Marketers
Who: Bill Archer
What: CMO-business
Where: AT&T, Dallas
Why: Archer oversees all marketing functions for the business segment of AT&T, including business strategy, segment marketing, product management, sales enablement, positioning and product profitability. This year, he led the continuation of AT&T's integrated campaign “The Internet Can't Hide Anymore,” aimed at mobile business executives. He is also pushing AT&T's move into more social media, including YouTube videos and viral campaigns.
Who: Susan Bostrom
What: Exec VP-CMO, global policy and government affairs
Where: Cisco Systems, San Jose, Calif.
Why: Bostrom is responsible for communicating Cisco's vision and strategy through positioning, branding, advertising and growth initiatives. She oversees Cisco's integrated “Welcome to the Human Network” campaign and the company's development of Web 2.0 applications, including social media, online video, blogs and online communities.
Who: Kathy Button Bell
What: VP-CMO
Where: Emerson, St. Louis
Why: Bell, who has served as CMO at Emerson for 10 years, leads global marketing and corporate branding for the engineering company. In March, she spearheaded the launch of an integrated campaign, “It's Never Been Done Before.” The campaign, part of Emerson's “Consider it solved” positioning, aims to show how the company is providing innovative solutions in heating, power and energy efficiency.
Who: Beth Comstock
What: Senior VP-CMO
Where: General Electric Co., Fairfield, Conn.
Why: Comstock, who returned as CMO last year after a stint as president of integrated media at GE business unit NBC Universal, leads all growth and innovation initiatives for GE, including sales, marketing and communications efforts. She oversees the company's “ecomagination” environmental business platform, as well as its new “healthymagination” initiative for health care.
Who: Eduardo Conrado
What: Senior VP-global business and technology marketing
Where: Motorola Inc., Schaumburg, Ill.
Why: Conrado oversees global marketing for Motorola's home and networks mobility, government and public safety, and enterprise mobility business segments. He spearheaded Motorola's “Technology That's Second Nature” campaign, aimed at the public safety markets, and is directing the company's push into more digital and database marketing initiatives.
Who: Anne Finucane
What: CMO
Where: Bank of America, Charlotte, N.C.
Why: Finucane, who has served as CMO for three years, leads marketing, communications, advertising and research for Bank of America and all its lines of business. This year, she oversaw the roll out of the new Bank of America Merrill Lynch branding campaign, following Bank of America's acquisition of Merrill Lynch in January. The combined brand incorporates global commercial banking, global corporate and investment banking and global markets businesses.
Who: Tom Haas
What: CMO
Where: Siemens Corp., New York
Why: Haas, who has served as CMO for seven years, is responsible for all corporate marketing and brand advertising for Siemens. He has been instrumental in the development of Siemens One, an integrated business unit that provides infrastructure solutions across the company's different businesses in health care, industry and energy. He also oversees the “Siemens Answers” campaign, which debuted two years ago.
Who: Jeff Hayzlett
What: VP-CMO
Where: Eastman Kodak Co., Rochester, N.Y.
Why: Hayzlett was named CMO at Kodak two years ago, after serving as CMO at Kodak's Graphics Communications Group. He is responsible for brand development and management, market development, corporate sponsorships and marketing. He recently oversaw the launch of a new campaign, “It's Time for You and Kodak,” and has been instrumental in developing sponsorships with “Celebrity Apprentice” on NBC and the “Kodak Challenge” with the PGA Tour.
Who: Marty Homlish
What: Global CMO
Where: SAP, New York
Why: Homlish is responsible for SAP's global and regional marketing activities, including branding, advertising, solution marketing and online marketing. This year, he oversaw the launch of a branding campaign called “It's Time for a Clear New World.” The effort is designed to show how SAP's solutions provide businesses with operational transparency and accountability.
Who: John Kennedy
What: VP-corporate marketing
Where: IBM Corp., Armonk, N.Y.
Why: Kennedy, who has been in his current position since March, leads all IBM global branding and marketing programs. He was previously VP-marketing for IBM Americas and oversaw the November debut of “Smarter Planet,” a global initiative designed to show how IBM is developing products and services to help the planet economically, socially and technically.
Who: Antonio Lucio
What: CMO
Where: Visa Inc., San Francisco
Why: Lucio, who has served as CMO for two years, directs all branding and marketing initiatives at Visa. He oversaw Visa's 2008 “Go World” Summer Olympics advertising campaign and the introduction this year of a new global ad campaign, “More People Go With Visa.” Under his direction, Visa has also been exploring such social media as a Facebook application for the Visa Business Network.
Who: Sean Maloney
What: Exec VP-chief sales and marketing officer
Where: Intel Corp., Santa Clara, Calif.
Why: Maloney, who has been at Intel for 26 years, leads all marketing and sales operations at the company. This year, he oversaw the launch of “Sponsors of Tomorrow,” Intel's largest marketing campaign in three years and the first to promote the Intel brand rather than the company's processors. Under Maloney's direction, Intel has been a leader in using Web 2.0 technologies, including online videos, live video in banner ads and virtual events.
Who: Mich Mathews
What: Senior VP-central marketing group
Where: Microsoft Corp., Redmond, Wash.
Why: Mathews oversees Microsoft's global corporate marketing efforts, including branding, advertising, PR, research, events, packaging, relationship marketing and internal communications. This year, she spearheaded a new b2b campaign—called “It's Everybody's Business”—designed to show how Microsoft's technology helps people run their businesses successfully, particularly in a down economy. She has also been involved in the launch of Microsoft's new Bing search engine, a major effort to take on rival Google.
Who: Michael Mendenhall
What: Senior VP-CMO
Where: Hewlett-Packard Co., Palo Alto, Calif.
Why: Mendenhall, who has served as CMO for nearly two years, directs all HP corporate marketing operations globally. He has overseen the development of a robust digital strategy that incorporates social media and other digital channels. Also under his direction, HP formed a multiyear sports marketing partnership with the NBA and an accompanying ad campaign, “HP Insider.”
Who: Christine Owens
What: Senior VP-communications and brand management
Where: United Parcel Service of America, Atlanta
Why: Owens, who has been with UPS for 30 years, has global responsibility for advertising, brand management, customer communications and PR. Under her direction, UPS this year introduced an integrated campaign (“Maximum Driver”) that promotes its NASCAR sponsorship. She also oversaw UPS' advertising efforts during last year's Summer Olympics in Beijing and the rollout of 12 new commercials in the company's ongoing “Whiteboard” effort.
Who: Teresa Poggenpohl
What: Executive director of global image
Where: Accenture, Chicago
Why: Poggenpohl, who has been at Accenture for more than 20 years, has overall responsibility for advertising, brand management, Internet marketing, marketing research and strategy, and database marketing. This year, she continued to oversee Accenture's “We Know What It Takes to Be a Tiger” campaign, which won Accenture top marketer honors at the 2009 Business Marketing Association Pro-Comm Awards.
Who: Patti Temple Rocks
What: VP-global communications and reputation
Where: Dow Chemical Co., Midland, Mich.
Why: Rocks leads Dow's corporate branding and reputation initiatives. This year, she continued to manage Dow's “Human Element” campaign, which debuted in 2006 and illustrates the company's commitment to developing technologies and products to help solve global problems. The campaign won Best in Show at this year's BMA Chicago Tower Awards.
Who: Marcy Shinder
What: VP-brand strategy and marketing
Where: American Express OPEN, New York
Why: Shinder is responsible for all brand strategy and marketing at American Express OPEN, which serves small-business customers. This year, she spearheaded efforts to provide resources to help small businesses survive the downturn, including launching an economy section on OPENForum.com, starting her own blog, using social media such as Twitter and recognizing small businesses through partnerships like Make Mine a Million $ Business.
Who: Judith Sim
What: Senior VP-CMO
Where: Oracle Corp., Redwood Shores, Calif.
Why: Sim, who has served as CMO at Oracle for six years, is responsible for all corporate marketing, including advertising, branding, events and field marketing. She led the company's push into digital marketing such as social media, virtual events, online videos and user forums. Oracle is also using such traditional marketing, as print ads and face-to-face events, to reach customers.
Who: Laurie Tucker
What: Senior VP-corporate marketing
Where: FedEx Corp., Memphis, Tenn.
Why: Tucker leads global marketing at FedEx, including branding, advertising, sponsorships, events and marketing communications. This year, she oversaw the introduction of a new branding campaign that is part of FedEx's ongoing “Relax, it's FedEx” positioning, as well as the new “sustainability” campaign that demonstrates the company's commitment to the environment. In addition, Tucker oversees FedEx's sports marketing partnerships with NASCAR, the NFL and the PGA.
Agencies
Who: Carl Anderson
What: CEO
Where: Doremus, New York
Why: Under Anderson's direction, Doremus grew its business by more than 40% in 2008, adding new clients such as Cigna, Office Depot, Sage North America and URS Corp. Doremus also launched integrated campaigns such as “Intervention for Files Management Maniac,” for Brocade; “It's Time,” for Cigna; and “The Science of Trading. The Standard of Trust,” for Knight Capital Group.
Who: John Dooner
What: Chairman-CEO
Where: McCann Worldgroup, New York
Why: Under Dooner's leadership, McCann won major new b2b accounts globally, including Siemens Energy in Asia, Endesa Energy in Spain and Saudi Basic Industries Corp. in the U.K. Additionally, the agency created innovative campaigns for clients, such as “Cart Whisperer,” for Verisign; “Cisco Energy Tax,” for Nortel Networks; and “Industrial Lubricants,” for ExxonMobil.
Who: Howard Draft
What: Chairman-CEO
Where: Draftfcb, Chicago
Why: Draft has led the agency's growth since direct agency Draft merged with FCB in 2006. The agency's clients include Boeing, CA, Dow Chemical and Hewlett-Packard Co. Last year, it developed integrated campaigns such as “The Alternate IT Universe,” for HP; “The Human Element,” for Dow; and “That's Why We're Here,” for Boeing.
Who: John Favalo
What: Managing partner—Group B2B
Where: Eric Mower & Associates, Syracuse, N.Y.
Why: Favalo leads the b2b practice at Eric Mower & Associates, which won new clients ADT Security, GE Energy, Syracuse Research Corp., Technicon Industries and Verizon Wireless in 2008. The agency introduced campaigns including “It's Our Nature,” for Nucor Steel; “Print Is,” for Eastman Kodak Co.; and “Solutions Advisor,” for Motorola.
Who: Carla Hendra
What: CEO
Where: Ogilvy North America
Why: Hendra, who was named CEO in 2008 (from co-CEO), oversaw Ogilvy's growth as it won such new b2b clients as British Airways, Clear Card, Met Life, Motorola Inc., Siemens and Thomson Reuters. The agency also created integrated campaigns including “The Business of Innovation,” for IBM Corp.; “Voices of the Olympics Games,” for Lenovo; and “Welcome to the Human Network,” for Cisco Systems.
Who: David Jones
What: Global CEO
Where: EuroRSCG, New York
Why: Under Jones' leadership, EuroRSCG saw significant global expansion last year, winning accounts including Bibby Financial Services, the International Monetary Fund and the New York Stock Exchange. The agency created innovative campaigns such as “Exchanging World,” for NYSE; “Talk to Chuck,” for Charles Schwab Corp.; and “Winning Combination” for Sprint.
Who: Adam Kleinberg
What: CEO
Where: Traction, San Francisco
Why: Kleinberg founded interactive agency Traction in 2001, and since then it has won major b2b accounts including Adobe Systems, Bank of America, SAP and Sun Microsystems. Last year, its revenue grew by 30%, and it developed such interactive campaigns as a social media application for Adobe, an online banking experience for Bank of America, and an online branding campaign for Egencia (formerly Expedia).
Who: Laura Lang
What: CEO
Where: Digitas, Boston
Why: Under Lang's leadership, Digitas doubled its new-business revenue in 2008 (over 2007) and added new clients including Shell and Samsung, as well as expanded work from Delta Air Lines and IBM Corp. It created interactive applications such as “Dialogues,” for Shell; “Smart Market,” for IBM; and “Solid State Drives,” for Samsung.
Who: Daniel Morel
What: Chairman-CEO
Where: Wunderman, New York
Why: Morel led Wunderman's growth in 2008 as it picked up b2b clients such as Nokia and additional business from Microsoft Corp. Among the integrated campaigns it developed were: “Developed Once, Run Anywhere,” for HP; “I Live to Code,” for Microsoft; and “Virus,” for Microsoft.
Who: John Osborn
What: President-CEO
Where: BBDO New York
Why: Under Osborn's leadership, BBDO expanded its global presence, adding China and Central Europe duties for client Monster and developing Olympics work for client General Electric Co. Its major b2b campaigns last year included “Carrier Pigeons,” for FedEx; “ecomagination,” for GE; and “Your Calling Is Calling,” for Monster.
Who: Mike O'Toole
What: President
Where: PJA Advertising+Marketing, Cambridge, Mass.
Why: O'Toole, who was promoted to president of PJA in December, oversaw the agency's expansion as it added new clients such as AGA Medical, Infor, Juniper Networks; Luminus Technologies and Ness Technologies. The agency developed campaigns last year including “Making IT Work as One,” for Novell; “Think Again,” for Trend Micro; and “Proven Software. Improved.” for Infor.
Who: Dick Rogers
What: President
Where: DDB North America, Chicago
Why: DDB grew its business substantially last year, winning such new clients as AT&T, Glidden, Legg-Mason, McAfee, Sunpower and Wachovia. It also developed campaigns including “Cross Section,” for United Technologies Corp.; “You Dream It, We Stream It,” for AT&T; and “Office Live Small Business,” for Microsoft Corp. The agency was also inducted into the CEBA Hall of Fame last year.
Who: Rick Segal
What: CEO
Where: GyroHSR North America, Cincinnati
Why: HSR Business to Business (which merged with London-based Gyro International in April) grew its total revenue by 30% last year and won clients including First Data Corp., John Deere & Co., Motorola Corp. and Pitney Bowes. It created integrated campaigns such as “The Ultimate Skid Steer Smackdown,” for John Deere; “Connections That Matter,” for Pitney Bowes;, and “Accept No Substitute,” for the Chicago Board Options Exchange.
Who: Gary Slack
What: Chairman-chief experience officer
Where: Slack Barshinger, New York
Why: Slack, who leads b2b agency Slack Barshinger, is also 2009-10 chairman of the Business Marketing Association. Under his direction, Slack Barshinger picked up new clients including ArcelorMittal, Association of Equipment Manufacturers, Dow Corning, National Starch Food Innovation and Office Depot (Business Solutions Division). It also created such integrated campaigns as “100% Jam Proof shredders,” for Fellowes; “You Need to Be Here,” for PackExpo; and a communications campaign for Google AdWords.
Who: Tom Stein
What: President-CEO
Where: Stein Rogan, New York
Why: Under Stein's leadership, the agency picked up new b2b clients including Brightcove, FTI Technology, IPC Systems, Schoolwires, Silverpop, Standard & Poor's and Syniverse Technologies. It developed innovative campaigns for clients, such as “Come Together Around Success,” for Schoolwires; “Do More. Travel Less,” for Citrix Online; and “Trade Up. Trade On,” for IPC.
Direct
Who: Bill Fairfield
What: CEO
Where: infoGROUP, Omaha, Neb.
Why: Fairfield stepped into this position last August amid turmoil and litigation directed at former CEO Vinod Gupta. His steady vision since then has led infoGROUP to a new level, delivering best-in-class solutions to existing and potential customers in its markets. His customercentric and forward-thinking approach has challenged all areas of the company to recapture its focus on cutting-edge products and services.
Who: Michael Fisher
What: Senior VP-sales and marketing, the Americas
Where: Alterian, Chicago
Why: Sensing a monumental shift in the marketing industry, Fisher brought together industry visionaries to define and create a two-way dialogue with customers through multichannel engagement. The advent of Alterian's Customer Engagement Agency aimed to provide marketers with a 360-degree view into consumer behavior by integrating data, analytics, strategy, creative and technology to break down silos inside traditional service delivery organizations.
Who: Hyune Hand
What: President
Where: Hoover's, Austin, Texas
Why: Hand joined Hoover's as president in February, focusing on the successful execution of Hoover's initiatives and driving growth within Dun & Bradstreet's Internet Solutions Business. To kick off 2009, the company introduced Hoover's Mobile for iPhone, BlackBerry and Windows Mobile smart phones. In March, its Access Hoover's CRM product was launched on the Microsoft Dynamics CRM system, and the company continued to provide developers the ability to integrate Hoover's content into mashups and other Web 2.0 services through its Hoover's API offering.
Who: Greg Hogue
What: VP-industry executive for communications, media and travel
Where: Acxiom Corp., Little Rock, Ark.
Why: Hogue serves as the strategic leader over three industries that are in the forefront of major international shifts. Hogue's vision and direction have helped Acxiom clients in these segments to adapt and market during volatile times through strong customer insight and effective analytics. Hogue also currently represents Acxiom on the Travel Industry Association board.
Who: Denise S. Hopkins
What: VP-marketing and product development
Where: Experian, Costa Mesa, Calif.
Why: With a reputation for expertise in b2b marketing, Hopkins has been busy this year providing customercentric data solutions to marketers that rely on the blended customer view, as well as segmentation and targeting. With more than 20 years experience, Hopkins continues to find new ways to link data that presents accurate, in-depth pictures of customers and prospects.
Who: Bryan Kennedy
What: President-CEO
Where: Epsilon, Dallas
Why: Kennedy, who became president-CEO earlier this year, oversees the strategy and delivery of Epsilon's marketing services to major brands worldwide. His leadership has led Epsilon to a record first quarter in 2009, with 19 new email clients, as well as numerous industry accolades.
Who: Russell Kern
What: President
Where: Kern Organization, Woodland Hills, Calif.
Why: Kern is a strategic direct marketing leader with more than 20 years of demand-generation and lead-management expertise, driving his agency's work in integrated multichannel lead generation, customer acquisition, automated marketing and lead nurturing. The Kern Organization serves both middle-market and Fortune 500 b2b clients, and operates within Omnicom Group's DAS companies.
Who: Ed Mallin
What: President
Where: InfoGROUP Services Group, Pearl River, N.Y.
Why: Mallin oversees division entities Direct Media Millard, Edith Roman Associates and Walter Karl. With more than 25 years of direct marketing industry experience, Mallin's knowledge and innovative spirit have made him an industry leader in targeted media services. He now is also a leader in the emerging multichannel marketplace, providing customers with a one-stop resource for services that go beyond list management.
Who: Cathrine “Cat” Moriarty
What: Program manager-corporate advertising and editor
Where: United States Postal Service, Deliver magazine, Washington, D.C.
Why: Moriarty has been instrumental in parlaying the power of direct mail, with Deliver becoming a must read for many of the 300,000 executives who receive it. This year, Deliver is continuing to grow its readership through more USPS-specific content, including regular columns, news briefs and creative direct-marketing campaigns. Its Web site and marketing efforts have helped position the Postal Service as a thought leader in direct marketing.
Who: John Papalia
What: President-CEO
Where: Statlistics, Danbury, Conn.
Why: Papalia and Statlistics have long had a strong reputation for consumer and b2b list expertise, tailoring client plans that combine promotions, trade show presence and advertising to maximize exposure and list rental revenue. With the introduction of new co-registration lead-generation initiatives, Papalia is spearheading a more integrated marketing program for advertisers and the list rental industry.
Who: Chris Paradysz
What: Co-CEO
Where: ParadyszMatera, New York
Why: Over the last 20 years, Paradysz has steered the strategic direction of ParadyszMatera and its online marketing agency, PM Digital. Working side-by-side with a seasoned management team, Paradysz has amassed a blue-chip client list in online, publishing and retail, helping cement the company's position as a leader in direct marketing and the digital space. Paradysz is actively involved with the Direct Marketing Association, SEMPO and DMA Nonprofit Federation.
Who: Rob Sanchez
What: Partner and president-list management and interactive services
Where: MeritDirect, White Plains, N.Y.
Why: Sanchez has created a world-class b2b list management division at MeritDirect, developing extensive capabilities in interactive services, lead generation and email marketing. Under his leadership, MeritDirect has grown to be a premier partner of such leading b2b media companies as 1105 Media, BusinessWeek,
CFO, Crain Communications Inc. and United Business Media,.
Who: Jay Schwedelson
What: Corporate VP
Where: Worldata, Boca Raton, Fla.
Why: Schwedelson, current chairman of the Direct Marketing Association's List Leaders Group, continues to innovate at Worldata, expanding data warehouse solutions and enterprise-level technology that the company provides to and business organizations. Over the past year, Schwedelson spearheaded the debut of Worldata's research division.
Who: Gary Skidmore
What: President
Where: Harte-Hanks Direct Marketing, Austin, Texas
Why: Prior to becoming president last year, Skidmore led Harte-Hanks' sales organization, as well as international operations; mergers and acquisitions; and call center, fulfillment, data and software operations. Under his leadership, the company's marketing services offerings have grown to include global customer data integration, analytics, multichannel customer acquisition, retention and care.
Who: Sam Zales
What: President
Where: ZoomInfo, Waltham, Mass.
Why: Named president in December, Zales has helped ZoomInfo leverage increased the efficiency and effectiveness of its marketing and sales effort, redefining how intelligence can be used to develop targeted marketing campaigns and drive sales. Despite the downturn, ZoomInfo continues to grow, signing more than 800 sales or marketing clients in the last year.
Who: Matt Blumberg
What: Chairman-CEO
Where: Return Path, New York
Why: Deliverability and reputation services company Return Path is not an ESP. That's one fact that Blumberg has helped propagate this year and in the past, but it's not the most important thing he's done. Instead, that would fall to Blumberg's task of helping ESPs and marketers understand what good email is, why transparency is important and how to make it more accessible and deliverable. Just as important: Helping to create trust between anti-spam proponents and legitimate email marketers who, in the past, have both feared and distrusted each other.
Who: Scott Dorsey
What: CEO
Where: ExactTarget, Indianapolis
Why: In December 2007, ExactTarget announced its intent to go public. Fast-forward to May 2009: The company remains private as it received $70 million of venture capital funding even in the midst of a recession. Dorsey, who has been instrumental in growing the company 50% year-over-year has a lot to do with it. ExactTarget does more than just email marketing. Today, customers can do triggered and transactional emailing. In addition, the ESP has added such features as SMS and voice messaging, integration with CRM systems and social media interaction.
Who: John Harrison
What: Senior VP-product strategy and client services
Where: Yesmail, Portland, Ore.
Why: Email has increased in importance during the recession, but even so has been overshadowed by social media. In fact some media pundits have questioned whether email marketing will survive in the long term as Facebook, Twitter and wireless applications have increased in popularity. Harrison and his team have worked to dispel this idea and create ways to combine the two to take advantage of each outlet's unique qualities.
Who: John Rizzo
What: CEO
Where: e-Dialog, Burlington, Mass.
Why: Everyone talks about email relevance, but Rizzo is making sure his clients and the email industry know what it is and how to achieve it. From white papers to speaking engagements, e-Dialog is making sure the message is not only heard but transformed into something actionable. On the software side, a recent update of its suite (Precision Central 7.0) added tools to help users take their own actions, including Web-based email campaign management, analysis, segmentation, data integration and reporting.
Who: Matt Seeley
What: President
Where: Experian CheetahMail, New York
Why: Seeley, like all good email marketers, focuses on relevance. However he goes one step further when he tells clients that email should be meaningful as well. This year, the company introduced a prioritization tool that allows marketers to efficiently prioritize messages so recipients aren't inundated with the wrong email at the wrong time. Seeley, who helped lead the company into nine international markets, has also been instrumental in creating user communities within his own client base and creating client advocacy programs.
Search Marketing
Who: Barbara Coll
What: CEO
Where: WebMama.com, Palo Alto, Calif.
Why: Coll's midsize search marketing consulting services company, founded in 1996, dispenses strategic search advice and executes on those strategies for prominent brand-name clients. Prior to launching WebMama.com, Coll spent 10 years working for such startups as Sun Microsystems and Ipsilon Networks, and was the force behind the creation of the Search Engine Marketing Professional Organization (SEMPO).
Who: Rob Feinstein
What: VP-general manager
What: Business.com, Santa Monica, Calif.
Why: This year the b2b search engine, directory and pay-per-click ad network, under Feinstein's direction, introduced conversion tracking, added display advertising with behavioral targeting and joined Google, Yahoo and Microsoft as the first to earn MRC/IAB accreditation for click quality. The site was also redesigned to highlight more than 35,000 original how-to guides on business purchasing topics.
Who: Gord Hotchkiss
What: President-CEO
What: Enquiro Search Solutions, Kelowna, British Columbia
Why: A 12-year veteran of the search world, Hotchkiss is a board member of the Search Engine Marketing Professional Organization (SEMPO) and has been a leading voice calling for strategic thinking based on a deeper understanding of customer behavior. He is a prolific writer and speaker, always exploring the importance of basing marketing strategy on a deeper understanding of customer behavior.
Who: Jeff Killeen
What: CEO
What: GlobalSpec, Troy, N.Y.
Why: When Killeen joined GlobalSpec in 2002, it had 194,000 registered users. Now it has 5 million and is adding about 80,000 more a month. This year GlobalSpec expanded its suite of industrial product e-newsletters, which now number 64 with a circulation base of 7.6 million, continues to enhance CR4 professional network and has just debuted a new e-Events line of virtual trade shows.
Who: Kevin Lee
What: Chairman-CEO
Where: Didit, New York
Why: A search veteran since 1995, Lee not only runs search marketing and digital media agency Didit but also Didit's sibling companies, the PowerProfiles Business Directories, a partnership with D&B and online charity mall We-Care.com. He has authored “The Eyes Have It: How to Market in an Age of Divergent Consumers” (Easton Studio Press, 2007); “The Truth About Pay-Per-Click Search Advertising” (FT Press, 2009), and “Search Engine Advertising: Buying Your Way to the Top” (second edition, New Riders Press, 2009).
Who: Robert J. Murray
What: CEO
What: iProspect, Watertown, Mass.
Why: Murray, with more than 18 years of strategic consulting and financial analysis expertise, has led iProspect for the last nine years, bringing it through an acquisition by Aegis as well as its own acquisition last fall of Range Online Media. Over the past two years iProspect has opened offices in Chicago as well as Australia, Belgium, China, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Japan, Malaysia, Norway, Singapore and Spain.
Who: Don Scales
What: President-CEO
What: iCrossing, Scottsdale, Ariz.
Why: Scales helped transform iCrossing from the largest search marketing agency in the world into one of the largest independent digital marketing agencies, forming a partnership this spring to develop and manage search marketing campaigns for international brands in Russian markets. His commitment to building the agency's measurement technology has been received well by Fortune 500 companies demanding a demonstrated ROI on their marketing spend in a down economy.
Who: Sam Sebastian
What: Director, local and b2b markets
What: Google, Mountain View, Calif.
Why: Sebastian is responsible for Google's b2b practice for North America, working with large advertisers on all aspects of the company's free and paid products. Sebastian is a veteran, of the b2b space both offline and on. He sits on the boards of American Business Media and the Business Marketing Association.
Who: Danny Sullivan
What: Chief content officer
What: Third Door Media, Redding, Conn.
Why: Sullivan, well-known as a search marketing guru at Third Door Media, also is editor in chief of Search Engine Land. He programs and co-chairs Third Door's Search Marketing Expo—SMX events, and built Sphinn.com, the social networking site for Internet marketers.
Who: Lisa Wehr
What: President-CEO
Where: OneUpWeb, Traverse City, Mich.
Why: Wehr has led OneUpWeb through a period of strong growth fueled by innovative online marketing tools and technologies. One of the most-recognized authorities on digital marketing, Wehr this year led OneUpWeb in receiving a Telly Award, a BMA Sledgehammer Award and multiple ADDYs, Daveys and Communicator awards for outstanding work in SEO and social media marketing.
Business Media
Who: Frank Anton
What: CEO
Where: Hanley Wood, Washington, D.C.
Why: After years of building Hanley Wood into a power as the housing industry grew, Anton faces a new challenge: keeping his company on top in a market that's slumping. He is now charged with maintaining quality despite cutting about 20% of the staff and recently losing two key exhibition executives.
Who: Bob Carrigan
What: CEO
Where: IDG, Boston
Why: Carrigan has presided over IDG's transformation from a publisher to a company that serves readers the right information—both editorial content and marketing messages—at just the right time. He credits his four years at AOL during the heady dot-com days for allowing him to see the future power of the Internet.
Who: Keith Fox
What: President
Where:
BusinessWeek, New York
Why: Since taking over in 2007, Fox has helped transform BusinessWeek from an also-ran to a leader in the Web wars among the business publications. The site's Business XChange appears to be successful in harnessing the power of social media—but not successful enough to stop the slide in ad pages or to keep McGraw-Hill from putting the publication on the market.
Who: J. Roger Friedman
What: President
Where: Lebhar-Friedman, New York
Why: Lebhar-Friedman is not sitting still. The company's products, such as Nation's Restaurant News and Drug Store News are bolstered by strong Web sites and events. Its eCrossing Media gives it a strong position in marketing services, and its position in health care media provides protection against the current downturn.
Who: Andy Goodenough
What: CEO
Where: Summit Business Media, New York
Why: Goodenough and Summit Business Media, which specializes in financial and insurance information, are at the center of many trends. He's a staunch defender of print; he's a big believer in paid content; and his leveraged business, backed by Wind Point Partners, is getting a strong challenge from the economy.
Who: Kerry Gumas
What: CEO
Where: Questex Media, Newton, Mass.
Why: Gumas made headlines when his company switched from BPA Worldwide to Verified Audit to audit its audience. He's also been aggressive in expanding Questex's Web capabilities both organically and through acquisitions such as Fierce Markets.
Who: David Levin
What: CEO
Where: UBM, London
Why: Levin oversaw the splitting of old CMP Media tech properties into four businesses: Everything Channel, TechWeb, Tech Insights and Think Services. Time will tell if creating smaller businesses that are more focused and nimble is the way to win in the increasingly digital world of business information. With its July acquisition of RISI, UBM continues to buy market leaders with strong paid content positions.
Who: William Pollak
What: CEO
Where: Incisive Media, New York
Why: Pollak is overseeing the continued migration of Incisive Media to greater dependence on paid content rather than more cyclical advertising dollars. The financial portion of Incisive's portfolio has been hit hard by the recession, but the law side of the business has held up relatively well.
Who: Michael Rooney
What: Chief revenue officer
Where: Dow Jones & Co., New York
Why: Rooney is the sales chief for the most powerful brand in b2b media: The Wall Street Journal. With News Corp.'s deep pockets behind it, his sales staff has more Journal-branded inventory than ever, with print, online, events and a growing international reach, especially in Asia.
Who: Sharon Rowlands
What: CEO
Where: Penton Media, New York
Why: Rowlands took on a tough task in taking over Penton Media last year. She is now trying to change the culture at advertising-oriented Penton by moving some of the focus to paid content, which was successful when she was CEO of Thomson.
Who: Jim Spanfeller
What: CEO
Where: Forbes.com, New York
Why: Spanfeller saw early on that aggregation was one way to build a powerful Web site, and Forbes.com is the realization of that vision. He has been an advocate of the Web's branding power and a vocal critic of Google's generating revenue from the content of others. He is leaving Forbes.com in September to form a media management company.
Who: Tad Smith
What: CEO
Where: Reed Business Information, New York
Why: Reed Elsevier has made it clear that it would rather sell Reed Business Information than keep it, even though it took the property off the market last year. Smith has the challenge of maintaining morale at RBI U.S. while continuing to generate more revenue from paid content.
Who: Greg Strakosch
What: CEO
Where: TechTarget, Needham, Mass.
Why: Strakosch and the company's COO, Don Hawk, have been pioneers in developing online lead-generation programs. Now TechTarget is paving the way for lead nurturing and lead scoring programs, which many observers believe is the future of online b2b media.
Who: Neal Vitale
What: CEO
Where: 1105 Media, Chatsworth, Calif.
Why: Backed by Nautic Partners and Alta Communications, Vitale took over 1105 Media in 2006. With Federal Computer Week and Campus Technology, 1105 serves relatively strong markets; but, like every leveraged business in b2b media, it is being challenged by the current recession.
Who: Steve Weitzner
What: CEO
Where: Ziff Davis Enterprise, New York
Why: Weitzner took over a company that had been put through the ringer. After guiding it through a reorganization, he has attracted top talent, placed an emphasis on database marketing and formed an alliance with competitor IDG's online ad network.
Services
Who: Stephane Dehoche
What: President-CEO
Where: Neolane, Newton, Mass.
Why: Dehoche oversees the enterprise marketing automation and lead management company's products, which are used by more than 170 companies worldwide. In June, Neotlane extended its marketing automation platform with an eye to unifying in- and outbound communications. Earlier in the year, its Web-services based platform was positioned by research company Gartner in the “niche players” quadrant of the “Magic Quadrant for CRM Multichannel Campaign Management” report.
Who: David Eldridge
What: CEO
Where: Alterian, Chicago
Why: Showing impressive growth despite the chaotic world economy, Alterian in June announced revenue growth of 73% for the fiscal year ended March 31. In other highlights, Eldridge's company announced more than 200 new customers (it claims a base of more than 1,100) and 25 new channel partnerships. This month, Alterian announced the acquisition of Techrigy, a social media monitoring and analytics software company and its second acquisition in this space, further extending Eldridge's strategy to expand Alterian's platform to encompass Web sites and social media channels.
Who: Phil Fernandez
What: CEO
Where: Marketo,
Why: Among a group of ex-Epiphany marketing software executives, Fernandez (who was Epiphany's president-COO) launched Marketo in 2006, aiming his on-demand, SaaS solution at an underserved sector of the market: marketing and sales teams at midsize companies and enterprise divisions of larger organizations. As of June, Marketo claimed 200 customers in this space. Earlier this year, Salesforce.com customers voted Marketo the “best marketing automation application” on the Force.com AppExchange.
Who: William Godfrey
What: Chairman-CEO
Where: Aprimo, Indianapolis
Why: Pursuing his goal of automating the end-to-end marketing chain, Godfrey late last year entered into a partnership with Eastman Kodak Co. to offer marketers Aprimo's line of analytics and campaign management tools together with Kodak's brand content management and fulfillment services. The two expect to launch a fully integrated Aprimo-Kodak product later this year. Earlier this year, Aprimo was positioned by Gartner in the “leaders” quadrant in its “Magic Quadrant for Marketing Resource Management” report.
Who: Jim Goodnight
What: CEO
Where: SAS Institute, Cary, N.C.
Why: With customers at more than 45,000 sites, SAS is one of the largest privately owned business intelligence software vendors. And Goodnight has led the company since its incorporation in 1976. This year, Gartner positioned SAS in the “leaders” quadrant in both its “Magic Quadrant for CRM Multichannel Campaign Management” and “Magic Quadrant for Business Intelligence Platforms” reports. Meanwhile, hundreds of SAS customers are using the company's SaaS offering, SAS Solutions OnDemand, a business that's growing 15% a year, according to SAS executives.
Who: Yuchun Lee
What: Chairman-CEO
Where: Unica Corp., Waltham, Mass.
Why: Lee co-founded Unica in 1992. The company now serves more than 800 global customers with its enterprise marketing management product suite. Acknowledging the cost pressures on marketers, the company in May launched its Unica ROI Catalyst Program (four solutions built around specific business scenarios) that is designed to get marketers' interactive initiatives up and running to achieve results within weeks. In May, Unica was positioned in the “leadersl quadrant in Gartner's “Magic Quadrant for CRM Multichannel Campaign Management” report.
Who: Bill Nussey
What: President-CEO
Where: Silverpop, Atlanta
Why: Not only is Silverpop's name among the most familiar in the campaign automation and analytics space, Nussey's extensive E-Mail Marketing Strategy blog is one of the best efforts by a company leader, with just the right mix of information, musings and opinion. In January, JupiterResearch identified Silverpop's Engage B2B solution in its “Managing Leads Through Automation: Demand Generation Buyers Guide” as offering both the highest overall business value and highest market suitability among vendors in the marketing automation space.
Who: Joe Payne
What: CEO
Where: Eloqua Corp., Vienna, Va.
Why: Eloqua, which provides lead-generation and marketing automation software to b2b marketers, is benefiting from growing interest in both topics. Lately, Eloqua has been promoting what company CTO and co-founder Steven Woods calls “digital body language,” or customer insight (and better sales) through analytics. In June, the company announced that its partnership with Salesforce.com had amassed more than 300 joint customers. Meanwhile, Payne's direction has continued the company's growth while growing its customer roster to more than 500.
Who: Jim Schaper
What: Chairman-CEO
Where: Infor Global Solutions, Alpharetta, Ga.
Why: CEO since the creation of Infor Global Solutions (originally known as Agilisys) in 2002, Schaper directs one of the world's largest business software companies, with $2 billion in revenue and more than 70,000 customers worldwide. Its CRM platform, Infor CRM Epiphany, comes with integrated marketing, sales and service components. Last year, Infor released Infor CRM Business Edition, a CRM software package designed to meet the specialized sales and service needs of small to midsize businesses.
Who: Sharat Sharan
What: President-CEO
Where: ON24, San Francisco
Why: With more than 700 customers, ON24 is a global leader in webcasting and virtual events. Sharan not only knows technology (he was a member of the AT&T Bell Laboratories technical staff and holds a master's degree in computer science from Virginia Tech), his former post as VP-general manager of Hearst New Media and Technology and VP of the Hearst New Media Group gives him insight into the media business. No surprise therefore that ON24 has inked numerous customer and partner deals with media companies. In May, ON24 was honored with consultancy Frost & Sullivan's 2009 Global Market Leadership award.
Events
Who: Skip Cox
What: President-CEO
Where: Exhibit Surveys, Red Bank, N.J.
Why: Under Cox's leadership, Exhibit Surveys has enhanced its position as a leading event marketing measurement and research organization by expanding its services to include strategic consulting, online planning tools and virtual event measurement. Major clients include Cisco Systems, Hewlett-Packard Co., Intel, Johnson & Johnson, Lockheed Martin, Panasonic, Philips Healthcare and Sony Corp.
Who: David Drews
What: CFO
Where: George P. Johnson Experience Marketing, Detroit
Why: Drews' involvement in a spate of acquisitions, investments and alliances added to GPJ's strengths in online creative, mobility campaigns and social media. Those deals included Web marketing powerhouse JUXT Interactive, Australia's Spinifex Group, virtual platform InxPo, event content portal Altus Learning Systems and mobile startup MobilePromote. As a result, the company once again ranked among Ad Age's Top 25 marketing agencies, and its clients took home an unprecedented five Ex Awards in 2009 for event-based marketing performance.
Who: Donald S. Freeman Jr.
What: Chairman
Where: Freeman, Dallas
Why: A legend in the events industry, Freeman is known for his vision, integrity, customer focus and ongoing belief in the benefits of face-to-face events and expositions. He took over the family business in 1977, and has been instrumental in numerous creative, service and product innovations that have sparked both company and industry growth. Today, Freeman is a fully integrated service provider for more than 4,300 expositions and 11,000 corporate and special events annually.
Who: John Jastrem
What: President-CEO
Where: Viad's Marketing & Events Group, Dallas
Why: As of this month, Jastrem takes over a new division within parent Viad Corp. that includes experiential marketing agency Exhibitgroup/Giltspur (where he served most recently as president-CEO), exhibition and event services company GES Exposition Services, and experiential marketing company Becker Group. A veteran of Omnicom, Jastrem previously served as chairman-CEO of Rapp Collins and president of the Marketing Arm, with decades of experience in direct marketing.
Who: Josh McCall
What: Chairman-CEO
Where: Jack Morton Worldwide, New York
Why: McCall became CEO of Jack Morton in 2003 and added the title of chairman in 2007. Through his stewardship, the agency has grown globally, expanding from the U.S. to Australia, Europe and Hong Kong to meet growing demand. During this term, Jack Morton has invested in enhanced planning and measurement expertise to create digital and online experiences.
Associations
Who: John A. Greco
What: CEO
Where: Direct Marketing Association, New York
Why: Like many association heads running groups affected by the recession, Greco has been forced to cut expenses and staff. Nonetheless, he and the organization are still fighting for direct marketers. A key battle now concerns privacy protection in online behavioral targeting advertising.
Who: Glenn Hansen
What: CEO
Where: BPA Worldwide, Shelton, Conn.
Why: Hansen is overseeing BPA's continued push beyond print and into auditing Internet and other audiences. The “worldwide” part of BPA's name is no exaggeration, as Hansen spends much of his time visiting BPA members from China to Europe and points in between.
Who: Gordon T. Hughes II
What: CEO
Where: American Business Media, New York
Why: With ad pages down about 30%, this has been a difficult year for business media, and it has also been a tough time for Hughes, who has had to trim budgets and staff. With projects such as a Booz & Co. study, his organization's focus is on helping members find new ways to generate revenue online and elsewhere, by selling content, or advertising or both.
Who: Bob Liodice
What: President-CEO
Where: Association of National Advertisers, New York
Why: Liodice's blog, ANA Marketing Musings, provides a platform for him to discuss the issues facing the large b2b and consumer advertisers that make up the ANA's membership. Liodice, who has been with the organization since 1995—and its chief since 2003—recently blogged about the threat of Congress removing the tax deductibility of advertising for prescription medicines.
Who: Donovan Neale-May
What: Executive director
Where: CMO Council, Palo Alto, Calif.
Why: Neale-May heads a network of about 3,000 marketing executives that is expanding its reach with upcoming events in the Middle East, Brazil and Puerto Rico. The organization, which serves members from b2b and consumer companies, also produces surveys of members that provide benchmarks to help CMOs and other marketers maintain the budgets needed to help grow their companies' revenue.