Marketing Change Agent

MARK E. BENSON

*** **** **** ******, ********* #21F, New York, NY 10028 212-***-**** Cell: 917-***-**** E-mail: ***********@***.***

Summary of Qualifications

Senior-level, results-oriented global integrated marketing executive with experience in classical brand marketing, direct response marketing and public relations in industries including: financial services, consumer packaged goods, retail, technology and hospitality. Hands-on manager with both strategic development and tactical execution -- directly involved in all aspects of marketing campaigns from creative inception through production, including measuring the efficacy of the marketing campaigns. Hired, trained, motivated and developed highly successful marketing teams. Track record of leading integrated marketing departments with programs that positively impacted employees, customers and shareholders -- taking successful companies' marketing organizations to the next level. 

Professional Experience

Mark E. Benson & Associates, Inc., New York, New York 2003 to Present

President 1997 to 2000

Manage and direct a full-service integrated marketing consulting firm, both B:B and B:C, including advertising, public relations, corporate communications, marketing communications, digital marketing (including web design, search engine optimization, search engine management, social networking and online advertising), customer relationship management (CRM), business development, product development, consumer insight and market research.

Clients include: Wells Fargo & Company, Hasbro, Inc., 102 Norwood Avenue, Aames Financial Corporation, Archon Capital Management LLC, Bessemer Venture Partners, Bridge of Generations, Cilantro, The EHL Consulting Group Inc., environments.com L.L.C., Evergreen Investment Management Company, Globespan Capital Partners, King Street Capital, The Law Offices of James Sokolove, LLC, Lollytogs, Ltd. (brands included: French Toast, Looney Tunes, Cotler, Sahara Club, Rim Rocka, French Toast Official School Wear and Bugle Boy Official School Wear), Manhattan Physical Therapy & Body Tuning, Monarch Communications, Inc., Omnicom Group Inc., Open4Bid, Inc., Property Information Exchange, Inc. (pixnet.com), RS Investments, Scopia Capital, LLC, Sea View Hospital Rehabilitation Center & Home, Shaare Zedek Jerusalem Medical Center, former Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir, TA Associates, Veronis Suhler Stevenson and Yeshiva Education for Special Students of Greater Monmouth County (Y.E.S.S.).

* Built marketing consulting firm from scratch and grew annual revenue by 750% in 3 years with a team of 8.

* Strategically developed and tactically executed the first marketing audit for the fourth largest bank in the United States by assets and the second largest bank by market capitalization, specifically, aligned brand marketing and direct marketing to improve the efficacy of lead acquisition and client retention through an integrated marketing program.

* Developed and executed the first national integrated marketing program and E-commerce strategy for the largest manufacturer and distributor of children’s apparel and school uniforms in the United States and realized a 25% increase in annual gross sales in 1 year.

* Directly responsible for the marketing plan and strategy that led to the global expansion of a New York-based commercial real estate services company.

Key Bank USA, National Association, Parsippany, New Jersey 2000 to 2003

A division of KeyCorp

Chief Marketing Officer – Champion Mortgage

Member of the company’s Executive Team that governs the day-to-day management of a division of a Fortune 500 company, which is one of the largest national retail home equity lending companies in the United States. Annual sales totaled $1.8 billion. Directed the strategic development and tactical execution of the company’s advertising, marketing, public relations, corporate communications, digital marketing (including web design, search engine optimization, search engine management and online advertising), consumer insight, market research, customer relationship management (CRM), product development and business development. Hired, trained and motivated an internal staff of 22, including several internal promotions. Built the company’s first multidisciplinary marketing team, cross-trained team members to integrate marketing, advertising, public relations and market research. Managed an annual budget of $50 million.

* Created and executed the company’s first national integrated marketing program, including TV, radio, print, direct mail, Yellow Pages, out-of-home advertising and the Internet that resulted in a 70% increase in annual sales with a 20% reduced marketing budget in 2001, exceeding the annual sales goal by 30%.

* Rebranded and repositioned a 20-year old company in 6 months.

* Increased the number of qualified customers by 15% in 1 year and increased the average unit price by 11% in 2 years.

* Identified new markets, products and channels to increase market share. Entered 3 profitable markets, while exiting 4 markets that were not demonstrating sufficient profitability.

* Raised brand awareness in each new market (San Francisco, Portland and Denver) from 0% to approximately 40% in under 1 year. Doubled the number of customers very likely to consider Champion in 1 year. In addition, increased the number of prospective customers who agree with all positive attributes associated with Champion, while decreasing the number of prospective customers who agree with any negative attributes associated with Champion.

* Successfully developed and implemented an E-commerce strategy for Champion. Increased the number of referrals made to Champion’s web site via search engines by 52% and increased the number of times Champion appeared in the “top 30” rankings when searches were conducted against an industry-specific list of 106 keywords/phrases by 64% in 3 months.

Off-Track Betting Corporation, New York, New York 1996 to 1998

Senior Vice President, Marketing

Oversaw the strategic development and tactical execution of the company’s advertising, marketing, and public relations, including serving as corporate spokesman, for largest off-track betting corporation in the United States with 70 retail branches. Annual wagers totaled more than $900 million with annual revenue of $120 million. Managed corporation’s marketing and communications department with a staff of 10 and an annual budget of $2.5 million.

* Developed first integrated marketing and communications program for corporation’s in-home simulcasting and telephone wagering system. Annual net revenue increased by 80% in 1 year.

Economic Development Corporation, New York, New York 1994 to 1996

Executive Vice President, Marketing (1995 to 1996)

Senior Vice President, Marketing (1994 to 1995)

Managed the strategic development and tactical execution of the company’s advertising, marketing and public relations for a corporation that is New York City’s primary vehicle for promoting tourism and assisting businesses relocating or expanding in New York City. The corporation uses financial and real estate tools such as Industrial Development Agency financing programs and real estate development projects. Created and managed first integrated marketing and communications department with a staff of 25. Managed an annual budget of $15 million.

* Developed New York City’s first global business attraction and retention marketing program featuring the tagline, New York City. Where The World Does Business., that resulted in more jobs being created and retained in the city in 1994 than during the previous 4 years. Businesses such as Walt Disney and Madame Tussaud’s were attracted to 42nd Street. Corporation’s net revenue increased by more than 500% in 2 years.

* Established and oversaw a direct marketing program for business recruitment, including direct mail that achieved average response rate of 3%.

* Conceptualized corporation’s first in-house creative services division that realized more than $1 million in annual savings, by producing brochures, newsletters, print advertisements, sales sheets, providing a new corporate identity program including a new corporate logo, as well as creating the corporation’s first web site.

DCI, New York, New York 1990 to 1994

National Director of Marketing and Communications

Directed the strategic development and tactical execution of the global company’s advertising, marketing and public relations, for an SEC and NASD regulated corporation that sells securities, including interest-bearing bonds. Annual sales totaled more than $1 billion. Initiated global media relations program and served as the corporation’s spokesman to news media. Built the corporation’s first national marketing and communications department with a staff of 20 in 6 months. Transformed marketing and communications staff to leverage the synergistic relationship of all disciplines. Managed an annual budget of $5 million.

* Guided the corporation’s first comprehensive marketing and communications program that resulted in an annual sales increase of more than $250 million over a 3-year national economic downturn.

* Implemented direct marketing program that protected and increased market share. Program included direct response advertisements that achieved an advertising/sales ratio of 4%.

NYC Department of Transportation - Bureau of Traffic, Long Island City, New York 1987 to 1990

Chief of Communications

New York State Senate Finance Committee, New York, New York 1981 to 1987

Administrative Assistant (1985 to 1987)

Research Assistant (1982 to 1985)

Community Aide (1981 to 1982)

Awards

* DMA International ECHO -- 2002 Leader Award

* DMA International ECHO -- 2002 Finalist

* NY/IABC ACE Award -- 2002 Award of Excellence

* International Mercury 2002 Award -- Honors Winner - Customer Awareness

* International Mercury 2002 Award -- Honors Winner - Television - Multiple Ads

* 2001 John Caples International Award -- Campaign: Consumer/Single Medium, First Place

* 2001 John Caples International Award -- Television: Consumer and Consumer Non-Profit/Over $250K, Second Place

* Adweek’s Best Spot -- May 2001

* International Mercury 2000 Award -- Gold Winner

* International Galaxy 2000 Award -- Silver Winner

* NY/IABC ACE Award -- 2000 Award of Merit

* print’s Regional Design Annual 2000 -- Certificate of Design Excellence

* AEDC Sales Literature and Promotional Materials Award -- Honorable Mention, 1996

Board Memberships

* The Advanced Marketing & Media Group, LLC Advisory Board

* Yeshiva Education for Special Students of Greater Monmouth County (Y.E.S.S.) Board of Directors

Professional Affiliations

* The Advertising Club of New York

* American Financial Services Association; Served on both marketing and public relations committees

* American Marketing Association

* Council of Communication Management

* Direct Marketing Association

* The Direct Marketing Club of New York

* Financial Communications Society

* International Association of Business Communicators

* Public Relations Society of America

Education

B.A., Political Science, Brooklyn College of the City University of New York, 1985

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