About me
I’ve been working in media since 1988 when I started as a Group Assistant at NW Ayer. I found my first job by identifying a hot list of agencies winning new business and then going to the Advertising Red Books where I found high level staffers with Jewish sounding last names. I figured I’d maximize my chances for good chemistry. My strategy worked. I was interviewed by most of the agencies I sent resumes and offered jobs at more than half. I’ve been refining my targeting skills ever since.
Over the last 25+ years I’ve worked at some of the best agencies in town with some of the most terrific people. In the mid-90’s I project managed k&b’s first client website for Snapple and built four digital media depts. at three different agencies in two cities. I’ve spearheaded communications planning at two agencies and built a network television-buying group. I enjoy building and transforming as much as I enjoy brainstorming.
Since 2006 I’ve been President of The Media Kitchen, which was a homecoming. TMK was spun out of k&b’s media dept., which I led in the 90’s. At TMK I’ve presided over tremendous revenue growth, new account wins (and managed through losses), the transition into digital media, and the birth of Varick Media Management, which I co-founded. In 2014 TMK was named MediaPost’s Programmatic Agency of The Year. In 2015 and 2016 MediaPost named us Mobile Agency of The Year and in 2017 we were named social AOY.
I’ve been published in the industry trades, quoted in all the major periodicals, and speak at conferences. But most importantly I’ve helped hundreds of up and comers claim their place in the media business. And recently I helped the agency implement a daycare benefit.
Specialties: Media planning and buying, media management and operations, advertising, branding, SEM, digital media, social media, creative collaboration, content creation, training and nurturing fantastic talent
Talent you might be interested in
Positions
Our largest clients include Vanguard, Goldman Sachs, Windstream, Lane Bryant, DressBarn, Noosa, Combe, and CIT.
When I arrived at TMK in 2001 we didn't have a strong digital capability. Now over a third of our revenue is sourced from digital projects and we have strong credentials in display, mobile, SEM and social. In fact more than 60% of our billings are in digital media, Additionally, further advancing our digital credentials and capabilities, we launched the Test Kitchen, which is our emerging media lab.
In 2008 Varick Media Management, MDC Partner’s trading desk, was born out of The Media Kitchen. VMM is now a very successful standalone programmatic media business.
In 2013 we brought programmatic capabilities back in-house and trained all our SEM chefs to buy media using programmatic tools. Now programmatic is fully integrated throughout the agency and we like to think of ourselves as a programmatic agency.
While I’m very proud of all the innovation coming out of The Media Kitchen, I’m especially proud of the culture we’re building. We give our staffers lots of opportunities, we have great clients and partners throughout the media industry, and we have a lot of fun doing what we’re paid to do.
I tell every new Chef (people who are at The Media Kitchen) that I can’t promise they’ll be happy every day. But I can promise that every day they’ll be more marketable than the preceding day.
In 2014 MediaPost awarded us Programmatic Agency of The Year. In 2015 we were awarded Mobile Agency of The Year.
