actor, but the literal character. With a time traveler, the dinner technically could go on forever. More than enough time to discuss just about anything.
One thing I cannot live without… food and water, generally.
When I was younger, I wanted to be… an adult. Now, I’m not so sure.
I’m inspired by… a well-told story. Whether it’s a movie, tv show, book, podcast, play or anecdote, I love a great story. There’s nothing better than getting swept up in a good story. I also love analyzing good stories and determining what makes them so good.
The one person who motivates me is… my wife. She knows me better than I know myself and sees me in a way I don’t.
If I could change anything in the world, it would be… environmental and climate related. This planet’s the only one we have and we could do a lot better job of taking care of it for ourselves and future generations.
The perfect day would be… spent outside of the confines of linear time, thus allowing me to do anything without time actually passing.
My first job was… child model in Japan. We were stationed overseas for a time and it was a common thing for the military families to get into modeling at the time. I also had a paper route delivering the Stars and Stripes newspaper every afternoon to my neighborhood on the air force base.
My favorite escape… Disneyland. For several years, my wife and I had annual passes and visited at least once a month. We haven’t been since before our son was born. And with it remaining closed through at least next year due to the pandemic, who knows when we’ll get back there.
My life… has not gone according to plan. Of course, at this point, I don’t even remember the plan.
I’m currently working on… a blog post for our company website. And a press release. No, make that two press releases. Oh, and blog posts for clients, too. And did I mention the video script? And there’s the…
Always… be kind. You never know what people are going through. Kindness costs nothing but can make a huge impact and leave a lasting impression.
Never… be afraid of making mistakes. It’s going to happen. We’re all human.
Favorite Quote… “You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you.” –Ray Bradbury
Biggest Dream… I’m a man of simple dreams, really. So, win the lottery and set up a foundation to fund various causes. Then travel full-time with my family. Maybe that’s not such a simple dream, after all…
My Pet Peeve(s)… Can I say assholes? If not, then jerks will suffice.
More About Tim Gallen:
After a decade of reporting the news, Tim Gallen now plays a key role in telling the stories of Aker Ink clients as an Account Executive. He is instrumental in identifying viable storytelling opportunities, extracting the most compelling narratives, and positioning clients for growth. With a keen eye for detail, the former journalist provides just the right amount of assertiveness and timely follow through to ensure all client tactics and strategies are executed on the target.
Prior to joining Aker Ink, Tim served as Digital Editor for the Phoenix Business Journal. He collaborated with other editors and reporters to devise and implement strategies to meet monthly web traffic goals and create content for a business professional audience. Additionally, he edited, created, curated, and published content across the publication’s digital channels including website, social media, and email newsletters with an eye toward reaching goals and audience growth.
An award-winning journalist, Tim crafted news articles and other content on a wide range of topics pertinent to the Phoenix-metro business community spanning restaurants, retail, small business, technology, real estate, and the economy, diving into business operations, innovations, and the latest industry trends.
Tim earned accolades for Best News Feature Story and Best Multimedia Storytelling from the Arizona Newspapers Association while also contributing to team awards for General Excellence and Best Website, among others, during his time with the Business Journal.
He earned certifications in Beginner and Advanced Google Analytics and is a member of the Public Relations Society of America, Phoenix Chapter.
A former military brat who grew up in Glendale, Ariz., Tim ventured out of state for college, attending Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, Wash., where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communication with a journalism emphasis.
Tim is an active member of Grace Lutheran Church in downtown Phoenix, where he has served in a number of roles on the church council and as an ambassador for the church and the surrounding downtown Phoenix community.
Outside of work, Tim is an avid reader and writer, often escaping into fantasy and science fiction stories and worlds. He is a published author, having self-published a fantasy novel in 2014, with plans for several more books in the coming years.
Tim also enjoys exploring new places, traveling and spending time with his wife and young son.
