SATURDAY, MAY 13, 2023
In its 14th year, DePaul University’s Kellstadt Marketing Group is the premier graduate student organization for graduate marketing students. KMG is known for organizing professional events for its target audience. KMG’s premier event is the annual KMG Symposium.
Organized as a daylong conference, KMG’s Symposium brings together marketing professionals, marketing graduate students, marketing alumni, and faculty to hear from leading industry experts on topics relevant to marketing. KMG’s Symposium includes keynote addresses, panel discussions, brief presentations on industry trends, and networking opportunities to all attendees.
This year, once again, we have a phenomenal day filled with Keynote and TED Talk-style presentations, panel discussions, and Q&A with high-level executives and CEOs that are leaders in their industry in store for you. Topics covered include future of marketing, sports marketing, unconventional career paths in marketing, and more!
REGISTER NOW!
There are limited number of tickets remaining. Sign up today!
The day will be packed with opportunities to learn and networking with industry leaders at the cutting edge of innovation in marketing.
Register here: https://lnkd.in/giYdWUNm
Access KMG 2023 Symposium Program Here
Click here to access our Symposium Program and Schedule
2023 KMG Marketing Symposium Speakers
STEVE KRULL
CEO & Co-Founder, Be Found Online
As CEO/Co-Founder of BFO, Steve excels in ‘Unleadership' (his word). Steve believes in collaboration and leading by example, remaining vulnerable and open to new ideas, accepting feedback, being a good human…and doing good things. Steve fell in love with digital marketing nearly 20 years ago, and while (self-admittedly) he's not as technical as he once was, he enjoys learning about changes in the online space.
SAAD ALAM
Global Director – Digital & Innovation, Robert Bosch Tool Corporation
Saad Alam is the Global Director of Digital & Innovation at Dremel. He has been a part of the Bosch organization for 13 years, starting as an intern and growing to lead cross-functional product development teams in power tools and digital solutions. Over the past 13 years, he has led various categories, including DIY tools and Dremel’s line of Digital Fabrication products (3D printers & Laser cutters).
Saad graduated from DePaul University with a degree in marketing and enjoyed staying involved in his college community through various events and recruiting interns to come to join the PTNA organization. Saad is very passionate about professional growth and making an impact, and he is excited to share his experiences as a part of the panel discussion.
HAUK NELSON
Sales at NRG Esports
Hauk Nelson is on the sales team at NRG, the US's leading gaming and esports entertainment company. NRG's network of content generated 648 million video views in the first quarter of 2023. Before working in sales, he was an account manager, leading relationships with top brands like T-Mobile, Levi's, Coinbase, and Nestle. He also leads the company's efforts in web3 technology, executing NRG's first-ever branded integration into a web3 game.
JENNIFER PARUCH
Senior Head of Consulting, North America, EuroMonitor International
What's next? Where's our growth opportunity? How do we go to market? As a consulting research leader, I help to answer these questions across strategy, sales, and marketing teams to fuel global decisions with the power of market intelligence.
At Euromonitor Consulting, we expand how organizations see the world today and make decisions for tomorrow; I believe in challenging perceptions across industries and geographies to evaluate the next market opportunity, deconstruct the competition, and develop strategies for maximizing potential.
As the lead for North America Consulting, I have a wide spectrum of industry experience, presenting actionable insights and partnering with executives across both CPG and B2B industries, including health & wellness, consumer finance, packaged goods, and retail/digital, to drive growth. In addition to client service, I also lead strategic initiatives for the consulting department, coaching and empowering our team of 12+ consultants and managers, supporting commercial expansion, codifying consulting outcomes, and partnering with sales and business development to address evolving questions for our global clients.
Prior to joining Euromonitor, I first sharpened my quantitative confidence in advisory services at Huron Consulting Group and assurance services at KPMG in Chicago. While I enjoyed utilizing my accounting background, I ultimately was drawn to more future-forward quantification and shaping strategies for market expansion.
I believe in staying balanced with physical movement, and I am a yoga enthusiast; I also support the clean-food and clean-skincare movement and enjoy experimenting with superfood, gluten-free, and pescatarian recipes.
SUSIE ALVAREZ
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, MARKETING OPERATIONS, COLLEGE BOARD
As the head of Marketing Operations at a mission-based organization, Susie leads a cross-disciplinary department to deliver the right experience to the right person at the right time in the right way. Susie began her career in market research, where she helped organizations understand audience behavior to uncover market opportunities. She then spent 8 years as a MarTech consultant, where she partnered with technology vendors and marketing executives to solve business problems.
KATIE HARDY
Owner, Whole Hardy Health
Katie Hardy is a Duke Health Certified Executive Wellness Educator and Ghostwriter. As the owner of WholeHardy Health, LLC, her proprietary method called Personality Wellness combines the Enneagram, Bio-Individuality, and ChatGPT to help executives & employees get lean, feel lit, and think sharp so they can fuel their passions & goals.
In addition to delivering health education and ghostwriting services, Hardy also manages community operations for all programs under the global writing business Ship 30 for 30, run by Dickie Bush and Nicolas Cole.
She has a B.S. in Journalism from Ohio University's Scripps School of Journalism and an M.B.A. in Marketing Management from DePaul's Kellstadt Graduate School of Business.
Contact her for Wellness Ghostwriting, Executive Health Education, and Group Workshops at hello@wholehardy.com.
SARAH MATTSON
Senior HR Business Partner, McCormick
Sarah Mattson is a dedicated Business and Human Resources professional who has held progressive roles in both HR and Marketing Research throughout her 18-year career. Sarah spent the first 10 years of her career at Kantar, a global market research company, in several client leadership positions, working directly with Fortune 500 clients. In these roles, she helped brands understand consumers’ perceptions of advertising and brand equity.
During the latter half of this time, she started to get more involved with talent strategies and ultimately decided to move into HR at Kantar, where she stayed for the next 7 years. Her most recent role is at McCormick and Company as a Senior Human Resources Business Partner. In this role, she is responsible for partnering with Senior Management within the NA Flavor Solution team to develop and implement people strategies and high-performing teams across North America. Sarah is passionate about coaching and developing managers, employee retention, and ultimately helping both employees and companies grow. Sarah obtained a Bachelor of Science in Honors Marketing (IME Program) with a Concentration in Psychology from DePaul University and held a Professional in Human Resources (PHR) from the HR Certification Institute.
STU SCHISGALL
Principal SEO Specialist, Discover Financial Services
Stu is an award-winning digital marketing leader and entrepreneur focusing on search engine optimization (SEO) and consulting. Stu, a former writer and sales professional, has been helping Fortune 500 companies develop digital marketing strategies since 2012. Seeing the need for a trusted SEO partner, Stu founded Searics to help companies incorporate SEO to hit their sales goals.
As Discover Financial Services' Principal SEO Specialist, Stu develops strategies and innovations to help Discover build organic visibility and make money. In his free time, Stu is a full-time father of two children 2 and under. He also is an avid traveler and most recently visited Eastern Europe.
MANDY ZARANSKY-HURST
SVP, Marketing, Communications and Business Development, Institute of Food Technologists (IFT)
Mandy Zaransky-Hurst is currently the SVP, Marketing, Communications and Business Development at the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT). She’s the former COO/Head of Leadership Councils at Ragan Communications & PR Daily, where she led the charge for their Communications Leadership Council and Crisis Leadership Network, from marketing to specialized programming and sales strategies. She also leads and manages the content team responsible for all event programming spanning the topics of Employee Communication, Workforce Engagement, DE&I, Crisis Communications, and Change Communications.
During her 7-year duration at Ragan, she also held the role of CMO for four years. Prior to Ragan, Mandy worked for Tribune Company in their Digital Marketing Research & Strategic Insights departments. She also worked for Motive Quest, where she helped companies define aspects of their marketing strategy based on social media metrics and analysis. In the decade prior to receiving her MBA in Brand Marketing and Behavioral Finance from DePaul University, Mandy worked in investments both as a portfolio manager for high-net-worth families at Northern Trust and in Institutional Investment Sales for Deutsche Bank/DWS. She was the 2008 Student Commencement Speaker for DePaul’s College of Commerce. She also holds a Certificate in Integrated Marketing from the University of Chicago and a B.B.A in Finance and International Business from the University of Iowa. Mandy was the Alumni Relations Chair for KMG more than a decade ago. She was also a long-tenured (nearly two decades) Board of Directors member for Sarah’s Circle, a homeless women’s shelter in Chicago, and the former Chairwoman of the Associate’s Board for One Million Degrees, a non-profit focused on helping community college students excel in work and life.
Mandy has been a co-lecturer and an adjunct at DePaul University College of Commerce, as well. She also participated in the Anti-Defamation League’s Glass Leadership Institute, which focused on education and training to create more equity and justice in the world. Mandy is passionate about understanding human motivation, connecting people to foster progress in the world, combating misinformation, and supporting education for all. She just moved from Old Town to the bustling suburbs of Chicago and is happily married to her husband Matt. They have two beautiful girls, Magnolia and Annika, a sweet golden retriever named Lily, and a playful cat named Dr. Morty Katz.
JEANETTE GERGER
Barilla for Professionals- US, Marketing Lead
Jeanette Gerger leads the Barilla for Professionals marketing efforts in the US, overseeing everything from branding, innovation, PR/advertising, events/sponsorships, and digital marketing. She joined Barilla in June of 2019 after her tenure working with companies like Kellogg’s, Hershey’s, and Campbell’s. She is passionate about food, strategy, marketing, and customers, and works closely with the sales and culinary teams to create valuable programing and initiatives in the foodservice space.
Working in the pasta category with chefs to create and market dishes that you see in restaurants, hotels, and college campuses around the country is definitely a dream job. Barilla is still a family owned company that has a familial vibe and is based in Parma, Italy, giving her access to a global team and brand. Their dedication to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion has also had a meaningful impact on her both professionally and personally. She is an active member of the “Alleanza” Employee Resource Group which works to promote diversity and inclusion for employees of color.
Jeanette is a Double Demon and IME alum, earning her BS in Marketing in 2009 and her MBA in Marketing Strategy & Planning in 2018. In 2021, she was named one of HACE (Hispanic Alliance for Career Enhancement) and Negocios Now’s National Latinos Top 40 Under 40 and is an active alum of the Mujeres de HACE program. She lives in Chicago with her fiancée Mike and pup Stella and is based in the Barilla Americas office in Northbrook, IL. Food, wine and travel are super important to her, and she can often be found on a plane, enjoying a good book or glass of wine, or simply dancing around!
MIKE LEMONS
Corptax, Sales Enablement
Mike brings over 20 years of experience in B2B marketing, sales, product management, and product marketing. After earning his B.S. in Commerce from DePaul University, Mike began his career in B2B sales roles, where he learned to actively listen to customers and match their challenges to product benefits. With several years of work experience under his belt, he then pursued an MBA from Northern Illinois University, where he honed his academic skills in solving real-world marketing and sales challenges.
Shortly after receiving his graduate degree, Mike landed a career-defining opportunity in pre-sales where he delivered thousands of enterprise software presentations. This experience proved invaluable as he transitioned into subsequent product marketing roles, armed with the ability to translate customer challenges into sales opportunities while delivering at a high level under pressure.
Over time, Mike has developed a passion for crafting product and thought-leadership content, defining product vision, creating buyer personas, developing key messages, and more. In his current sales enablement role at CSC Corptax, Mike leads multiple aspects of the enterprise sales process, including security audit and RFP responses, sales training program development, product strategy, process automation, and more.
Throughout his career, Mike has had the privilege of learning from mentors in various aspects of his profession and academic pursuits. As he continues to grow and develop professionally, he hopes to pay it forward by becoming a mentor to others.
RICK NORTIER
Director of Product Management & Marketing, The Chicago Faucet Company
Rick’s career in marketing started like all marketing careers do: in the hardware store.
He worked in his father’s hardware store and witnessed the importance of evolving. As General Eric Shinseki said, “If you dislike change, you’re going to dislike irrelevance more.” His father’s reluctance to change and subsequent failure set an example for him, propelling his career toward digital transformation.
Rick’s 30+ year career in B2B product development includes stints at Elkay, Sloan, and Siemens before joining Chicago Faucets. A lifelong Chicago area resident, Rick holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Illinois at Chicago and an MBA in Marketing Management from DePaul University.
He is currently the Director of Marketing and Product Management for The Chicago Faucet Company, marrying his career in product engineering and marketing.
STEPHANIE ROSE THOMAS
Sr. Field Marketing Manager, OraclE
Stephanie Rose Thomas is an experienced B2B marketer based in the Chicagoland area. Her marketing career started in college at DePaul University, where her studies focused on honors marketing and international business. Throughout her career, Rose has had the opportunity to work for well-known corporations (Motorola, Comcast, and SAP), and start-ups (Syclo and Rubrik). Her experience includes account-based marketing, customer communications, customer acquisition, demand generation campaigns, email marketing, events, social media, and social selling. Marketing provides an outlet for her creative side as well as her analytical side. She aspires to be a marketing executive managing a team of marketers. Outside of work, Rose enjoys spending time with her family and friends, gardening, golfing, and dancing.
OLENA CRUZ
Senior Marketing Manager, Kraft Heinz
SYMPOSIUM EMCEE
Olena Cruz is an accomplished marketing, strategy, and sales professional with a decade of experience in the CPG industry. She has worked with iconic global brands, including Heinz, Kraft, Philadelphia, Jim Beam, Maker's Mark, and Suntory, delivering strong marketing programs that drive scale, conversion, and growth.
Olena is a proud former president of the Kellstadt Marketing Group.
ZAFAR IQBAL, Ph.D.
panel moderator & KMG faculty advisor
DEPAUL UNIVERSITY
Dr. Zafar Iqbal is Associate Professor of Marketing at DePaul University’s Driehaus College of Business. Currently, he is the Director of the IME Honors Undergraduate Marketing Program and the Director of the MS in Marketing Analysis program at DePaul University. Additionally, he is the Associate Director for India Initiatives at DePaul University and is responsible for developing and executing the university’s India strategy. Zafar earned a Ph.D. in Marketing from the University of Pittsburgh, an M.S. in Industrial Relations from Iowa State University, and a B.E. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Pune, India. He teaches courses and conducts research in new product development, strategic business models, marketing and business strategy, marketing career development, and advanced consumer insights. He leads study-abroad programs to India, Japan, and New Zealand and enjoys pretending that he can keep up with his students on hill treks in each of these countries. He is passionate about his role as a career mentor and loves helping talented marketers find their career paths.
RICHARD ROCCO, Ph.D.
panel moderator
Associate Professor & Executive Director for Sales and Marketing Research Excellence
DEPAUL UNIVERSITY
Rich Rocco is the executive director for sales and marketing research excellence and professor of marketing at the Department of Marketing in the Driehaus College of Business. He lectures on strategy, sales effectiveness, sales process, communication, coaching and customer relationship management/sales technology. His research focuses on sales effectiveness. He has 20 years of sales and marketing experience in the healthcare/medical device, consulting, automotive and consumer goods industries.