John Burghardt, founding partner, president and chief executive officer of bwck, has resigned from the eight-year-old Toronto-based agency.

Burghardt’s reason for leaving bwck (Burghardt Wolowich Crunkhorn Kibble) is that he wants to get back to his creative roots and away from administrative duties.

Burghardt, who calls himself a copywriter by trade, has made no plans beyond a week-long ski trip to Stowe, Vt. next week.

He says he will not be rushing into any new ventures, but adds whatever he does will be on a smaller scale.

The remaining bwck partners have bought Burghardt’s shares and are closing the ranks.

Bob Wolowich will take over as president and director of creative services, and Mike Crunkhorn becomes chief financial officer and general manager.

The agency that began as bwc gained a West Coast presence two years ago when Roger Kibble, general manager, merged his Vancouver operation with the Toronto office and with Dialogue/BWCK, Montreal.

Meanwhile, Gary Brandes, bwck director of client services, joins Franklin Dallas of Toronto next week as president.

Brandes replaces John Lee, who left Franklin Dallas last November to become vice-president, general manager of the Toronto and home offices of Montreal-based Taxi.

Brandes was on the client side before joining the industry more than 15 years ago.

Before his four years at bwck, he ran his own marketing consultancy, Brandes & Associates, for two years.