 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Management
Jim KabakowPresident & CEO
Jim joined Media Horizons in 1988, the same year the company was founded. Soon after, historic tales were born with adventurous clients such as McGraw-Hill and The Wall Street Journal, who is still a client today. Jim became SVP/Account Management in 1999, overseeing a roster of accounts including Nestle Waters North America, BMG Music and The Bradford Exchange. He was named President in 2004 and CEO in March of 2007 when company founder Alan Kraft moved on to pursue other business ventures. During his career at MHI his mission has been to partner with blue-chip direct marketing companies to cost effectively generate new customers and maximize their lifetime value by developing innovative strategy, efficient media plans and winning creative across all media channels.
Prior to MHI, Jim worked in the financial industry at Donaldson, Lufkin and Jenrette. He quickly realized Wall Street was not fast paced enough for him and became a direct marketer. Jim holds a degree in Economics from Tufts University. He has taught Direct Marketing at Western Connecticut State University, led numerous industry Seminars, and participates in worthwhile industry organizations, including The CEO Roundtable, and The Direct Marketing Idea Exchange (DMIX). He currently lives in Westport, CT with his wife and two sons.
Back to top
Roni PallChief Financial Officer
Roni joined the staff of Media Horizons in 1992, and is responsible for all aspects of MHI’s finances, including the Accounting and IT Departments. Prior to that, she was the Vice President/Administration at Supermarket Communications Inc. Roni’s vision and superior skills are vital to support Media Horizons’ rapid growth. Through continuous refinement of the Accounting and Technology functions, Roni performs a leadership role in streamlining and managing the company’s operational functions. Roni has an MBA from Pace University. She lives in Stamford, Connecticut with her husband, Steve, and their Tibetan terrier, George.
Back to top
Thomas ReynoldsSenior Vice President / Partner
Tom joined Media Horizons in 1998. Extensive client-side experience spanning the full spectrum of direct response disciplines makes Tom a well-rounded marketing professional who is able to assist his clients with any and all of their marketing challenges. His specific areas of expertise include, but are not limited to: strategic planning and budgeting, customer acquisition and customer retention marketing, fulfillment and database management. Tom works closely with clients to understand their goals and objectives, and constructs media plans across a variety of channels: inserts, mass media, print, direct mail, broadcast and online.
Tom has over nineteen years in direct marketing and has worked with some of the most prominent companies in the business. In crossing over from the “client” side to the “service” side of the industry, Tom is in the unique position of providing his clients with a knowledgeable and thorough understanding of their needs. Prior to joining MHI, Tom worked for American Express Publishing, where he held positions as Director of Continuity Products and Services and Director of New Product Development. He has also held key marketing positions at Bantam Doubleday Dell (now Random House), Newfield Publications and International Masters Publishing.
Tom attended the University of Vermont, where he graduated with a BA in English.
Back to top
Scott KellermanSenior Vice President / Partner
Scott began his career with Media Horizons in 1994 as an Assistant Account Executive. After 12 years of hard work, Scott earned the position of Senior Vice President and Partner in 2006. Scott's tireless work ethic, vast industry expertise and interpersonal skills serve him well in managing the multichannel media campaigns of several leading national advertisers. In addition to his account management role, Scott also oversees the entire MHI Account Services Team, a group of highly skilled and motivated industry experts. His clients include Oreck and Bose, for which MHI are involved in acquiring and retaining customers via print media, insert media, direct mail and online. Scott also works with these clients on their print production and database work, and oversees all facets of campaign planning, negotiation, execution and analysis for all of his clients. Scott is a seasoned and respected industry veteran, and is passionate about delivering only the highest quality work to his clients. Scott attended Bryant University, where he played varsity soccer and graduated with a BS in Marketing. He lives in Newtown, CT with his wife Crissy, twin boys Luke and Daniel and Yellow Labrador, Buddy.
Back to top
Peter BurgessExecutive Vice President
Pete’s diversified and exhaustive experience in the direct marketing industry, which spans over 30 years, enables him to provide his clients with an in-depth understanding of the latest trends and issues facing marketers today.
Pete, a highly respected and valued expert in his field, is responsible for new business development and account management at MHI. He specializes in developing strategic marketing partnerships and oversees management of key accounts. His clients include JC Penney (dot.com division), Helicor (StressEraser), Synapse and Antares Investment Partners . Prior to joining MHI, Pete served as Executive Vice President of Partnership Marketing for Priceline WebHouse and Priceline Gasoline Clubs. He has also served as President and CEO of Conversion Marketing (a division of Walker Digital). Pete has also held several senior management positions at Cox Enterprises, where he worked for ten years, initially as Senior Vice President of National Sales and Marketing for Val-Pak Direct Marketing Systems and later as president of Cox Direct (parent of Carol Wright and the Cox Sampling Group). Prior to that, Pete was Vice President of Sales for Metromail.
Back to top
Joyce BeggsVice President / Account Director
Joyce has 26 years of experience in the direct marketing field and has been a vital part of the MHI team for more than 9 years.
Prior to joining MHI, Joyce served as Vice President in the brokerage division of Mokrynski & Associates. There, she put her customer acquisition skills to work for a prestigious list of catalog industry clients such as Victoria’s Secret, J. Crew, Bloomingdales, Lillian Vernon and J. Jill. Joyce has also served as Vice President of Marketing and Advertising at Royal Silk Ltd., where she profitably grew the cataloger’s customer base 2,000% over a six-year period, using a fine-tuned balance of list acquisition and aggressive print media campaigns.
Joyce’s clients regard her as an integral extension of their marketing team and rely on her and her team to successfully plan, develop and execute their multi-channel customer acquisition campaigns.
Back to top
Walter ChistoniVice President, Business Development
Walter joined the MHI team in March of 2003 as Director of New Business Development. He has successfully introduced blue-chip clients such as Daimler-Chrysler, Dell, eBay, State Farm and Pfizer to the benefits of non-traditional media.
Walter’s career in direct response media sales spans over 12 years. He began at News America Marketing (a division of News Corporation) selling FSI advertising and went on to earn the title of Captain of Non-Traditional Advertiser Sales, due to his talent for developing new business. In a two-year period, Walter contributed over $10 million in new business revenue by introducing accounts such as Citibank, First USA and Gateway to the FSIs.
Walter went on to serve as the Director of New Business Development for American Media Inc (National Enquirer and Star). There, he introduced new advertisers such as Garden State Life Insurance, Matrix Direct and Chase, opening up the insurance and financial services advertising categories for the tabloids. Walter succeeded in developing of $5 million in new business revenue during his two-year tenure at AMI.
Walter was promoted to Vice President of Media Horizons Management in May 2004. In a 3 year span, he increased the portfolio of MHM exclusively managed properties to 110 different media programs, representing 48 different brands.
Walter received his BS in Marketing from Fordham University. He lives in Trumbull, CT with his wife and two children.
Back to top
Liz RussellVice President, Insert Management
Liz joined MHI in 2000, and began working on marketing initiatives with clients such as Bradford Exchange, BMG and The Wall Street Journal. In 2003, Liz brought her 15 years of insert management experience to Media Horizons Management, where she helps clients including Rodale, Redcats USA, Barnes&Noble.com and BlueSky Brands maximize their insert media revenue. Liz’s primary responsibilities include auditing and streamlining of all reports for MHI. She also oversees the operations end of all MHM’s managed properties, including lettershop, fulfillment and reporting. Liz’s experience spans over 20 years of insert management and brokerage. Formerly with The Kaplan Agency, she handled accounts such as BMG, Newport News, Checks In The Mail, Time Life and York Photo.
Back to top
Deborah Sue DoorfeeDirector, Account Development
Debbie has over 15 years experience in consumer marketing, with a focus on direct marketing. She started her career at David Geller Associates selling print media to traditional direct response clients such as Columbia House, The Franklin Mint and Lenox Collections. In 1997, she joined Primedia, Inc. as Director, Consumer Sampling Programs for the American Baby Group. She was responsible for the growth and development of all direct response advertisers and key package good advertisers, such as: Gerber, Kimberly-Clark and P&G. In 2000, Debbie became a part of the Cendant Corporation marketing team. As Director, Product Management and New Business Development she was responsible for new member acquisition for the Shoppers Advantage product. In 2003, she joined the team at Media Horizons, Inc. where she is responsible for managing several of the company's major accounts. Debbie earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science from Boston University.
Back to top
Steve TurkCreative Director
Award-winning writer and designer, Steve Turk is the Creative Director for Media Horizons. Steve has led the creative team in developing several successful direct response campaigns. Prior to joining MHI, he held the same position at the Taunton Press in Newtown, Connecticut where he built an in-house agency responsible for the creation of all print advertising, direct response and promotion of six different magazines as well as the book publishing division.
Prior to moving to New England, Steve and his family resided in the Twin Cities where he was Creative Director for West Publishing Company, the world’s largest legal publisher. His career began in his hometown of Eau Claire, Wisconsin where he was a partner and creative director at Duerre, Turk and Associates after serving in the military during the Vietnam war.
Steve attended the University of Wisconsin on an art scholarship as well as the University of California. He is married and fathered two children; Nathan and Sarah.
His numerous awards include several Echo and Caples Awards for both writing and design, as well as regional advertising awards.
Back to top
Rick ChildAccount Director, Marketing
Rick joined Media Horizons in 2006.
12 years of client-side experience in all disciplines of direct marketing make Rick an excellent strategist and problem solver for his clients. In crossing over from the client side to the service side of the industry, Rick has a through understanding and appreciation of client needs.
During his career, Rick has developed marketing campaigns in all major media, managed creative development, overseen print production and designed inventory management strategies. He is especially strong in analysis, where he applies his scientific training as a Meteorologist to the discipline of direct marketing. Rick is also an expert in the application of statistical modeling to both acquisition and database marketing.
Rick has redesigned customer contact strategies involving direct mail, telemarketing and email media for two major multi-million dollar companies. Both initiatives resulted in significant ROI improvement.
Prior to joining MHI, Rick worked for Scholastic-at-Home, where he held positions as Brand Director of Housefile Products, Director of Acquisitions and Senior Product Manager of Disney Licensed Products. He has also held marketing positions at the Danbury Mint and Rodale.
Rick has received an MBA in Marketing and a BS with Distinction in Meteorology from Cornell University.
Back to top
