Geoff Batrouney
Geoff is the executive vice president, of Estee Marketing Group, a company that specializes in List Management, List Brokerage, campaign/donor analyses, Insert Media Management and Brokerage covering all aspects of Direct-to-Consumer marketing.
When asked to describe his profession, he said, “My job is to gently guide the List Management Department and keep out of their way, while developing new business for the company and personally handling the circulation planning and list brokerage needs of a small group of clients.”
Here’s more on Geoff in his own words.
Q: What excites you most outside your day-to-day business life?
A: Seeing our great staff deliver on our promise of service excellence. They are wonderful.
Q: What did you want to be when you grew up?
A: A Barrister—an Australian trial attorney.
Q: If you could have one super-hero power, what would it be?
A: The ability to fly. Can you even imagine?
Q: What was your first-ever job?
A: I was a professional choirboy with the Anglican Church in Benalla, Victoria—paid sixpence a service and two shillings per wedding. Solos up to ten shillings. A small fortune then. My voice broke and the gig ended.
Q: If a Genie were to grant you one wish, what would it be? A: 10 cent postage for all mailers, a home in Provence, or the immediate removal of Assad from power in Syria, I’m torn.
Susan Beckett
Susan is the vice president of marketing with Redcats USA, an online and catalog retailer of a variety of items such as apparel, home products, sporting goods and gear.
When asked to describe her profession, Susan said, “Pretty much every aspect of marketing – circulation, promotion, branding, segmentation, e-commerce marketing and advertising.”
Here is more about Susan in her own words:
Q: What excites you most outside your day-to-day business life?
A: I’m an avid world traveler and get the most pleasure from learning about other cultures. I’m also a huge football fan. Go 49ers!!
Q: If a Genie were to grant you one wish, what would it be?
A: For the health and happiness of my family and friends
Q: What was your first-ever job?
A: Working at a bakery. I got great at writing on the cakes!
Q: What’s on your Pinterest board?
A: A lot of travel pictures. There would probably be a lot more if I had some more time! I love seeing what other people pin. You see some many different sides to people.
Q: What apps do you most use on your iPad or iPhone?
A: Facebook, Yelp and Angry Birds!
Lois Brayfield
Lois Brayfield is the president of J.Schmid and a board member of the National Etailing and Mailing Organization of America.
When asked to describe her job, Lois said, “We provide strategic ways for our clients to grow their multi-channel businesses. Specifically we focus on brand, creative, strategy and analytics. We specialize in NEW THINKING!”
Here is more about Lois in her own words.
Q: What direct-to-customer marketing subject could you talk about all day?
A: Understanding the heart of the NEW consumer and providing relevant messages that are BOLD and create action and sales!
Q: What excites you most outside your day-to-day business life?
A: Extreme get-aways … islands, mountains, bottom of the sea … Timbukto … anywhere off the beaten path.
Q: What did you want to be when you grew up?
A: Doctor or International Spy (since I faint at the sight of blood, I thought marketing was a good Plan B).
Q: What apps do you most use on your iPad or iPhone?
A: Kindall, Brainwave and flashlight.
Scott Cohn
Scott Cohn is the vice president of Merchandising & Sales with BakersShoes.com.
When asked to describe his job, Scott said, he oversees “all aspects of merchandise, customer experience and promotions for BakersShoes.com.”
Here is more information about Scott in his own words.
Q: What excites you most outside your day-to-day business life?
A: Helping to bring out the best in my kids. Academics, sports, music.
Q: What did you want to be when you grew up?
A: I wanted to reopen my great-grandparents corner grocery store.
Q: If a Genie were to grant you one wish, what would it be?
A: Knowledge that my family will remain happy and safe.
Q: If you could have one super-hero power, what would it be?
A: The speed of Dash in the Incredibles. I never have enough time.
Q: What’s on your Pinterest board?
A: Infographic.
Q: What apps do you most use on your iPad or iPhone?
A: Tweetbot, Pandora, Evernote, AtBat, GameChanger, Zite, Huff Post, SwingReader.
Karen Jordan Crist
Karen is the president of Bridge Cloud Marketing and has worked with over hundreds of catalog and online companies to improve the profitability of their businesses.
Here’s more on Karen in her own words:
Q: If you could have one super-hero power, what would it be? A: I think it would be great to have the power to grant someone confidence in herself/himself.
Q: What social media do you personally use (not for business use)?
A: Facebook – although my interest has certainly taken a nose dive this past year as it’s too distracting.
Q: What excites you most outside your day-to-day business life?
A: Being with those I love – my kids, friends and family – photography, traveling.
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Q: If a Genie were to grant you one wish, what would it be?
A: To have all the people I love live in the same state (preferably on a beach but close to the mountains).
Glenda Lehman Ervin
Glenda is the vice president of marketing for Lehman’s and the daughter of company founder Jay Lehman. She is responsible for the advertising, marketing and media relations for the multi-channel business.
When asked to describe her job, Glenda said, “It’s a family owned and operated company; so my brother runs the place and I get to talk about the place.”
Here is more about Glenda in her own words.
Q: What direct-to-customer marketing subject could you talk about all day? A: Customer demographics. It’s not the how many, it’s the who.
Q: What excites you most outside your day-to-day business life?
A: My children and a really good book.
Q: What did you want to be when you grew up?
A:On-air newscaster.
Q: If a Genie were to grant you one wish, what would it be?
A: One more wish. And straight hair.
Q: If you could have one super-hero power, what would it be?
A: Read minds.
Sarah Fletcher
Sarah is the president and creative director with Catalog Design Studios, Inc. When asked to describe her career she said, “I’m the idea person and chief cat herder.”
Here is more about Sarah in her own words.
Q: What direct-to-customer marketing subject could you talk about all day?
A: Salesmanship and what motivates customers. I think one of the biggest missed opportunities today is just displaying merchandise rather than selling it.
Q: What excites you most outside your day-to-day business life?
A: Early this year I started Catalog University with Janie Downey. It’s an online educational resource for catalogers. I kept hearing myself say “Well it’s not like any of us went to school for this…” and then I thought, wow, that’s stupid. Why isn’t there a school for catalogers? My other hobby is restoring old houses. I am working on an 1895 Victorian at the moment.
Q: What did you want to be when you grew up?
A science fiction writer and a fairy princess. The puppy recently ate my sparkly princess slippers, so that was a set back.A
Q: If you could have one super-hero power, what would it be?
A: I’d want to be able to change into different animals. How cool would it be to fly as an eagle and then swim as a dolphin, roam the jungle as a tiger or slide down a glacier as a penguin?
Q: What was your first-ever job?
A: I was a chamber maid. You’d be surprised how much you can learn about people as a chambermaid. I was either a person, a servant or completely invisible to hotel guests. Sometimes I would pretend not to speak English if someone was rude or demanding. It was fun to see the look on their face after they told me how important they were and how I needed to do a REALLY good job and make SURE the bathroom was EXTRA clean and ALL the towels were fresh and I would look at them blankly and say “I clean up, okay?”
Tom Funk
Tom is the senior marketing manager for Green Mountain Coffee Roasters. When asked to describe his current profession, he said “I work in the consumer-direct division, focused on eCommerce.”
Here is more about Tom in his own words.
Q: What direct-to-customer marketing subject could you talk about all day?
A: Website usability and A/B test results seriously fascinate me.
Q: What excites you most outside your day-to-day business life?
A: Working in a fast-paced creative and technical field,
with a great team for a terrific brand – fueled by all the free coffee I can
drink.
Q: What did you want to be when you grew up?
A: An artist or writer.
Q: If a Genie were to grant you one wish, what would it be?
A: Is a villa in Tuscany too much to ask?
Q: If you could have one super-hero power, what would it be?
A: I want to be Batman. He doesn’t even have a super power. But he spends a lot of quality time with Catwoman
Jean O Giesmann
Jean is the executive director and owner of Creative Consulting. She is also a member of the National Etailing and Mailing Organization of America executive committee.
When asked to describe her job, Jean said, “Developing and executing creative strategies that reflect the brand, engage the customer and gets results across multiple channels.”
Here’s more on Jean in her own words.
Q: What direct-to-customer marketing subject could you talk about all day?
A: Creative and its effect on response.
Q: What excites you most outside your day-to-day business life?
A: Cooking.
Q: What did you want to be when you grew up?
A: I don’t’ know that I wanted to ‘be’ anything. I did want to travel the world.
Q: If a Genie were to grant you one wish, what would it be?
A: Financial independence (not necessarily wealth).
Lynn Gore
Lynn Gore is the vice president of Marketing with Plow & Hearth, LLC.
When asked to describe her job, she said, “I oversee marketing in all channels for the five Plow & Hearth brands.”
Here is more about Lynn in her own words.
Q: What direct-to-customer marketing subject could you talk about all day?
A: Integrated, customer-based marketing efforts.
Q: What excites you most outside your day-to-day business life?
A: I love concerts and the theater. Going to a live performance energizes me!
Q: What did you want to be when you grew up?
A: A professional musician.
Q: If you could have one super-hero power, what would it be?
A: The ability to go without sleep.
Q: What’s on your Pinterest board?
A: Tests for our brands.
Liz Kislik
Liz Kislik is the president of Liz Kislike Associates, LLC., a human resources and customer service consultancy specializing in customer care and employee performance.
Here is more about Liz in her own words.
Q: What apps do you most use on your iPad or iPhone?
A: I’ve never been an Apple fan myself. On my Android, I use my mobile hotspot all the time so I can still do everything I need to, even when I’m on the road with clients. I also have an Insight Timer that rings like a meditation bell to remind me to stand up, take a breath, stretch, and move around when I’m too deeply in flow to notice myself.
Q: What’s your favorite destination, for business, pleasure or both?
A: For business, the truth is, I love my office.
Q: Would your high school teachers be surprised by your career choice?
A: Some of them might be surprised that I chose business over songwriting and performance. But they would not be at all surprised at my career focuses on customer service and business improvement; I was an organizing, get-it-done type even then.
Mary Ann Kleinfelter
Mary Ann is a consultant for Marketing Solutions and focuses on helping business market their products and services.
Here is more on Mary Ann in her own words.
Q: What direct-to-customer marketing subject could you talk about all day?
A: How using data properly can improve sales and elevate our occupation in the eyes of the consumer.
Q: What excites you most outside your day-to-day business life?
A: Teaching and gardening.
Q: If you could have one super-hero power, what would it be?
A: Restore integrity as a core value.
Q: What’s your favorite destination, for business, pleasure or both?
A: Outside US: Florence, Italy. In US: Outer Banks, NC.
Q: What social media do you personally use (not for business use)?
A: LinkedIn.
Bill LaPierre
Bill is the vice president of business intelligence and analytics with Datamann, Inc. based in Wilder, Vermont. When asked to describe his profession, LaPierre said, “I touch almost all of Datamann’s catalog clients, providing marketing, merchandising and creative consulting. I also do a lot of circulation planning for our clients.”
When asked to describe his job, Bill said, “I touch almost all of Datamann’s catalog clients, providing marketing, merchandising and creative consulting. I also do a lot of circulation planning for our clients.”
Here is more about Bill in his own words.
Q: What direct-to-customer marketing subject could you talk about all day?
A: I could talk all day about how the entrepreneurial spirit of great merchandising and great creative that used to drive the catalog industry – and which were the cornerstones of the truly great, successful catalogs – has been replaced by too great an emphasis on marketing. Marketing is important, but the internet, mobile and social have all grabbed the focus among most catalogs, and for the most part, merchandising and creative are being neglected. No wonder consumers are turning more to online only companies. This has hurt the catalog industry more than any impact from postal hikes, or privacy legislation – and we did it to ourselves.
Q: What excites you most outside your day-to-day business life?
A: My wife and I own a fair amount of land almost all of which is forests. I enjoy clearing out the brush, and allowing the bigger trees to develop. Owning my own backhoe helps.
Q: What was your first-ever job?
A: I started my career as a fund raiser for Easter Seals. I think every marketer should be required to have fund raising experience. It is very easy to sell widgets via catalogs – the consumer is getting something tangible in return for their money. But, as a fund raiser, you are basically giving the consumer a warm feeling in return for their donation – which is a much more difficult than catalog marketing.
Q: What social media do you personally use (not for business use)?
A: I’m on Facebook, and half of my contacts there are people I went to kindergarten with (many years ago).
Ian MacDonald
Ian is the division vice president, eCommerce and Marketing with PartySuppliesDelivered.com. He focuses on customer acquisition and conversation optimization.
Here is more about Ian in his own words.
Q: What direct-to-customer marketing subject could you talk about all day?
A: Website site search: Its (unappreciated) ability to drive new traffic to your website; the awesome reporting and what it tells you about your businesses strengths and weaknesses; and, of course, how it improves the customer experience. The importance of sharing marketing analytics across marketing channels: What do the reporting tools of your SEM, SEO, site search, comparison shopping engines, Amazon/eBay, Google Analytics, and order management systems tell you about each other? How do you apply what worked in one venue across all others?
Q: What excites you most outside your day-to-day business life?
A: Watching Law & Order and other crime dramas, reading INC, Fast Company, and business books, and attempting to walk our 3 dogs on a regular basis with my wife.
Q: What did you want to be when you grew up?
A: A lawyer.
Q: If a Genie were to grant you one wish, what would it be?
A: More wishes.
Q: What social media do you personally use (not for business use)?
A: Facebook and LinkedIn
Gordon Magee
Gordon is the internet marketing and media manager for Drs. Foster and Smith Pet Supplies.
When asked to describe his job, he said, “I oversee the content and marketing on our websites, as well as oversee media, public relations and media.”
Here is more about Gordon in his own words.
Q: What direct-to-customer marketing subject could you talk about all day?
A: Having a great product and brand to sell and represent.
Q: What excites you most outside your day-to-day business life?
A: Having written a song called Unbelievabull, that Randy Travis recorded just this May, and that is now the theme song for Championship Bull Riding. It’s played on Fox Sports every Sunday night on the CBR broadcast.
Q: What did you want to be when you grew up?
A: A professional baseball player.
Q: If a Genie were to grant you one wish, what would it be?
A: The cliché: world peace, so little kids all over the world could grow up loving life instead of dreading it.
Q: What was your first-ever job?
A: Working on farms near our small Iowa farm town, baling hay.
Rudy Picchietti
Rudy is the president of Munico Corp. When asked to describe his job, he said, “Complete responsibility for start-up E Commerce business.”
Here is more about Rudy in his own words.
Q: What direct-to-customer marketing subject could you talk about all day?
A: Multi Channel Marketing Strategies.
Q: What excites you most outside your day-to-day business life?
A: Having flexibility to make decisions on the fly.
Q: What did you want to be when you grew up?
A: Baseball player.
Q: If a Genie were to grant you one wish, what would it be?
A: Win the lottery.
Q: If you could have one super-hero power, what would it be?
A: To fly.
Q: What apps do you most use on your iPad or iPhone?
A: Linked In, Yahoo Finance, Scrabble and Facebook.
Neal Schuler
Neal Schuler is the executive director, Creative Marketing Services, with Colony Brands Inc.
When asked to describe his job, he said, “I lead a fabulous team of 60+ creatives serving 10 different brands. It’s the most diverse and interesting job I’ve ever had – stretch and be nimble is my mantra.”
Here is more on Neal in his own words.
Q: What direct-to-customer marketing subject could you talk about all day?
A: The fundamentals of direct response – psychology of marketing or the value of big red buttons on a commerce site.
Q: What excites you most outside your day-to-day business life?
A: Hanging with my wife and cooking great food.
Q: What was your first-ever job?
A: I was in a rock n roll band that played school dances, we had matching shirts.
Q: What apps do you most use on your iPad or iPhone?
A: android user: navigation, android weather, metal detector and MCM Judge app, (tallies the number of marketing clichés within a campaign).
Tom Steele
Tom is the director of retail marketing for Guitar Center.
When asked to describe his job, he said he integrates “broad scale media and direct marketing strategies with a retail calendar to drive traffic and sales at Guitar Center stores and web properties.”
Here is more about Tom in his own words.
Q: What direct-to-customer marketing subject could you talk about all day?
A: Leveraging retail as entertainment and the in-store experience against the “why-buy-it-now” power of direct marketing.
Q: What did you want to be when you grew up?
A: A writer.
Q: If a Genie were to grant you one wish, what would it be?
A: A better brain . . . or at least one good enough to get through Spinoza without feeling like an intellectual gnat.
Q: What was your first-ever job?
A: I delivered a community newspaper on my bike and collected twenty cents per subscriber, except from that one house with the Great Dane. In my first week my cut of the take was $19.60, and it was all the money in the world.
Q: What apps do you most use on your iPad or iPhone?
A: Flashlight.
Q: What’s your favorite destination, for business, pleasure or both?
A: Playing basketball in the park with my son James.
Richard Sexton
Richard is the president and CEO of Carolina Rustica.
When asked to describe his job he said, “I fill in the gaps doing all the things that my staff can’t get to at the moment. In between, I try to set strategy, work on supplier relationships, dabble in SEO, and make coffee.”
Here is more on Richard in his own words.
Q: What direct-to-customer marketing subject could you talk about all day?
A: Setting, meeting, and hopefully exceeding customer expectations in the age of instant gratification.
Q: What excites you most outside your day-to-day business life?
A: My two free-spirited girls, ages 5 and 8.
Q: What was your first-ever job?
A: I started a landscape business when I was 12 or 13.
Q: What social media do you personally use (not for business use)?
A: Boring old Facebook, but mostly as a stalker.
Q: Would your high school teachers be surprised by your career choice?
A: They would be surprised I am still alive, much less gainfully employed.
Cassie Troiano
Cassie Troiano is the director, eCommerce, XO Group Inc.
Bio coming soon.
Ken Burke
Ken Burke is the founder and executive chairman with Market Live.
Bio coming soon.
Joan Abrams
Joan Abrams is the director ecommerce with Ross-Simons.
When asked to describe her job, Joan said, “I give customers compelling reasons to buy beautiful jewelry.”
Here is more about Joan in her own words.
Q: What direct-to-customer marketing subject could you talk about all day?
A: The psychology of shopping and why people buy.
Q: What excites you most outside your day-to-day business life?
A: Yoga!
Q: If a Genie were to grant you one wish, what would it be?
A: Aren’t you supposed to be careful what you wish for?!
Q: What was your first-ever job?
A: Selling concessions at the pool in the summer. It’s where I first calculated the gross margin on popcorn (about 99% in case you’re interested).
Q: What apps do you most use on your iPad or iPhone?
A: Facebook, Google, Peapod – when I can get my iPad away from my kids!
Monique Berger
Monique Berger is the director of production with The Territory Ahead.
Bio coming soon.
Debra Ellis
Debra Ellis is the founder of Debra Ellis Consulting.
Here is more about Debra in her own words.
Q: What direct-to-customer marketing subject could you talk about all day?
A: Customer retention and how to use all of the great tools that we have to connect with people across channels.
Q: What excites you most outside your day-to-day business life?
A: Spending time with my teenage children (when they let me!) I love listening to their dreams and perspective on life.
Q: What did you want to be when you grew up?
A: A writer of murder mysteries.
Q: If a Genie were to grant you one wish, what would it be?
A: For people to work together to make the world a better place.
Q: What apps do you most use on your iPad or iPhone?
A: Hootsuite and Overdrive Media.
Q: What’s your favorite destination, for business, pleasure or both?
A: The beach – almost any will do. It is a nice break from our mountains.
Q: Would your high school teachers be surprised by your career choice?
A: Yes. I started out as a writer, became an engineer, and am now a marketer. It isn’t exactly a natural progression.
Jay Greenberg
Jay Greenberg is the director of ecommerce marketing with Bed Bath & Beyond.
Here is more on Jay in his own words.
Q: What direct-to-customer marketing subject could you talk about all day?
A: Sales Incrementality and attribution.
Q: What excites you most outside your day-to-day business life?
A: Family.
Q: What did you want to be when you grew up?
A: Tennis pro.
Q: If a Genie were to grant you one wish, what would it be?
A: Unlimited wishes.
Q: What was your first-ever job?
A: Working at McDonald’s.
Q: What social media do you personally use (not for business use)?
A: Linked-in.
Terry Jukes
Terry Jukes is the President of B2B Direct Marketing Intelligence LLC, a consulting practice that helps multichannel direct marketing companies grow. He is an experienced business operator. He acts as an advisor in various product, marketing, sales and Internet based projects for both large publicly traded companies and smaller, family owned businesses. In addition, he advises investment/buying groups and owners/sellers, participates in due diligence for M&A projects and serves on several company boards in the catalog industry.
He has also been the President of gNeil Companies and Misco Computer Supplies, two large multinational direct marketing/catalog businesses. Over Terry’s 30 year career in direct marketing he has either lead or worked directly with over 150 direct marketing companies both in the USA, Canada, Germany, France and Asia.
Robin Lebo
Robin Lebo is a consultant with Lebo Direct.
When asked to describe her job, Robin said she works with clients “to acquire new customers and/or improve customer experience via multiple channels.”
Here is more on Robin in her own words.
Q: What direct-to-customer marketing subject could you talk about all day?
A: Contact strategy.
Q: What excites you most outside your day-to-day business life?
A: Volunteering at our local animal shelter.
Q: What did you want to be when you grew up?
A: Veterinarian.
Q: If you could have one super-hero power, what would it be?
A: Read minds.
Q: What apps do you most use on your iPad or iPhone?
A: Gas Buddy, wine.com, LinkedIn, shopsavvy, weather, stocks.
John F. Lenser
John F. Lenser is the vice president of Merkle Inc.
When asked to describe his job, John said, “I provide business and marketing consulting to a variety of multichannel retail companies.”
Here is more on John in his own words.
Q: What direct-to-customer marketing subject could you talk about all day?
A: Targeted, database driven customer relationship marketing.
Q: What excites you most outside your day-to-day business life?
A: Spending time and conversation with my wife and best friend; a far second is riding my bike thousands of miles each year!
Q: What did you want to be when you grew up?
A: A forest ranger but quickly jumped to criminologist as my first career.
Q: What apps do you most use on your iPad or iPhone?
A: Besides email and contacts – wunderground.com – a weather app.
Q: What’s your favorite destination, for business, pleasure or both?
A: Cabo – minimum of two weeks a year every year forever.
Lori McFadden
Lori McFadden is the creative director of lorimcfadden.com.
When asked to describe her job, she said, “I started out in graphic design, retail advertising and fashion illustration. Most of my work now is creative consulting and art direction for catalog, retail, and e-com companies. One day I’m on location bossing around fashion models, the next day I’m designing a trade show booth, the following week I’m writing a press release. I love the variety!”
Here is more about Lori in her own words.
Q: What excites you most outside your day-to-day business life?
A: I volunteer. I teach ESL (English as a Second Language) and my specialty is preparation for citizenship. I love reading and language and travel and meeting people from all over the world.
Q: What did you want to be when you grew up?
A: An artist, writer or musician. Two out of three ain’t bad!
Q: If you could have one super-hero power, what would it be?
A: Flying.
Q: What was your first-ever job?
A: Delivering the Evening Bulletin in Philadelphia at age 12 (I was not yet a morning person).
Q: What social media do you personally use (not for business use)?
A: Facebook. Family, friends, and business contacts from across the country and beyond all converge in one place. When on the road, I often use the check-in feature to see who’s in the neighborhood.
Glenn Mersereau
Glenn Mersereau is the internet marketing director and head of ecommerce at Adam & Eve/PHE, Inc.
When asked to describe his job, Mersereau said, “I am responsible for the ecommerce business of Adam & Eve, including search marketing, affiliates, digital creative, merchandising, mobile, site management, and user experience. I also am responsible for A&E’s adult video on demand unit.”
Here is more about Glenn in his own words.
Q: What direct-to-customer marketing subject could you talk about all day?
A: The intersection of UX, analytics, and merchandising…not sure it has a name, but somebody should invent one.
Q: What excites you most outside your day-to-day business life?
A: Being a kid again with my ten and six year-olds, date night with my wife, driving my boat way too fast, suffering the slings and arrows of Boston sports fandom, and enjoying a great book on the beach.
Q: What did you want to be when you grew up?
A: A paramedic/doctor/detective/business executive. OK so I had an early identity crisis.
Q: If you could have one super-hero power, what would it be?
A: Fly like superman – it would certainly cut down on the commute.
Q: What social media do you personally use (not for business use)?
A: Facebook and LinkedIn.
Jenny Super
Jenny Super is the vice president direct channel sales with Williamson-Dickie Mfg. Co.
When asked to describe her job, Jenny said she leads “the strategy development and execution of the Direct-to-Consumer business, manage the P&L of the business unit, and serve on the US Division Strategy team.”
Here is more about Jenny in her own words.
Q: What direct-to-customer marketing subject could you talk about all day?
A: Customer acquisition and retention.
Q: What excites you most outside your day-to-day business life?
A: The balance of numerous activities to include spending time with my husband, spin and road cycling, riding my horse, sailing, and time with family and friends.
Q: What did you want to be when you grew up?
A: A veterinarian.
Q: What social media do you personally use (not for business use)?
A: Facebook on a limited basis.
Craig Winer
Craig Winer is the vice president of Garrett Wade Co.
Here is more on Craig in his own words.
Q: What excites you most outside your day-to-day business life?
A: Besides my wife and kids, racing triathlons, oh, and getting my darn fruits trees bug-free.
Q: What did you want to be when you grew up?
A: Not an actor or a doctor or a lawyer.
Q: If a Genie were to grant you one wish, what would it be?
A: Apricots on my trees.
Q: What was your first-ever job?
A: Folding jeans and stocking shelves.
Q: What apps do you most use on your iPad or iPhone?
A:Pee run, Sonos, HBO go & NBC Olympics.
Jaimey Wilman
Jaimey Wilman is the director of marketing for Action Bag Company.
When asked to describe her job, Jaimey said, “I’m a master juggler directing all communications and customer touch points for our multiple markets.”
Here is more about Jaimey in her own words.
Q: What direct-to-customer marketing subject could you talk about all day?
A: The constantly shifting marketing channel landscape. What’s new, what will catch on, what’s working, and what do customers really want.
Q: What excites you most outside your day-to-day business life?
A: Family, friends, and remembering life is made of moments. I’m an avid fitness fan. I also love flower gardens, a good mystery book, all kinds of tea, and pretty much all things purple.
Q: If you could have one super-hero power, what would it be?
A: Freezing Time. Imagine all I could get done if I could stop time for a bit!
Q: What was your first-ever job?
A: I was a food server at a retirement home when I was 13. I had to wear a tux. The job taught me many life skills including coping with different personalities, how not to burn oneself in a kitchen, tying a bow tie… but it also taught me that food service was not for me! I took an office job the next year.
Q: What social media do you personally use (not for business use)?
A: Facebook (I need my daily dose of cute baby and kitten pics), Twitter for up to the second news, and LinkedIn to keep in touch with my professional connections.
Q: What’s on your Pinterest board?
A: Home Décor, Fitness, Fashion, and of course Bags!
Jeannie Walters
Jeannie Walters is the CEO of 360Connext.
When asked to explain her job, Jeannie said, “I have trademarked the title Customer Experience Investigator because I spend my days evaluating the true experience of customers in many industries. I do this by specific, proprietary scoring and journey mapping. I also blog, speak and write on the subject.”
Here is more about Jeannie in her own words.
Q: What excites you most outside your day-to-day business life?
A: Being a mom to two boys, I get pretty excited to cheer at t-ball and soccer games!
Q: What did you want to be when you grew up?
A: I thought I was going to be an investigative journalist…actually, that’s pretty close!
Q: If you could have one super-hero power, what would it be?
A: Stop time! How cool would it be to have an hour knowing the world would remain just as you had left it?
Q: What was your first-ever job?
A: I was a dork and talked my way into the first high school internship at a local newspaper publisher.
Q: What social media do you personally use (not for business use)?
A: I love, love, love social media. I use it all: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Instagram, Foursquare, even Google+.
Q: Would your high school teachers be surprised by your career choice?
A: My math teachers would be surprised I use statistics so much! But most wouldn’t be surprised by my blogging, since they expected me to be a writer.
Maria Youth
Maria Youth is the Director of Business Development with I-Behavior.
When asked to describe her job, she said she finds “clients in the direct mail and online space who could benefit from I-Behavior’s co-op database and services.”
Here is more about Maria in her own words.
Q: What excites you most outside your day-to-day business life?
A: Spending time with my family.
Q: What did you want to be when you grew up?
A: Nurse.
Q: If a Genie were to grant you one wish, what would it be?
A: Give me $100 Million dollars.
Q: If you could have one super-hero power, what would it be?
A: Ability to fly.
Q: What was your first-ever job?
A: Working on the log flume at Great Adventure.
Q: What social media do you personally use (not for business use)?
A: LinkedIn.
Q: What’s your favorite destination, for business, pleasure or both?
A: Mexico.
Glenda Shasho Jones
Glenda Shasho Jones is the president of Shasho Jones Direct, Inc.
When asked to describe her job, Glenda said, “My job is helping companies improve their performance. Sometimes it is applying Best Practices; sometimes it is rebranding a business. I was most proud when a client called me their “change agent”. Most often it means working with an internal group (creative, merchandising and marketing) to improve their work, their communications and their own abilities. I’m often initially perceived as the bad guy when I start but that perception only lasts with the people who don’t measure up!”
Here is more about Glenda in her own words.
Q: What direct-to-customer marketing subject could you talk about all day?
A: All the ways that creative efforts & strong branding can help improve business performance. (I’m very boring at parties!)
Q: What excites you most outside your day-to-day business life?
A: My daughter, followed closely by fishing.
Q: What did you want to be when you grew up?
A: A veterinarian, passionately!
Q: If you could have one super-hero power, what would it be?
A: Read my daughter’s mind.
Q: What was your first-ever job?
A: I was a waitress when I was 15, working weekend weddings and bar mitzvah’s. The tips were phenomenal! Lots of happy fathers and uncles!
Q: What apps do you most use on your iPad or iPhone?
A: Camera, Starbucks “touch to pay”, Words with Friends, “Germs” (It’s a game).
Q: What’s your favorite destination, for business, pleasure or both?
A: Anywhere I can fish.
Yisroel Spanier
Yisroel Spanier is the director of ecommerce with Discount Surgical Stockings.
When asked to describe his job, Yisroel said, “I manage all aspects of our ecommerce presence, from optimizing our site for sales to PPC and SEO.”
Here is more about Yisroel in his own words.
Q: What direct-to-customer marketing subject could you talk about all day?
A: Google Adwords.
Q: What excites you most outside your day-to-day business life?
A: Cycling and basketball.
Q: What was your first-ever job?
A: A programmer.
Q: What social media do you personally use (not for business use)?
A: Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest.
Q: What’s on your Pinterest board?
A: Food.
Q: What apps do you most use on your iPad or iPhone?
A: Twitter, Feeds and Starbucks.
Q: What’s your favorite destination, for business, pleasure or both?
A: Colorado.
Mike Faith
Mike Faith is a serial entrepreneur and is founder and CEO of Headsets.com, Inc, America’s largest retailer of headsets. Headsets.com has made three appearances on the Inc 500 fastest growing companies list, and was twice voted as one of the best places to work in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Mike started www.reservedinners.com, which holds dinners for celebrities with 100% of the proceeds going to charities, recent guests of honor have included Sir Richard Branson, and General John Abizaid. Mike is a Vegan, chess player, and Segway polo player.
Zach Morrison
Zach Morrison is the vice president and director of SEM with Elite SEM Inc.
When asked to explain his job, Zach said, “I run the day to day operations, business development, client services, and overall company strategy.”
Here is more about Zach in his own words.
Q: What direct-to-customer marketing subject could you talk about all day?
A: Search Engine Marketing (SEM) (Paid Search/PPC).
Q: What excites you most outside your day-to-day business life?
A: Traveling and the Miami Heat.
Q: What did you want to be when you grew up?
A: Basketball player.
Q: If a Genie were to grant you one wish, what would it be?
A: World Peace.
Q: If you could have one super-hero power, what would it be?
A: Time traveling (Flash).
Q: What apps do you most use on your iPad or iPhone?
A: Tripit, ESPN, Mint, Open Table & Immaculate Infatuation (NYC Food Blog).