Click the leader's name for a short biography.
Richmond S. Hendee John Wittenbraker
VP, Marketing Services Managing Director,
Brand & Communications
Look-Look, Inc. Carolyn McKernan
Dee Dee Gordon Marketing Research Manager
Co-President
Camille Candella Richard Heilman
Marketing Director Director, Strategic Marketing/
Automotive OEM Glass
Michael Hagan Charles W. Fritz
CEO/President Founder and Chairman of the Board
Nina Lentini Anne Marie Luthro
Editor VP Sales & Marketing
Brian Kurtz Mary Lou Quinlan
Executive Vice President CEO/Founder
Bryan Rhoads Chris McCarthy
Executive Vice President &
Chief Operating Officer
Kay Unger Peter Bongers
President CEO
Michael Gilman Betsy Book
CEO Director of Product Management
at Makena Technologies
Danielle Blugrind Paal Fure
Director, Managing Director
Consumer and Brand Insights
Steve McCallion Jordan Stanley
Director President
Joseph F Barstys Jan Zlotnick
Manager, Retention Marketing President, Creative Director
Florian Haller Bill Bieberbach
CEO Vice President,
Corporate Development
Lee Zeidman Art Stewart
President President & Chief Strategy Officer
Joe Chernov Tim Dunphy
Vice President Sr. Marketing Manager,
Consumer Insights
Rocco Cardinale Jeff Shelstad
Co-Founder
Julie Cordua
VP, Marketing
Richmond S. Hendee
VP, Marketing Services
Cotton, Inc.
Richmond S. Hendee is Cotton Incorporated’s vice president, Marketing Services. Hendee, who is based at the company’s consumer marketing headquarters in New York, heads Cotton Incorporated’s advertising and public relations activities. He has worked closely with advertising agency, Ogilvy & Mather/NY, to create the highly acclaimed “The Fabric of Our Lives™” television campaign. In addition, he developed Cotton Incorporated’s Lifestyle Monitor™, a survey which monitors American consumers’ attitudes and behavior toward apparel and home furnishings.
Prior to joining Cotton Incorporated in 1993, Hendee was a principal at Dickison & Hendee Advertising, Inc., an ad agency in Westport, Connecticut. He also spent 13 years with J. Walter Thompson in New York. Hendee began his advertising career with Young & Rubicam in London, England. He is a graduate of Trinity College in Hartford with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English.
John Wittenbraker
Managing Director, Brand & Communications
GfK Custom Research North America
John Wittenbraker is Managing Director of GfK Custom Research North America, Brand & Communications Practice. His areas of expertise include brand and communication research (development, positioning, evaluation and tracking) and market structure (segmentation and targeting) and product design (choice modeling and optimization).
Trained as a social and quantitative psychologist, John has developed advanced models, analytic systems and proprietary methodologies to support marketing and brand management decisions. He has had broad experience across multiple sectors, including financial services, telecommunications, package goods, retail and consumer services. He is a member of the Board of GfK Custom Research North America. His Ph.D from the University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill.
Dee Dee Gordon
Co-President
Look-Look, Inc.
DeeDee Gordon, renowned youth culture expert and co-founder of youth marketing company Look-Look, Inc. has been at the forefront of trend research for over 15 years. While working as Director of Research and Product Development for So Cal ad agency Lambesis, Gordon and her colleague, Sharon Lee, created the famed “L Report,” the first national marketing research report to track trend diffusion among youths. Not long after, Gordon and Lee decided to leave Lambesis and in 1999, the two became true pioneers in the research field with the formation of their own company, Look-Look, Inc.
In taking their youth culture research online, they created a one-of-a-kind research, marketing and consulting company that specializes in the culture of 14-to-35-year-olds. As co-president of Look-Look, Gordon oversees all research analysis, product development and creative direction for client accounts and Look-Look consumer products. Look-Look’s proprietary panel and database technology allows it to exceed the capabilities of competing marketing companies by maintaining a constant 2-way dialogue with trendsetting and mainstream young people around the world. Past and current clients, including Coca Cola, Mercedes, Calvin Klein, Nike, Unilever and Sony Pictures, come to Look-Look both for their expertise and instant access to information on the ever-changing world of global youth culture.
Carolyn McKernan
Marketing Research Manager
REI (Recreational Equipment, Inc.)
Carolyn McKernan has over 20 years marketing research experience on both the client and supplier sides of the industry. She has led the marketing research efforts at REI for the past nine years. At REI, she provides corporate strategic planning, research design and analysis, and internal decision support to minimize risk. Her varied skill set includes over 15 years’ experience in focus group moderation, as well as customer database management and trend interpretation for the outdoor lifestyle.
Carolyn received her B.S. in Advertising from the University of Washington. She has participated on State of Washington and national Outdoor Industry Foundation research committees to guide the proper use and application of research in the outdoor recreation arena. She periodically serves as a guest lecturer at local and national research and trend-watching conferences. She is a past board member of the Puget Sound Chapter of the American Marketing Association and is an award-winning volunteer for a national teenage women’s group.
Camille Candella
Marketing Director
MAGIC (Menswear Apparel Guild in California)
Camille Candella is the Marketing Director for MAGIC International, the largest and most comprehensive fashion trade event in the world. Camille joined MAGIC in 2000, where she supervised marketing efforts for the women’s portion of the Marketplace, WWDMAGIC, in conjunction with Women’s Wear Daily, the leading fashion publication for the women’s industry. In 2002 Camille became responsible for driving sales and attendance across the entire MAGIC Marketplace which includes MAGIC, WWDMAGIC, MAGIC Kids, and Sourcing at MAGIC. During her tenure at MAGIC, Camille has had significant achievements in brand and business development, improving data collection and analysis, and developing highly targeted direct marketing campaigns.
Prior to MAGIC International, Camille held key business development and sales positions at The Powell Group, The Gannett Company, and with the U.S. Federal Government. Camille’s entrepreneurial background has been a key element in shaping MAGIC's marketing and communications strategy. Camille holds a Masters of Business degree from Louisiana State University where she also completed her undergraduate degree.
Richard Heilman
Director, Strategic Marketing/Automotive OEM Glass
PPG Industries
Richard Heilman has been with PPG Industries, Inc. since 1978 in a variety of positions, including R&D, marketing, sales, strategic planning, and international management. With a Masters in Physics from Lehigh University in Bethlehem, PA, Mr. Heilman started his PPG career as a research physicist investigating photovoltaic and solar thermal energy systems. After completing his MBA degree from the University of Pittsburgh in 1984, his interest in developing new products and markets quickly led him to marketing research, marketing management, and sales positions for PPG’s newest commercial and residential glass offerings. In 1997, he became Executive Vice President for PPG-CI, a manufacturing and sales joint venture between PPG and Itochu of Japan. This assignment led to business negotiations and personal explorations throughout Asia. Returning to Pittsburgh in 2001, Mr. Heilman joined the automotive OEM side of PPG’s glass business. As Director of Strategic Marketing, he focuses on commercializing new value-added glazing products that enhance driving comfort, reduce fuel consumption, and appeal to the aesthetic-minded automotive customizer and tuner market segments.
Michael Hagan
CEO/President
Nutrisystem
Mr. Hagan is Chairman of the Board of Directors, Chief Executive Officer and President of NutriSystem, Inc. He joined the Company in December 2002 and helped changed the direction of the Company to one more focused on becoming a leading “direct to consumer” weight management company. Over the last year, Mr. Hagan has received numerous awards including the inaugural Ernst & Young Venture Capital Award of Excellence, Ernest & Young Entrepreneur of the Year in the Retail and Consumer Products category for the Philadelphia Region and voted Entrepreneur of the Year by Forbes Magazine. The Company was ranked #1 of Forbes’ 200 Best Small Companies and #20 of Business Week’s Hot Growth Companies. Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Hagan was the co-founder of Verticalnet, Inc., a business-to-business internet and software company, and held a number of executive positions at Verticalnet since its founding in 1995, including Chairman of the Board from February 2002 to the June 2005, President and Chief Executive Officer from January 2001 to February 2002, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer from January 2000 to January 2001 and Senior Vice President prior to that time. While at Verticalnet, Mr. Hagan was awarded the 1999 Ernest & Young Entrepreneur of the Year in the Retail and Consumer Products category for the Philadelphia Region. Prior to founding Verticalnet, Mr. Hagan was a Vice President and senior manager at Merrill Lynch Asset Management from 1990 to 1995, and worked for Bristol Meyers Squibb from 1988 to 1990. Mr. Hagan is a director of Verticalnet, Inc. (Nasdaq: VERT), a director of Internet Capital Group, and a trustee of Saint Joseph's University. Mr. Hagan was a CPA in the State of Pennsylvania (license lapsed).
Charles W. Fritz
Founder and Chairman of the Board
NeoMedia Technologies
Charles W. Fritz is the founder of NeoMedia Technologies, and served as Chairman of the Board of Directors, President and Chief Executive Officer of the corporation from its inception until June 2002. Since then, he has acted as a consultant and advisor to the company, as well as continuing to serve as Chairman of the Board of Directors. NeoMedia recently has acquired numerous companies focused on the Mobile Marketing space.
Prior to NeoMedia, Mr. Fritz was an Account Executive with IBM Corporation from 1986 to 1988, Director of Marketing and Strategic Alliances for the Information Consulting Group from 1988-1989, and a Consultant for McKinsey & Company.
Mr. Fritz holds an M.B.A. from Rollins College and a B.A. in finance from the University of Florida. He has raised in excess of $400 million of capital to fund various projects and companies.
Chas speaks often on Mobile Marketing and linking the physical world to relevant electronic information.
Mr. Fritz can be contacted at (239) 851 6304.
Nina Lentini
Editor
Media Post's Marketing Daily
Nina Lentini is editor of Marketing Daily at Media Post.com. She has been a journalist for more than 25 years, most recently in the marketing and advertising fields. For seven years, she worked in publication relations at a small, liberal arts college in Connecticut, her home base.
Anne Marie Luthro
VP Sales & Marketing
Envirosell, Inc.
Anne Marie Luthro began her career with Envirosell in 1989 when the company existed of four full time employees who did everything from the accounting and marketing to the in-store tracking and videotaping.
After spending almost ten years in the NYC office, and being an instrumental force in the growth and success of Envirosell, Anne Marie moved to Portland, Oregon where she continues to spread the Envirosell philosophy: understanding why shoppers are behaving in the ways they do is instrumental in understanding how to build a better store for them. As the Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Envirosell, it is Anne Marie’s responsibility to understand client’s wants and needs and to see that they are delivered.
With a host of other clients on her resume, Anne Marie has worked extensively with store planning projects, category management projects, and numerous consulting projects. After almost 15 years of watching people shop. Anne Marie still professes a love of her job and of shopping; some call it a sickness.
Brian Kurtz
Executive Vice President
Marketing Boardroom, Inc.
Brian Kurtz has spent over 25 years helping Boardroom Inc. become an industry leader in newsletter and book publishing, in-house list management, and state-of-the-art direct marketing.
Boardroom publishes leading edge newsletters in the categories of consumer information, money, health, retirement, and taxes with a total circulation of over 1 million subscribers. In addition, Boardroom is one of the largest sellers of one-shot mail order books in the country.
Brian’s influence spans all aspects of direct marketing including the list industry, the U.S. Postal Service, direct marketing educators, the Newsletter Publishers Association (SIPA), The Direct Marketing Association (DMA), leading copywriters and creative people, government affairs, and many other trade groups and industry organizations.
Brian has been especially active in direct marketing education. He is a Trustee of the Direct Marketing Educational Foundation (DMEF) and eagerly participates in courses at colleges, universities, and various direct marketing programs. In 1989, he taught a full semester undergraduate course in direct marketing at his alma mater, Rutgers University.
Brian is also a member of the DMA’S Ethics Operating Committee and among his numerous awards he is a member of the DMA Circulation Hall of Fame and a recipient of the DMA’s List Leader of the Year and the Direct Marketing Club of NY’s Silver Apple Award.Mary Lou Quinlan
CEO/Founder
Just Ask a Woman
As founder of Just Ask a Woman, Mary Lou has advised over 40 corporations, including Procter & Gamble, GlaxoSmithKline, Citigroup, Best Buy, Farmers Insurance and Westin Hotels, detailed in her bestselling book “Just Ask a Woman, Cracking the Code of What Women Want and How They Buy”.
She’s also highly sought speaker and writer among professional women, thanks to her second book, “Time Off for Good Behavior, How Hardworking Women Can Take a Break and Change Their Lives,” and her "Quinlan & Answers" column for MORE magazine.
Last spring, Mary Lou co-starred in the first season of ABC’s hit reality show, “American Inventor” as the only female judge of the best new inventions.
Throughout his technology career, Bryan has designed and implemented innovative online experiences aimed at creating stronger consumer engagements and collaboration. Bryan evangelized and pioneered social media techniques at Intel. He designed and built Intel’s external blog platform at blogs.intel.com, developing it into a “best-in-class” venue.
Mr. Rhoads led a 4-year research project with MIT Sloan to build greater user trust online, entitled “WebTrust”. Through adaptive experimentation, Bryan’s Intel and MIT researchers designed innovative approaches to increase user confidence and trust in online experiences and communications.
He sits on the Executive Board of the Internet Strategy Forum, is a member of the City Club of Portland and its New Leaders Council, and considers himself a grassroots Bio-fuels advocate as well as an urban farmer in his backyard in Portland, Oregon.
Chris McCarthy
Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer
Landis Strategy & Innovation, LLC
Chris brings to the broad Landis client base more than 20 years of market research experience and a strong background in the integration of information systems design with high-level mathematical applications. Chris has been deeply involved in all aspects of consumer research, including study and questionnaire design as well as analytics. He was directly involved in shaping the proprietary Landis MATRIX™ model, and part of the team that defined the structure and functionality of the system and its measures. Chris has managed all the staff, hardware and software systems in Landis Strategy & Innovation's MIS department, and authored the first versions of the MATRIX™ software and Cross-Tab system. Following his responsibilities as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer in which he managed all operational aspects of the business, Chris has evolved to a new senior post responsible for all company R&D, focusing on the perpetual advancement of Landis' proprietary capabilities.
Kay Unger
President
Kay Unger New York
She blends her own personal philosophy with a unique corporate ethic that drives the success of Kay Unger New York. She designs clothes for today's women with a balance of comfort, femininity, and strength reflected in all of her collections. As Co-founder and Head Designer of her company, and sporting over 38 years of fashion experience, Kay has emerged as an industry leader possessing a positive connection with her customer, and the respect of her peers in the fashion industry.
As a designer, Kay's initial inspiration grew out of her couture background. After graduating from the prestigious Parsons School of Design, she was embraced into the fashion industry as Geoffrey Beene's apprentice, where she discovered her love and appreciation of detail. Today, her exquisite signature prints and intricate hand beading pay homage to the glamour and sophistication of Hollywood's golden era, while reflecting her customer's modern strength expressed in femininity and individuality. Her simple cuts and fresh, inventive fabrics are all about the busy lifestyle of today's American woman. All of her clothing pays close attention to the contours of a woman's body, making the most out of every curve and line, showing her keen understanding of ladylike luxury.
Her career and her personal lifestyle have always taken symmetrical paths. At home in her artist's loft, Kay thrives on mixing a palette of people and personalities with the same natural ability as she would blend colors and textures in her studio. She approaches entertaining with unrivaled flair, as a forgotten art. Kay is adored as a hostess because of her magical ability to ignite stimulating conversation, creating a relaxed and comfortable environment.
In addition to her commitment to her career as a designer, to her creativity in the studio, and to an active social life, Kay has also devoted herself to several philanthropic organizations. Through her involvement with the Epstein Fine Arts Fund, endowed by her late father, Kay was one of the first women ever appointed to the Board of Directors of the Boys and Girls Clubs of America. She is an active member of the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), and a former President of the Fashion Group International. During her term she was responsible for raising more than $250,000 for breast cancer research. Kay was recently named one of the Leading Women Entrepreneurs of the World, and is a founding member of the Committee of 200, a business organization representing the top female entrepreneurs in America. Kay was also recently appointed to the Board of Directors of Parsons School of Design.
Peter Bongers
CEO
Living Tomorrow, Inc.
Peter is the Co-founder and Co-Chairman of Living Tomorrow. He is known as a conceptual thinker and a convincing motivator and communicator. He approaches strategy from a human centric perspective, simplifying and making it useful for new business and social models.
His 15 years of experience in leading the highly successful Living Tomorrow platform proved him to be an expert in innovation and cross-disciplinary collaboration. He sees the ability to think forward as the most valuable asset one can have in business, science and politics.
Michael Gilman
CEO
Data Mining Technologies
CEO of Data Mining Technologies Inc. a computer software publisher and consulting firm specializing in data mining projects. He is the architect of Nuggetsâ, a data mining toolkit, and other business and technical software.
Over 20 years experience in the areas of corporate management, computer consulting, business consulting, project management, systems analysis, and university teaching. Vice President of Strategic and logistic planning and Director of Management Science at Hoechst Celanese. His clients include Ernst and Young, Chubb Insurance, General Electric, Celanese Corporation, American Express, Warner Communications, Texaco, Con Edison, Chase Manhattan Bank, US Navy and numerous other companies. He served as Adjunct Professor of Business at Hofstra University where he has taught business, mathematics and computer courses. He is a frequent speaker on data mining subjects to business and academia. He holds a Ph.D. in Management Science from Polytechnic University of New York, a Masters degree with a major in Computer Science from New York University and a Bachelors Degree in Electrical Engineering from CUNY. He has also published articles and papers and presented seminars to the business and scientific communities.
Betsy Book
Makena Technologies/There.com
Betsy Book is the Director of Product Management at Makena Technologies, parent company of There.com. She has participated in, managed, and developed a wide range of online community-focused products over the past decade, from text-based forums and chat rooms to 3D virtual worlds.
Book began her career at iVillage in its pre-IPO days where she produced and managed co-branded web sites for clients in the consumer goods, automotive and health industries. She served as VP of Product Development at the ecommerce site Flooz.com, where she was responsible for front-end web production and feature development. At BBI Systems, Book managed large-scale community moderation and reporting programs for entertainment industry clients including AOL, MTV, The-N, Showtime, Country Music Television, and Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia. Over the course of her career, Book has provided consulting services to a wide range of new media, telecommunications and entertainment industry clients.
Danielle Blugrind
Director, Consumer and Brand Insights
Taco Bell
Danielle joined Taco Bell as a Director in the Consumer Insights group just over seven years ago. She began her Taco Bell career with one analyst on her team, running initiatives such as the QSR Tracking Study and Value research. Since then, her team has grown to two managers, two associate managers and one analyst, and she and her team have greatly increased their responsibilities to cover four Trackers, all Advertising and Creative Development research, Late Night, Value, Beverages, Brand Equity and Brand Strategy, Consumer Trends – with responsibility across the entire Yum organization – and more recently, Service and Operations initiatives including the Drive-Thru Center of the Future.
Prior to joining Taco Bell, Danielle worked at Mattel for eight years, primarily on the Barbie account worldwide. Her responsibilities at Mattel were also within the Consumer Research function. Research has been her passion and her vocation since she graduated with her MBA from the Peter F. Drucker Graduate Management School at the Claremont Graduate University. Previously, she attended the University of California at Irvine, where she earned her B.A.
Paal Fure
Managing Director
Vizeum (Norway)
After 10 years in different brand consultancy primarily working with scenario modeling, strategic research, business intelligence and trend forecasting, I now manage a “new school” media agency called Vizeum, based in Norway. The media agency is global and owned by Aegis Media and has offices in 59 countries. Travelling 100 days a year takes me to everywhere from Syracuse, NY to Syracuse in Sicilia, Italy.
I have been privileged to work with most of the strongest brands coming out of Scandinavia (such as H&M) and have managed international projects with focus on brand futures and business environments.
Steve McCallion
Director
Ziba Design, Inc.
Steve McCallion leads the creation of meaningful brand experiences for a range of clients including KitchenAid, Sirius Satellite Radio, Federal Express, Umpqua Bank and Johnson & Johnson. From consumer electronics to branded environments, he brings a rare balance of design sensibility and strategic thinking to create products, services and spaces that people crave. By gaining a deep understanding of a company's DNA and the motives of its potential customers, McCallion connects brand and consumer – and makes wallets fly open. He was the founding director of ZIBA’s award-wining research and design planning group, an eclectic mix of social anthropologists, cultural ethnographers, user-experience wizards, trend trackers, brand translators, and cool hunters. He has developed many proprietary methodologies that have won awards and market success. He has published several papers, won numerous design awards, and is a respected lecturer, design juror and member of Fast Company’s 2006 Masters of Design Class. Prior to joining ZIBA, Steve was a designer, an architect and an entrepreneur.
Jordan Stanley
President
Stanley Marketing Works, Inc.
During a 17-year career at Young & Rubicam, Jordan launched many memorable campaigns for popular packaged goods brands including Jell-O, Kentucky Fried Chicken, PAM Cooking Spray and Advil—and was first to license video game characters in the packaged foods business (Pac-Man Pasta). In 1990 he established the first in-house TV production unit at Y&R. As marketing consultant to McGhee Entertainment, Jordan was among the first marketers to use traditional research techniques to market a performing artist (Bonjovi). And as writer, producer & marketing consultant to the DRTV industry, Jordan has produced and/or written dozens of direct-response commercials for both traditional advertisers (Downy, Febreze, Dryel, Tide) as well as new products (Edgemaster paint roller, Micro Touch hair remover, Auto-Cool car cooler).
Joseph F Barstys
Manager, Retention Marketing
Subaru of America
Joe Barstys is Manager of Retention Marketing for Subaru of America, Inc. headquartered in Cherry Hill, NJ. Since 1984 he has held positions of increasing responsibility in consumer affairs for Subaru. He presently is responsible for all relationship-building owner communications.
He holds a BA in philosophy from St. Francis College, Burlington, Wisconsin and an MS in Marketing Communications from Temple University in Philadelphia. He is a recognized author and lecturer in the area of consumer affairs and owner loyalty. He presently serves as Immediate Past Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Society of Consumer Affairs Professionals in Business (SOCAP) and chaired the SOCAP Information Technology Committee. He has presented papers at national SOCAP conferences, and, more recently, he has also addressed several American Marketing Association and American Society of Quality national conferences. He currently serves on several Boards of Directors in the business and academic communities in the Philadelphia area. He was a charter member of the New Jersey Coalition for Consumer Education and is the past chairperson of the Customer Relations Committee for the Association of International Automobile Manufacturers, Inc. In 2001 the Arts and Business Partnership of Southern New Jersey recognized him as the Business Volunteer of the Year.
Joe lives with his wife Carmen and daughter Ana in Cherry Hill.
Jan Zlotnick
President, Creative Director
The Zlotnick Group
Jan Zlotnick has been responsible for the management, branding strategy and creative direction and production of international, national, and regional brands, including Business Week, Sheraton, Sweet 'n Low, Bacardi Rum, Ilford Photo, Bertolli Olive Oil, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Guess Leather, Timberline, "I Love NY,” BMW Motorcycles, Lifetime Studios, Hackensack University Medical Center, Heartland Brewery, Time Hotel, NewYork-Presbyterian, Consumer Reports WebWatch, Paul Hastings (law firm), and AmeriHealth (healthcare). Jan started The Zlotnick Group in 1999 in a little neighborhood called Tribeca in downtown New York City.
Florian Haller
CEO
Serviceplan Agenturgruppe
Florian Haller was born in Munich in 1967. After his study in St. Gallen and his first station as customer consultant in the advertising agency Lintas in New York, he decided to go to Proctor & Gamble for 5 years. At first he worked there as category manager dish washing in the European headquarter in Brussels and later he was brand manager for household products in Geneva. In 1996 he joined as director of the third advertising agency at Serviceplan. In 2000 he changed as director in the holding company of the Serviceplan Agenturgruppe. In July 2002 Mr. Haller took up the job as CEO of the Serviceplan Gruppe.
Bill Bieberbach
Vice President, Corporate Development
RonJon Surf Shops
Walt Disney World Marketing and Finance, Taft Broadcasting Marketing and Development, Consulting and Ron Jon Surf Shop Corporate Development.
Predominantly worked on mass attended attractions in the tourism industry, i.e. Walt Disney World, Worlds Fairs, Madison Square Garden, large resort developments, etc. Involvement in all aspects of management with a concentration on marketing, finance, and master planning.
Lee Zeidman
President
Zeidman – Corporate Communications Consultants
Lee Zeidman is a recovering broadcast journalist. A member of the team that launched CNN in 1980, Lee logged thousands of hours on-camera, as a sportscaster for CNN, SportsChannel America, ESPN and CBS Sports. As a Prime Time producer, Lee's credits include "60 Minutes" (where he worked with the legendary Mike Wallace), and "48 hours" as well as the Olympic Winter Games of Albertville, France (1992) and Lillehammer, Norway (1994). In January of 1996, after more than twenty years in the news business, Lee launched Z=C3. Since then, he has helped some of the most recognizable names in corporate America manage controversial issues.
Art Stewart
President & Chief Strategy Officer
Stewart Strategies Group, LLC
Art Stewart's twenty-five years of experience extends across the spectrum of his profession, including posts in broadcasting, television/film production, corporate communications, marketing agencies and market research, in addition to heading his own management consulting firm since 1993. His strategy expertise extends across several management disciplines and is strengthened by an array of consulting experiences that has enabled an uncommon exposure to a diversity of organizations, industries and 'publics'.
He has guided clients in a variety of organization growth, change management and transformation initiatives. His firm focuses on breakthrough organization and executive leadership strategies; building in more business value from CSR investments; innovation marketing; issues management for more impactful stakeholder engagement; risk mitigation, crisis aversion and policy marketing strategy; and sustaining brand competitiveness and integrity. He holds an undergraduate degree in communications from Emerson College, a post-graduate certificate in Senior Executive Leadership from Georgetown University, and is near completion of a mid-career graduate degree from Georgetown's Public Policy Institute.
Joe Chernov
Vice President
Bzz Agent
Joe Chernov is the director of communications for BzzAgent, the advertising industry’s only word-of-mouth media channel. In this role, he has presented to The Federal Trade Commission and been interviewed by The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Economist, BBC News, Investors Business Daily and The Associated Press. Chernov organized the research and editing of a Harvard Business School case on BzzAgent.
Chernov has more than 12 years’ experience in public relations and marketing communications. A regular lecturer on marketing and communications at several the country’s top business schools, including Fuqua (Duke), Stern (NYU) and Wharton (Penn), Chernov co-directed a global industry analyst relations practice for one of the world’s largest public relations firms, Fleishman-Hillard (delivered through Lois Paul & Partners), and directed the launch of CMGI’s portal site MyWay.com. Prior to joining BzzAgent, Chernov was the principal of Upper Right PR, an “insourced” public relations firm.
Tim Dunphy
Sr. Marketing Manager, Consumer Insights
Black & Decker
University of Florida graduate with 8 years marketing research experience in the consumer packaged goods and durables categories. Expertise in evaluating, optimizing and forecasting new product propositions prior to introduction in-market.
Currently leading the Consumer Insights/Marketing Research Department for Black & Decker Consumer Products Group encompassing the Power Tools, Outdoor Power Equipment, Home Products, and Automotive & Electronic categories for the U.S. and European markets.
Rocco Cardinale
Franklin Foods
Rocco Cardinale has 15 years of experience in strategic marketing, new product development and branding within the F&B and CPG industries. His background stretches from founding a multi-faceted specialty coffee company in California to his current role as director of marketing with Franklin Foods, a key player in the U.S. dairy industry and a leading innovator in modern probiotic dairy technology. Rocco’s marketing successes have appeared in Bon Appétit (Best of the Year), MSNBC, The Wall Street Journal, and his current brand portfolio has received eleven national and international dairy awards.
Rocco’s passion for the global food industry and unique combination of entrepreneurial and corporate experience has shaped his consumer-centric approach to building brands.
He is focused on harnessing new media tools to engage consumers as the foundation for successful strategic planning and innovative product launches that drive growth. Rocco received a B.A. in International Business from San Diego State University and is an MBA candidate in Saint Joseph’s University Food Marketing program. Rocco lives in South Burlington, Vermont with his wife and son. He enjoys warmer weather, jazz music, travel, cooking, golf, and is an avid Boston Red Sox fan.
Jeff Shelstad
Co-Founder
Flat World Knowledge, Inc.
Flat World Knowledge was started in January 2007. It is a higher education business school publisher focused on providing more value for the student learner through very innovative product, pricing, and distribution models. I have almost 20 years in the higher education publishing space, most recently serving as Editorial Director for Prentice Hall’s Business and Economics division.
I received my undergraduate business/marketing degree from the University of Minnesota. I received my MBA from Duke University. I reside in Mahwah, NJ with my wife Heather and children Jackson (5) and Ava (3).
Julie Cordua
Vice President of Marketing
(Red)
Julie is currently the vice president of marketing at (RED), a new brand created by U2 lead singer, Bono, and Bobby Shriver to engage business in the fight against AIDS in Africa. Prior to joining (RED), Julie was the senior director of buzz marketing and part of the start-up team at HELIO, a new mobile brand for young, connected consumers. Before returning to California, Julie spent five years in Motorola’s mobile devices division where she led the global category marketing group and was part of the team that orchestrated the RAZR launch in 2002. Julie holds a B.A. in Communications, with an emphasis in Business Administration, from UCLA and an M.B.A. from Kellogg.