- Brian DeCicco - WINNER
Brian DeCicco
Director
Berkery Noyes
Brian is a Director with a decade of experience in mergers & acquisitions. Brian joined Berkery Noyes as an Analyst after completing a two-year internship with the firm and has completed over 50 M&A transactions in the B2B & B2C media and information industries, including the sale of EH Media to Emerald Expositions; Lebhar-Friedman to EnsembleIQ; UBM’s Electronics Media Portfolio to Arrow Electronics; Innovation Enterprise to Argyle Executive Forum; 1105 Media’s EdTech Events to LRP Conferences; Vendome Group’s Healthcare Design, Environments for Aging, and Construction SuperConference assets to Emerald Expositions; and Money2020 to Top Right Group. Brian holds a B.A. with Honors in Economics from Fordham University.
"Brian’s work ethic, professionalism, and dedication to the betterment of Berkery Noyes is admirable. Each year during his tenure as an Analyst and Associate, Brian took on the responsibility of recruiting, hiring, and supervising more than 20 interns and Summer Analysts. I’m grateful for the pipeline of talent he has built, which will pay dividends for years to come. Despite his intense workload, he is generous with his time and consistently serves as a mentor to the junior staff. This has helped to create a culture of inclusivity and has led to the breaking down of silos. Brian has also been a vital part of Berkery Noyes’ B2B media and events group, which is one of our most important sectors. Moreover, he continues to play an integral role in setting the firm up for future success, whether it’s through organizing training sessions, coordinating recreational staff outings, or identifying new conferences and other business development opportunities."
James Berkery, Managing Partner, Berkery Noyes
- Adele Durham - WINNER
Adele Durham
Vice President, Events
Haymarket Media
Adele Durham as the newly minted VP Events for Haymarket Media, is responsible for a team of 14 passionate events pros which produces live and virtual events across multiple and extremely diverse markets served by Haymarket. As part of this Adele drives awards entry and attendee revenue through strategy, business development activities and marketing, and oversees sponsorship packages. The impressive roster of events includes PRWeek Awards, an annual awards show culminating in a 1,000 person black tie gala in NYC celebrating work in corporate communications judged by a panel of nearly 100 jurors; the MM&M Awards, noted as the highest accolade in healthcare marketing also celebrated with a similar gala at Cipriani in NYC; the Brand Film Festival, showcasing the most artistic, creative and effective branded content films; and SC Awards honoring achievements in information security. Adele received a Bachelor of Arts (BA) focused in English Literature and Film and Television Studies from Roehampton University.
"Adele oversees many moving pieces in and out of the events department on a daily basis. She has a roll up your sleeves and get it done mentality and she leads by example; managing a plethora of functions for executing event programs such as marketing, logistics, business development, and content strategy to name a few. She demands excellence from her employees but also has high emotional intelligence. Adele will undoubtedly continue to rise in the ranks, she is confident in her choices, and highly skilled at putting on consistent quality events for Haymarket. Her programmatic strategies are respected by her team, the brand business leaders, and the executives at Haymarket."
Lindsay Maraviglia, Director, Human Resources, Haymarket Media
- Josh Freed - WINNER
Josh Freed
Digital General Manager, Automotive News
Crain Communications
Josh Freed is the Digital General Manager at Automotive News, the auto industry’s leading business publication. In his role as Digital General Manager, Josh leads all online revenue initiatives and oversees digital editorial strategy, product and user experience.
"He continues to use data extensively to formulate forward-looking strategy and find new business opportunities. Under his direction autonews.com has continued its upward profit trajectory and looks to continue to overachieve among Crain online brands. His staff is dedicated to this success and are all professional in their approach to the growing list of tasks asked of them. He is the first general manager we’ve had who also commands the respect of our editorial department, a critical bunch if ever therewas one. I’ve been here for nearly 19 years – from the beginning of our Web presence – and Josh is the first general manager to engender a sense of common cause within all departments; groups that in the past have had only marginal interaction. Josh has brought leadership to a role that demands it but hasn’t always had it. There is still no other Josh in our building."
Victor Galvan, Web Editor, Automotive News, Crain Communicationsy
- Pablo Lopez - WINNER
Pablo Lopez
Senior Data Scientist
EnsembleIQ
Pablo Lopez is a Senior Data Scientist at EnsembleIQ. This is the 3rd B2B media/events company he’s sparked change at using advanced analytics and data pipeline automation- the other two companies being Argyle Executive Forum and CFO Publishing. Prior to EnsembleIQ, Pablo worked at American Family Insurance’s Data Science & Analytics Lab where he served as a dual data engineer & operations manager on a pre-startup computer vision team that heavily utilized artificial intelligence & cloud computing. While earning his B.Sc. in Statistics at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, he interned for The Cleveland Indians Major League Baseball team’s Strategy & Business Analytics department as well as the National Center for Supercomputing Applications on a National Science Foundation funded research project. In his spare time Pablo volunteers for the Mind & Hand, a tech bootcamp in a low-income community on the south side of Chicago, and produces hip hop instrumentals as a side hustle.
"Leveraging our rich heritage of business-to-business media organizations to deliver value and incremental growth to our clients is imperative in the ever-transformative ecosystem of information. As our lead data scientist, Pablo has already impacted our ability to deliver incremental value to our clients via compelling analytics and strong business insights. Pablo collaborates closely with our internal innovation team to deliver data-driven road maps that provide predictive analytics on what ideas will be of most value to our success as an organization. Pablo exhibits strong attributes in the areas of leadership, teamwork and collaboration; his contributions are essential for EnsembleIQ as we strive to solve big problems and inspire bold ideas."
David Shanker, Chief Executive Officer, EnsembleIQ
- Britney Ross - WINNER
Britney Ross
Senior Marketing Manager
McGraw-Hill Education
Britney Ross is a Senior Marketing Manager at McGraw-Hill Education. In this role, Britney leads Product Marketing for the Biology & Environmental Science product portfolios. Britney achieved McGraw-Hill Marketing Manager of the Year in 2017 for her innovative work on leading her portfolio to exceed goals and develop first-of-its-kind technology that will change the way instructors teach and students learn Biology! She has a passion for lifelong learning that is evident in her recent acquisition of two Master’s Degrees: her first in Organizational Leadership and her second in Business Administration from Clarke University in Dubuque, Iowa. Britney earned her Bachelor’s Degree at Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa, majoring in Psychology and Sociology. On a personal note, Britney was married in 2016, and when not working, you can find her running races of any distance across the world (literally almost every weekend), spending time with family and friends, or reading and listening to podcasts! Feel free to share your favorite podcast with her!
"Her graduate capstone project that involved designing, resourcing, coaching, motivating, and leading a group of 31 young girls and adult mentors through an 10-week 5K-training program, with an emphasis on leadership development and self-esteem building, culminating in the girls and mentors completing a 5K run. Her efforts were so successful it made local media headlines. Some of the girls could not even run 1/10th of a mile when they began Britney’s program. They ALL ran and finished the 5K at the end of the program. In Britney’s wake lies ample evidence, such as the 31 young girls’ lives she changed, that leadership was present—Britney has been the athletic team captain at multiple levels, commencement speaker for undergraduate college, won the most outstanding senior award for her undergraduate program, rapid promotions in her career, and the most recent marketing manager of the year in a Fortune 500 company. This does not happen by accident."
Terry M. McGovern, D.M. Lt Col, USAF (retired); Assistant Professor, Management,
Department of Professional and Continuing
Studies, University of Wisconsin-System
- David Amrani
David Amrani
Head of Strategy & Executive Producer
Digiday
David is head of strategy at Digiday Media, which involves running the in-house content agency Custom, the enterprise sales team, and working with others on the leadership team to shape overall company strategy and new products and business lines. His strength has always been to conceive, plan and produce digital-first initiatives for both the company and its clients rooted in his time studying how and why certain things (ideas, assets, movements) spread through networks.
“David Amrani is one of the smartest people I have ever met. He has keen business instincts combining the smarts of someone with a high IQ with someone with and an understanding of someone’s mental state or EQ. At work he constantly takes on more responsibility and excels when he does so. His knowledge of our business is second to none with a diversified understanding of all of the company’s revenue streams and growth goals.”
Matt Goddard, General Manager of Commercial Operations, Digiday
- Lauren Burke
Lauren Burke
Associate Director, Editorial Services
Haymarket Media
Lauren Burke is an experienced editor and writer with a specialty in the field of oncology. She currently serves as the associate director of editorial services for the Haymarket Medical Network, which entails managing and directing a team on data-driven decision making, specialty content creation, and day-to-day efforts for Cancer Therapy Advisor, Oncology Nurse Advisor, Renal and Urology News, and Hematology Advisor. Lauren is passionate about working collaboratively to create news and feature articles, case studies, quizzes, and clinical tools that inform health care providers about important updates in patient care. Before her role at Haymarket Media, she worked at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) where she was the managing editor of the PubMed-indexed ASCO Educational Book. The relationships she built with oncologists during her time at ASCO cemented her commitment to a career in the creation of quality, research-focused educational resources. Lauren earned her Bachelor’s Degree from Hobart and William Smith Colleges and is currently pursuing a Master of Science in Education from Long Island University.
“The success of Haymarket is at the core of Lauren’s business practices. Through extensive training and assessment, Lauren ensures that her team generates relevant and timely content that meets the needs of both her audience and our business. The Haymarket Oncology business consistently exceeds revenue targets, due in part to Lauren’s strategic vision, creative thinking, and flawless execution. One of Lauren’s attributes is her desire to create the best environment – both physically and emotionally – for her team. Lauren actions reflect her commitment and integrity. She is forward thinking and frequently challenges both herself and existing processes to ensure that our business is functioning efficiently. She is insightful and constructive in her feedback. She is always ready to provide support and encouragement, yet also permits others to chart their own course. She’s the real deal.”
Kathleen Tulley, Vice President, Haymarket Medical Network
- Patrick Crane
Patrick Crane
Corporate Accounts Manager
BlueConic
Patrick Crane is BlueConic’s Corporate Accounts Manager and its resident publishing and media expert. In his role, he helps companies evaluate and understand what a CDP can bring to their business. Patrick joined BlueConic in January of 2016, and graduated from Wheaton College in 2014. When he’s not at BlueConic HQ - he’s up hiking in New Hampshire or coaching lacrosse around the Greater Boston area.
"Patrick’s impact on BlueConic has grown each and every year - ranging from business impact, building relationships, leadership, and building out entirely new opportunities for BlueConic. As a sales rep, Patrick has been the top performer each year (2017, 2018 so far) in bookings, and became the first rep in company history to have a 1M+ ACV booking year. Beyond numbers, Patrick has been behind some of our largest client wins including National Geographic, The Chicago Bulls, Kiplinger, and Brief Media. Patrick has also grown as a professional and role model for others in his time at the company—constantly motivating and working within the sales department to make sure that everyone on the team is successful. I think that fact sums him up, a top performer obsessed with helping others."
Bart Heilbron, CEO, BlueConic
- Steve Galperin
Steve Galperin
VP of Finance and Operations
North Coast Media
Steve Galperin has more than 12 years of B2B experience, including mergers & acquisition expertise, and works with all areas of the business to execute growth strategies. A graduate of John Carroll University with a bachelor’s degree in finance and minor in economics, he specializes in maximizing integrated media company profits.
"If there’s one thing that can be said about Steve Galperin, it’s that no one is better at single-mindedly focusing on one project while having a flurry of others all swirling all around him. It’s this dogged pursuit of the goals that he sets for himself and for those around him that sets Steve apart. In quantifiable ways, Steve’s impact is clear. Under his tutelage, NCM’s digital revenue has grown 260 percent and event revenue 266 percent in the past six years. Perhaps even more impressive in these market conditions, Steve has also helped to grow print revenue 18 percent. Today, as then, Steve’s most significant role at NCM aligns perfectly with his greatest strength, that is, his ability to identify talented people, put them in the right positions, and then empower them to lead, which is the key to NCM’s operational success. This focus on collaboration has allowed his team to grow seamlessly from 7 to 18, with several of the team members he nurtured early on now moving from entry-level to management positions."
Bethany Chambers, Director of Audience Engagement, North Coast Media
- Randy Hofbauer
Randy Hofbauer
Senior Editor-Progressive Grocer
EnsembleIQ
Randy Hofbauer is a Chicago-based business-to-business content strategist for retail intelligence provider EnsembleIQ. With more than a decade of experience as a trade journalist, market researcher and digital operations manager, he manages technology-related content and digital properties/strategy for Progressive Grocer, the grocery industry’s media brand of record for nearly 100 years. His insights and research have been cited in a number of media outlets, including The New York Times, the Associated Press and the Chicago Tribune. In his career, few things excite him more than embracing and learning new platforms and technologies, creating and sharing content in new and exciting ways, and continually blurring the lines between journalism and content marketing. When he’s not working, he’s sitting in on folk jams around the Windy City (he plays five stringed instruments and currently studies old-time fiddle), getting certified in a new skill, gaming, or exploring the latest breweries with his beloved wife of three years, Courtney – who also works at EnsembleIQ, as a marketer for its Path to Purchase Institute division.
"Randy represents the pioneering spirit of B2B media content professionals who are navigating the print to digital transformation, and will be well qualified to lead a team of future editors who will be far better off due in part to Randy’s efforts. As Digital and Technology Editor for Progressive Grocer, Randy has diversified the 96-year old media brand from a print-centric content model to one that also produces the kind of powerful digital products that are necessary to inform and educate the fast-moving, highly transactional CPG retail industry. Randy is passionate about what he does, and it’s obvious in both the results and the lofty esteem that his colleagues hold for him at EnsembleIQ."
Korry Stagnito, Chief Brand Officer, EnsembleIQ
- Andy Lomasky
Andy Lomasky
Director, IT
PMMI
Andy has over 12 years of experience in Information Technology and Management Consulting. In his role as IT Director at PMMI, Andy is an innovator, a problem solver and an enterprise change leader, working to carry the many different aspects of PMMI’s business forward through a digital metamorphosis. He is responsible for the company’s overarching technology strategy, including enterprise applications, IT operations, infrastructure, security, and data privacy spanning across three offices in two countries. Andy began his career at KPMG providing Sarbanes-Oxley program implementation and risk & compliance consulting. After receiving his MBA at Emory University, Andy has worked with several consulting firms advising clients on business and technology strategies and helping them to navigate the challenges of the digital world. After serving as CIO for another trade association, Andy joined PMMI in early 2018.
"What really distinguishes Andy as an IT leader is his remarkable ability to bond with stakeholders at all levels for a user-centric, not technology-centric, approach to getting the most out of technology. Other people in the company have routinely pulled me aside and said they are blown away by how good a communicator Andy is. And his leadership skills are so apparent that we moved two people under him within the first six months of his being on the job. He whipped us into shape with GDPR within three months, has gotten our Salesforce migration back on track, (helping to architect the CRM to leverage data we already have to unlock more sales opportunities), and is plugging cyber security holes, starting with training all of us on cyber security best practices."
David Newcorn, SVP/Digital & Data, PMMI
- Hilary Milnes
Hilary Milnes
Retail Editor
Digiday
Hilary Milnes is the retail editor at Digiday, an online publication that covers the digital evolution of the media, marketing and retail industries. She currently manages two retail reporters, and leads the site’s retail coverage as the company builds out the vertical. Hilary joined Digiday as its first retail reporter in March of 2015, covering in-store retail, Amazon and the rise of direct-to-consumer brands. In 2016, she helped launch Glossy, Digiday Media’s first sister publication covering the intersection of fashion, beauty and technology, and served as its managing editor before rejoining the Digiday team in 2018. She currently hosts the Glossy Podcast.
"One of Hilary’s greatest strengths is her ability to work as part of a team. We are a growing company, which comes with its share of challenges. That means that people who succeed at Digiday are those who truly work collaboratively with others. Hilary has been called on, through the past few years, to work with other reporters, editors, designers, and even in some cases the marketing and business functions at Digiday."
Shareen Pathak, Managing Director, Editorial Products, Digiday
- Tony Napoleone
Tony Napoleone
Vice President, Client Success
Omeda
Tony Napoleone is the Vice President of Client Success at Omeda, the leading audience relationship management platform for media professionals. Tony’s role leading the Client Success team is to help media companies monetize their data, grow their audience, and implement new technology and products with new and innovative strategies and insights. Tony and his team work closely with digital revenue, marketing, and technology leads at their clients to take a non-traditional look at their business to better position themselves for future market opportunities. Previous to Omeda, Tony spent ten years at Bobit Business Media, an eighteen-brand, west coast media company where he ran the audience development, email marketing, and data teams. As an audience growth and engagement marketing expert, Tony served as the senior strategic leader of user lifecycle management including new subscriber/user acquisition, retention, and engagement with the goal of increasing the overall audience for all products. Over the last thirteen years in the media industry – Tony has led the adoption and implementation of multiple subscription fulfillment solutions, email marketing services, and customer data platforms.
"There are a couple times in your career when you know you’ve hired the right person. A person who hits the ground running, challenges the status quo, and drives your organization to new heights. Omeda was lucky to find that person in Tony Napoleone. I could go on and on about Tony and his professional accomplishments. But, Tony’s work ethic and professionalism are only part of what makes him special. Tony is a kind and thoughtful person. He is organized, creative, and respected by his peers. He is a true professional. He respects others opinions, listens, and creates an accepting, open environment. He strives to find a positive outcome in complex problems and he enjoys creating situations that are win/win for all parties. All qualities you want and expect in a leader."
Aaron Oberman, Chief Executive Officer, Omeda
- Jonathan Obar
Jonathan Obar
Search and Social Media Manager
EnsembleIQ
Jon Obar is the search and social marketing manager with EnsembleIQ, where he leads digital marketing initiatives for its large family of B2B brands. With more than a decade of experience, he has developed strategies for a wide array of clients – from larger initiatives to benefit 30-plus B2B media brands and two Fortune 500 companies, to volunteering local SEO work to help out smaller businesses and communities. Through these efforts, he has helped brands attain page-one search rankings, increase website traffic, generate leads and transform content for digital audiences. His insights and expertise also have been featured in several industry publications. Outside of media, Jon enjoys photography, playing piano, traveling, and trying new restaurants with his wife.
"The ability to measure the impact and return from our online investments is critical to managing the performance of our organization. Jon has been instrumental in finding new ways to track and report the optimization of our industry leading content. Jon is creative, and innovates new ideas, communicating across functions and presenting insights proactively across the organization. Jon exhibits strong teamwork and collaboration, frequently contributing on a discretionary basis, as evidenced by his informal role as our corporate photographer."
David Shanker, Chief Executive Officer, EnsembleIQ
- Glenn Scheithauer
Glenn Scheithauer
Director of Software Engineering
EnsembleIQ
Glenn Scheithauer is Director of Software Engineering at EnsembleIQ, although has recently expanded to also oversee the IT department. He started in the Market Research industry and expanded into general software development and systems administration. His current team has won multiple awards for their website platform, and he is on multiple leadership teams within the organization. Glenn enjoys all aspects of Software Engineering and has a unique ability to bridge the gap between technology, people, and business to create something that works for everyone. He can translate complicated technical details to the masses, as well as internalize a product concept and turn it into reality while keeping the business plan in mind. Glenn received a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science (Cum laude) from Florida Atlantic University. He currently resides in Chicago, IL, with his wife and two children. On the weekends, Glenn enjoys working with his hands and spending time with family.
"During 2017, Glenn was laser-focused on innovating and developing commercially relevant digital products and solutions for both our brands and the organization overall. This year, Glenn has expanded his scope into our technology operations space, where he immediately identified efficiencies and areas for improvement that were implemented almost immediately. In addition to his technical acumen, Glenn is an excellent developer of talent. His team is comprised of dedicated, high performing employees who continue to exceed expectations. Glenn is a comprehensive, emerging leader who collaboratively engages with others every day to solve big problems and inspire bold ideas."
David Shanker, CEO, EnsembleIQ
- Catherine Shaw
Catherine Shaw
Marketing Manager
Northstar Travel Group
Catherine Shaw is a Marketing Manager at Northstar Travel Group in their retail events division. She oversees all marketing aspects of six B2B travel industry events—everything from event promotions and websites to mobile apps, printed programs and video production. In 2018 she launched Mountain Travel Symposium’s inaugural Young Leaders Summit, providing a professional development and networking space for the next generation of leaders in the ski and mountain travel space. Prior to working in event marketing, she was a writer and editor for Travel Weekly. When not traveling for business or pleasure she writes for local blog, Hoboken Happy Hours.
"She is not only incredibly bright, but she inspires her staff and our entire conference team to continually raise the bar and look outside the box for solutions. She has dedication and a work ethic well beyond her age and work experience. Catherine strives for success with true commitment. Each and every day she makes a difference to our entire team. Dedication, passion, leadership, understanding and compassion all can be used to describe her. She is driven to success and has an incredibly bright future ahead."
Michael J. Pierson, Managing Director, Mountain Travel Symposium
- Jennifer Shore
Jennifer Shore
Director, Demand Generation
Thomas™
Jennifer Shore is an award-winning marketer and journalist living in New York City. As the Director of Demand Generation at Thomas™, she and the team use inbound marketing tactics to generate leads for and awareness of the company’s platform, products and services. Prior to her career in marketing, working as a journalist, Jennifer’s work appeared in publications such as Mashable, Yahoo, Details.com and Maniac magazine. She was named a 2018 Revenue Marketing Game Changer by Integrate and won numerous Hearst awards for her reporting. Her debut young adult dystopian novel, New Wave, released in August 2018.
"Jennifer made her initial impact in our company 4 years ago as a part of our marketing services organization, ultimately helping to lead the group into becoming Thomas Marketing Services; the large, scalable operation it is today. Most recently Jennifer took on the role of Director of Demand Generation, building and successfully launching a new demand generation group for the company. The results have been spectacular, with a growth of over 700% in high quality leads (sales qualified) and exceeding the lofty stretch goals set for the group by over 145%. In her day to day work and interactions with peers and colleagues, Jennifer demonstrates the unique ability to drive performance in individual areas of the business, while also collaborating across various functions in the company, to achieve even better results. She also exhibits a natural enthusiasm and curiosity about our business that is contagious!"
Tony Uphoff, President & CEO, Thomas™
- Lindsay Straub
Lindsay Straub
Business Development Manager - The BTN Group
Northstar Travel Group
Lindsay is a business development manager with a decade of experience in B2B travel media and events. She joined Northstar Travel Media in 2013 as an event marketing manager for the Travel Group where she executed over 50 multi-channel marketing campaigns, launched 10 flagship multi-day conferences across the corporate and leisure travel verticals and spearheaded multiple event and media product re-brands. In her current role, she manages $5 million in partnerships with global travel accounts for The BTN Group and is responsible for over 100 integrated marketing and event sponsorship programs annually. Prior to her tenure at Northstar, Lindsay worked as a supplier relations manager for the Travel and Hospitality Group at Questex Media. Lindsay is a member of the Global Business Travel Association Ladders program, focusing on industry advancement and career development. She holds a B.A. in Public Relations and Journalism from Marist College, lives in New York City and is always looking for the next adventure.
"I’ve found Ms. Straub to be a strategic leader, team collaborator and an inspiration to the people around her. In fact, I have never worked with a person who gives as much attention to detail and cared so deeply about her colleagues and clients. She is exceptionally well versed in trade media, relevant industry topics and is deeply connected to the companies and individuals moving media forward. She is a definite change maker!"
Tahnee Perry, VP Marketing, Deem
- Rachael Wolensky
Rachael Wolensky
Corporate Communications and PR Manager
ALM
Rachael Wolensky is the Corporate Communication and PR Manager at ALM and is in charge of managing and maintaining the internal and external communications and websites as well as the media relations initiatives for ALM’s various business divisions. She manages ALM’s corporate social media channels and helps provide social strategies across the business. Additionally, Rachael has led several internal community-based groups, campaigns and events to improve morale throughout ALM. Rachael previously was an account executive with JConnelly (formerly JCPR), assisting with 5+ clients media relations and social media support. In addition to her agency experience, she has marketing knowledge from the staffing industry, as well as time spent at Verizon assisting in promoting their cell phone domestic violence program called HopeLine. She is also a social media/website manager and the board secretary of Family & Community Services of Somerset County, a local nonprofit organization in New Jersey supporting mental health and addictions-based patients. Rachael received her Master’s in Interactive Media with a concentration in social media from Quinnipiac University and has an undergraduate degree in PR.
"Rachael is one of those individuals that an organization notices very quickly. While her official role is corporate communications and public relations, her impact has been much broader because of her enthusiasm, her project management skills, and her ability to relate with multiple levels of the organization. The thing that resonates most with me is Rachael’s initiative and willingness to repeatedly raise her hand to lead or assist on a number of corporate projects."
Bill Carter, President and CEO, ALM Media