FALLON STAFFS UP CREATIVE TEAMS

CHICAGO (AdAge.com) -- Fallon Worldwide rebuilt its creative ranks last week, as the Publicis Groupe agency fills posts left open from layoffs and defections earlier this year.

"We were understaffed," said David Lubars, president and executive creative director of Fallon North America.

In its Minneapolis headquarters, Todd Riddle, 39, joins as a group creative director-art director from senior vice president and group creative director at Interpublic Group of Cos.' Hill, Holliday, Connors, Cosmopulos, Boston.

Fallon alum Bobby Pearce, 36,

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rejoins as a group creative director and copywriter from Omincom Group's Goodby, Silverstein & Partners, San Fancisco. Courtney Culligan, 28, shifted to copywriter from account supervisor. The agency also added Christopher Toland, 37, as senior art director for Fallon's West Wing in Santa Monica, from associate creative director and head of art for Leagas/Delaney, San Francisco.

In addition, four staffers from the Minneapolis office move to New York to bring its department to seven. Heading east are Art Director Paul Malmstrom, 36, and Copywriter Linus Karlsson, 34, who joined Fallon in 1996 and have developed campaigns for MTV and Lee jeans. Also moving to New York: Jenny Gadd Malmstrom, 30, a senior producer, and Eric Cosper, 35, art director, who most recently created the Buddy Lee effort for Lee.