Toronto, Ontario, Canada
I was trained as a P&L responsible Marketing General Manager with sophisticated multi-national packaged-goods companies renowned for their marketing savvy; and became known as a marketing turn-around specialist on struggling brands and with companies in crisis. I developed a reputation as a marketer with early financial acumen. I loved the challenge of leading change, particularly solving intractable problems on struggling brands. I developed a disciplined analytic process of first learning each brand's history—doing an exhaustive competitive, research & financial analysis in order to learn & implement innovative, targeted marketing strategies & tactics to reposition the brands and grow their sales & profitability. Throughout my career I was given & sought out assignments on failing & struggling brands (Jell-O, GFIC, Mellow Roast) & companies (Ralston Purina, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, TTC) in which dramatic turn-arounds were required for their very survival, despite many being Canadian subsidiaries of sophisticated American multi-nationals. Success in the Canadian marketplace was by no means guaranteed or easy to achieve against larger, more established competitors. It was literally love at first lecture in Introductory Marketing, taught by UBC Professor Fred Siller in January 1975… a love, curiosity that still motivates me today whether as a CMO, Consultant or Board Director; not surprisingly for a Myers-Briggs ENTP personality, tested at the 97th percentile in Critical Thinking ability.
Senior Management Consultant & Corporate Director specializing in Marketing—presently in public transit & cycling and previously tourism (MTCC, Tourism Toronto, CNEA) | In addition to my Board work with MTCC, TPA, Cycle Toronto, I've attended TTC Commission meetings over the past 15 years first as a TTC Staff member then as an engaged but non-partisan citizen. I've seen 7 TTC Chairs & 46 individual Commissioners come & go and tried to help the Chairs & Commission(er)s, as well as Senior TTC Staff make better, apolitical, customer- & fact-based transit marketing decisions—with my annual TTC Factsheet & Historical One-Zone fares (see links below). I've also attended GO/Metrolinx meetings since 2004 as a supporter of GTA Fare & Service integration, as well as a few YRT/ViVA meetings in Newmarket; and am a member of CUTA, TBoT & ICD.
CSCI is an incorporated non-profit start-up organization, dedicated to helping youth develop skills to start & advance their careers. Located in CSI Regent Park, Toronto, CSCI empowers the un(der)employed to develop skills for their dream careers in a fun, flexible environment with a culture of feedback and self-improvement. Check out their website by clicking Career Skills Incubator link below. careerskillsincubato.wix.com/csci
Advocacy group for Toronto cyclists This has been a very rewarding volunteer position, giving back to cycling which gave me back my fitness, well-being & mobility after a catastrophic hip infection. I had 5 major hip surgeries at Mt. Sinai to amputate, disinfect & rebuild my hip that left me unable to work, in a wheelchair for a year, using a walker for 2 years and a cane for another, during which I was a TTC Wheel Trans client. I've very proud how we've matured as a not-for-profit, grown membership from 900 when I started to nearly 2,500 in two years—thanks to two fantastic, hard-working staff and a Board of Directors that is gelling & developing increasingly sophisticated & successful governance practices as Cycle Toronto succeeds the Toronto Cyclists Union and grows in stature and recognition as the leading & respective advocacy organization—that is making a difference for all Toronto cyclists. safe streets, a healthy city, a vibrant voice
Cycle Toronto is the cycling advocacy organization promoting: safe streets, a healthy city, a vibrant voice In the City of Toronto
I was appointed to this position as a City of Toronto representative by Toronto City Council in 2004 for a three year term and reappointed in 2007 for a 4 year term. I've served on the Marketing Committee throughout my tenure. | www.mtccc.com Highlights include rebounding from the SARS/West Nile crisis of 2003/4 to achieve record sales after hosting delegates from around the world for the 2006 World Aids Conference and presently recovering from the 2008/09 recession, being named the #1 Convention/Visitors Bureau in North America shortly before hosting the first non-emergency meeting of G20 world leaders in June 2010;
I was appointed by Toronto City Council to the Board of Toronto Parking Authority in October 2004, serving on the Marketing & Pricing committees | The highlight was working with Maurice Anderson, as President & CEO who ran a tight, lean, entrepreneurial ship that gradually developed, over 10 years, terrific working relationships & trust with many developers. This led to the preliminary sale of their Alvin Avenue surface lot at St. Clair & Yonge to Whittington Investments in 2007, for over $25M and was an eye-opener to me for the attention to detail and the world-class, professional legal, development, environmental & engineering reports advisors crafted to mitigate risk & ensure Board approval. It was a role-model that Maurice & I introduced to TTC Vice-Chair Mihevc & Chair Moscoe to spur their own nascent attempts to develop and realize the TTC's own real-estate potential; & later by Mayor Miller when he created Bild Toronto.