Biography

Mike Craig is a co-founder and V.P. of Marketing at Ruxter Mobile Marketing, an online application giving small businesses the power to create and manage their own mobile marketing campaigns. Prior to launching Ruxter with his business partner in 2009, Mike worked for 15 years in IT consulting, design, marketing, and management on architectural projects throughout the US, Europe, and the Middle East.

Website:   www.ruxter.com

Biography

Josh's extensive online marketing experience started in 1997 and includes search marketing optimization (organic and sponsored), online media buying, social media, affiliate marketing, email marketing and web analytics, with a focus on metrics and ROI. He was doing search marketing when Google launched and was involved with Social Media when Facebook was still for college students only. Josh joined Risdall in 2005 as the Vice President of Online Marketing and was promoted to President of the Online Marketing Group in 2009. He has been speaking at seminars and conferences for over 10 years but currently spends his days consulting with companies on how to use the Internet to drive conversions, whether that conversion is an event registration, an email signup a simple contact form or an online purchase.

Website:   www.risdall.com

Biography

Josh is the the Vice President, Product Development at Lorton Data. Previous to this position, Josh was Information Processing and Product Manager. Josh has been in the Direct Marketing industry for over 10 years, with over five of those years working as a Direct Marketing and United States Postal Service expert. Josh's first exposure to the industry was working in a lettershop; from there he became involved in address quality as a processor.

Since 2002, Josh worked closely with management and developers to assist in improving processing systems. This along with his interest in marketing led to his position as NCOALink Product Manager. Currently Josh focuses on the planning and implementation of projects that improve processing systems, improve customer service and lead to new products.

Website:   www.lortondata.com

Biography

Jeffery Giesener, Founder, Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer of ShoppeSimple Network. Mr. Giesener has been the CEO/President or SVP for some of the largest companies in the digital space, including DoubleClick, Paul Fredrick, Harriet Carter, and HealthRite.

Website:   www.ShoppeSimpleNetwork.com

Biography

Brian Grafsgaard is the Director of Professional Services at Quality Business Solutions (QBS). Brian has been a certified Project Manager (PMP) since 1998. In 2007, Brian became the first person in the world to attain PMI's Program Management Professional (PgMP) credential; fewer than 600 people worldwide currently hold this distinction. Brian heads up the Data Privacy practice for QBS where he has completed PCI Compliance and Data Privacy programs for companies like Regis, Bluestem Brands, and CentraCare, and cities like Burnsville, Chaska, and Brooklyn Park. Brian understands that the information a Direct Marketing company collects and maintains of its customers is of utmost importance and must be protected. He also understands that balancing cost and risk are two critical components to finding a solution protecting this very important asset. Prior to working for QBS, Brian worked for large Direct Marketing companies like Fingerhut, Federated Direct, Carlson Marketing and Target Corporation.

Website:   www.qbs.com

Biography

A recognized expert in database and email marketing strategy. He has been designing and maintaining marketing databases for Fortune 500 companies and others for the past thirty-three years. His database and e-mail experience includes wired and wireless telephone companies, insurance, banks, credit card issuers, catalogers, pharmaceuticals, package goods, software and computer manufacturers, resorts, hotels, automobiles, and non-profit fund-raisers.

A graduate of Princeton University with a Masters in Public Affairs, Arthur taught economics at the University of Maryland for 32 years. He is the author of eight marketing books most recently, with Arthur Sweetser, Successful E-mail Marketing Strategies: from Hunting to Farming (RACOM 2009).

Arthur's articles appear regularly in leading industry publications. His consulting assignments and lectures on marketing and economics have taken place in the U. S., Canada, Europe, Latin America and Asia. He is the Vice President of the Database Marketing Institute, located in Fort Lauderdale, FL.

Website:   www.dbmarketing.com

Biography

Chris Iles is the corporate communications manager for the Minnesota Twins. In his current role, he is in charge of media relations, web communications and social media for the Major League Baseball Club.

Website:   www.twinsbaseball.com

Biography

Kris Lynch, CEO of SmartBase Solutions, has over 25 years of experience leveraging marketing data assets. Beginning in 1981 at Custom Research Inc., Kris worked in all phases of research development before moving to the advertising industry in 1989 as a founding member of Lynch Jarvis Jones. In 1994, she returned to the research field, with a focus on applying technology to solving marketing and data problems. After serving as director of information services at Maritz Market Research, Kris joined GfK Custom Research to develop and lead a database marketing division. In 2005, she founded SmartBase Solutions. She has directed information-delivery efforts for many global marketers, including Coca Cola, Electrolux, Bosch, Fidelity Investments, UnitedHealthcare, and Procter & Gamble. A graduate of the College of St. Benedict, she serves on the board of directors of the Woman's Club of Minneapolis and the CEO Roundtable.

Website:   www.smartbasesolutions.com

Biography

Nora breaks the mold and stands out from the crowd of speakers. She's an experienced story teller that connects with her audiences through real life stories and examples in international product development, sales and marketing for giants like Victoria Secret and Target Stores. She delivers real value. Her expertise delights audiences and everyone walks away with information and tools they can use to improve their business, sales, and their lives. It's energy packed and provides tools you can use in the new economy.

Website:   www.i-speak.biz

Biography

Jared believes in the power of connecting brands with consumers in new and innovative ways. As President of Risdall Integration Group, Jared focuses on leveraging the strengths of Risdall Marketing Group's divisions to develop solutions for clients that harness the power of integrated marketing. He rejoined Risdall Marketing Group in 2008 with valuable experience working for Mullen and Keystone Sympoisa. While at Mullen, he led the integrated marketing efforts for Embarq and Wachovia. Prior to Mullen, he worked at Keystone Symposia, a Bill and Melinda Gates-supported organization, where he created a social network for scientists - that brought scientists from all over the world together in facilitating connections and expediting research. Jared holds a bachelor's degree in marketing from the University of Minnesota and a master's degree in integrated marketing communications from the University of Colorado.

Website:   www.risdall.com

Biography

Colin Shaw is the Founder & CEO of Beyond Philosophy®, the world's Thought Leaders in Customer Experience.

He is a successful International author of four best-selling books

1. Building Great Customer Experiences (2002)
2. Revolutionize Your Customer Experience (2005)
3. The DNA of Customer Experience: How Emotions Drive Value (2007)
4. Customer Experience, future trends & insights (2010)

A fourth Customer Experience: Future Trends & Insights will be launched in September/October 2010. Publishers, Palgrave McMillian.

Colin has spent over twenty years working in blue chip organizations, His appointment as Senior Vice President of Customer Experience, for one of the world's largest companies where he led 3,500 people across the globe. He knows how businesses work.

Colin is an accomplished speaker having delivered a number of keynote addresses. He has a very interacting style. He walks into the audience and engages them with thought provoking questions. He also uses humor to get across his messages with simple anecdotes on day to day experiences. He can really motivate an audience to take on board the principles of Customer Experience.

Owing to his expertise, Colin has appeared as a commentator many times on TV and radio, including CNN and the BBC. He is a member of the National Speakers Association.

Colin now indulges in his real passions, strategic thinking, conference speaking, writing books and advising boards of companies. Colin is a member of the Professional Speakers Association and enjoys a hectic conference speaking schedule.

Website:   www.beyondphilosophy.com

Biography

As a passionate leader in user experience strategy and design, Mark brings a unique right brain/left brain "know how" to Polaris Industries in helping grow the company's expanding portfolio of digital brands and illuminate engaging digital customer experiences. Mark recently joined Polaris from the interactive marketing realm to help guide digital design strategy, planning and execution for a variety of marketing, social media and customer relationship initiatives. Mark's past experiences include creative, results-driven work for The Minneapolis Institute of Arts, Target, Mayo Clinic, Carmex, General Mills, and The Minnesota Vikings. Mark is also a licensed attorney, musician and artist living in Minneapolis.

Mark is presenting on behalf of David Shelleny, Digital and Social Media Specialist, Polaris Industries.

In his work for Polaris, David Shelleny uses his diverse background in interactive media production, customer service and social media to help Polaris and Victory Motorcycles find new ways to celebrate the brands with a devout customer base of motorsports enthusiasts. Before Polaris, David worked in the financial services industry with Moneris Solutions, and as a producer with his company GroundWorks Media Group. He is a musician with a film scoring degree from Berklee College of Music, a photographer, husband, and father of two.

Website:   www.polarisind.com

Biography

Mollie Young co-founded Nametag International, Inc. in 1987. Nametag International, Inc. is an internationally recognized firm committed to providing clients with the highest quality brand strategy and naming services. Nametag International, Inc. has been utilized for branding expertise in many national publications including: Wall Street Journal, Life Magazine, American Demographics, Success, Advertising Age, etc. as well as television and radio broadcasts. Ms. Young has over 25 years of strategic marketing experience, having worked with Fortune 500 clients including Revlon, Motorola, AT&T, 3M, Merck, Chevrolet, General Mills, General Electric, Sears, United HealthCare, Pepsi, Pfizer and many other multi-national corporations. Young is a frequent speaker on a variety of topics including strategy identity issues, brand strategy development, global naming issues and direct-to-consumer branding.

Website:   www.nametagintl.com