Team
CEO -
Karen Conte -
Karen has over 34 years of sales, marketing and operational management experience. She has a proven record of developing profitable sales and marketing programs in emerging channels. Her career began in sales with Warner Wellcome and then moved to Procter & Gamble as Non-Foods Specialist in the Paper Products Division. Later with Presto Products she created successful private label programs in the paper products category for labels such as Safeway, Western Family and Albertson’s. She then accepted a senior management position with Gillette/Oral-B where she was quickly promoted to Regional Manager over 23 states managing both the broker and retail organizations. After her tenure with Gillette, she was offered the position of Vice President with then start-up PIA Merchandising Co., Inc. At PIA Karen and her senior operations team were responsible for establishing many of the original Retailer Preferred Supplier Programs such as Safeway Private Label, Safeway Beverage Category Management Programs, and Drug Store Merchandising Operation Category Management Programs (currently CVS and Walgreens). She was promoted to VP National Business Development where she was responsible for the re-engineering of organizations operations teams, development of national Preferred Vendor Programs with both retailers and manufacturers.
In 1996 Karen established ARS Consulting, Inc. a WBENC certified company. As President of ARS she has worked in collaboration with manufacturers, services providers, venture capital and private equity firms in providing consultative and management services in the areas of market/channel expansion strategies, human resource optimization, business development and outsourced provider identification and management services. Clients have included companies such as PUMA, Kellogg Sales, Information Resources, Inc. “IRI”, The Mosaic Group, BDS Marketing, Crossmark, Western Union, WIS International, Phoenix Recycling, MPR Medical Planners, Procter & Gamble and EH Ventures.
CREATIVE DIRECTOR -
Tara Morgan
MANAGER-PRODUCT OPERATIONS -
Scott Morgan
BOARD OF DIRECTORS -
Dale Petroskey -
Dale Petroskey served 22 years in three of the most respected institutions in America – The Reagan White House (1985-87), National Geographic (1988-99), and The National Baseball Hall of Fame (1999-2008).
As Assistant Press Secretary to President Ronald Reagan, Mr. Petroskey was a White House spokesman during a key turning point in East-West superpower relations. He was a member of the traveling White House staff involved in the first historic summits of President Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev – in Geneva, Switzerland in November 1985, and in Reykjavik, Iceland in October 1986; those epic meetings laid the foundation for the break-up of the Communist Soviet Union and its satellite Eastern European bloc. Mr. Petroskey also was occasionally invited to be one of a small team of staff members to accompany the President and Mrs. Reagan during weekends at Camp David.
As a Senior Vice President at National Geographic, Mr. Petroskey worked closely with then-president and chairman Gilbert M. Grosvenor, great-grandson of Alexander Graham Bell. Mr. Grosvenor’s family founded the venerable National Geographic Society in 1888. Mr. Petroskey was responsible for the Society’committee which funded research and explorations for well-known explorers such as Sir Edmund Hillary, Richard Leakey, Jane Goodall, Bob Ballard, and Sylvia Earle, and he also worked alongside some of the world’s greatest photojournalists, including Jim Stanfield and Sam Abell.
As President of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, New York, Mr. Petroskey developed a close bond with most of the 63 living Hall of Famers, and helped modernize and broaden the awareness and appeal of Baseball’s shrine. During his tenure 43 players, managers, umpires and executives were inducted, including 20 from the Negro Leagues, and Nolan Ryan, George Brett, Orlando Cepeda, Robin Yount, Sparky Anderson, Carlton Fisk, Tony Perez, Bill Mazeroski, Kirby Puckett, Dave Winfield, Ozzie Smith, Gary Carter, Eddie Murray, Dennis Eckersley, Paul Molitor, Wade Boggs, Ryne Sandberg, Bruce Sutter, Cal Ripken, and Tony Gwynn.
“Dale has had one of the most interesting careers I know of – and it’s not surprising. Every time I’m with him, I learn something new.”
WARREN BUFFETT, Berkshire Hathaway
“Dale earned the respect of all the Hall of Famers, not an easy task. Then he created a shared vision for a better future we all bought into, and he and his team made it happen. That’s leadership.”
JOHNNY BENCH, Member, Baseball Hall of Fame
“Dale was one of the very best hires I made in 50 years. He started and accomplished things here that are far-reaching and will last for generations.”
GILBERT M. GROSVENOR, Chairman Emeritus, National Geographic Society
Mary McKay is perhaps best known for her out-of-the-box strategies and long-term relationships with corporations and individuals she has worked with over the past 30 years.
One of the Founder’s of AllPlayers.com the first web-based application to incorporate the needs and wants of parents, players and recreational organizations. We bring organizations and participants together under one common, secure system allowing real-time updates, event scheduling, unified calendars, secure communication and online community.
As President of Sports and Entertainment Access her focus was connecting clients to brands, talent and fans. Creating unique experiences both in the corporate world utilizing athletes to promote their brands internally and externally and offering the same unique experience for the athletes. Working with CBS Sports and NFL Films to produce a Thanksgiving special honoring Ron Springs and Everson Walls Gift for Life Foundation. Working with athletes such as Chad Hennings, Tony Romo and Jason Witten to produce first class commercials, billboard and radio promotions. As Director of Business Development for Advantage Marketing Group (AMG),
Mary McKay -
Mary had the opportunity to work with many athletes, such as Emmitt Smith, of the Dallas Cowboys, Barry Sanders, Barry Bonds, Rolando Blackman and Shawn Springs, managing their endorsements, appearances, licensing agreements, charity events and engagements. Prior to AMG, Mary worked for Zig Ziglar Corporation as Director of Worldwide Sales. There, she was responsible for managing Zig’s appearances, endorsements and affiliations, creating a corporate training and licensing division. Mary also worked with the Peter Lowe Group and the Success Seminars, bringing celebrities such as First Lady Barbara Bush, General Swartzskopf, Colin Powell, Larry King and Tom Peters to local seminars. Within three years, the new division was competing with most of the top training organizations worldwide.
Mary has served on many Boards such as South Collin County Infant and Todler Intervention program, North Texas Volunteer Center, Gift for Life Foundation and National Domestic Violence supporting programs for women and children’s programs both in Dallas and Kansas City. Mary is passionate about helping people and giving them not just hope but a direction for change.
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