Each year the Sales & Marketing SIG brings together a panel of senior marketing and government executives to discuss key trends and best practices in marketing and to the Federal government. We’re at it again, but this time the view is through a different lens: The Market Connections 2009-10 Federal Media and Marketing Study.
Gain the critical data you’ll need to develop effective marketing strategies and media plans targeting the Federal sector. Our moderator, Lisa Dezzutti will share highlights of the study and will guide our panelists through an in-depth discussion of the implications of the data.
• How are the panelists shifting their branding and advertising investments in response to the increasing use of social media by Federal IT buyers?
• Are Federal trade shows a dying breed, or are they still attracting a significant audience of IT buyers?
• Which radio and online outlets are grabbing the lion’s share of Federal IT buyers’ attention?
Our Panel:
Moderator: Lisa Dezzutti, President and CEO of Market Connections
Panel Members:
Chris Hamm, Operations Director, General Services Administration
Mark Meudt, Vice President of Communications and Marketing for General Dynamics Information Technology
Kathy Ditto, Director of Federal Marketing, Cisco
Erik Ayers, Vice President of Marketing, MorganFranklin
Bios:
Moderator: Lisa Dezzutti, CEO of Market Connections, Inc.
Lisa Dezzutti is a highly skilled focus group moderator with nearly two decades experience in marketing, research and planning, and total quality management. Since January 1996, Dezzutti has been President and CEO of Market Connections. The firm's success has been driven by its ability to help its clients integrate information about their markets, customers, and competitors into comprehensive plans that translate research data into specific actions to propel their business forward.
Prior to forming Market Connections, Dezzutti was Director, Marketing Communications and Research for Government Technology Services, Inc. (GTSI), a leading reseller of computer hardware, peripherals, and software to government. There, Dezzutti also served as Director, Corporate Planning and Quality.
Lisa holds a B.A. in Business Administration and a B.S. in Economics from Radford University; she also has an M.B.A. in Business Administration from George Mason University. She is co-founder and co-chair of the Government Marketing Forum. An active member of the American Marketing Association, the Northern Virginia Technology Council, the American Business Women's Association, the Radford University Business Industry Council and serves on the Board of Women in Technology.
Panelists:
Chris Hamm, Operations Director, General Services Administration
Chris Hamm is the Operations Director for GSA FEDSIM, a fee for service acquisition and project management organization. Chris’s organization manages over 1.4B annually in contracts.. Chris has nearly 11 years of experience in managing acquisitions and post award performance. Chris has presented at previous e-GOV and FAI panels on the subject of performance based contracting and service level agreements. Chris recently participated in the 2009 ACT/IAC Partners Program and is managing the GSA pilot project for Better Buy.
Mark Meudt, Vice President of Communications & Marketing, General Dynamics Information Technology
Mark Meudt is vice president, communications and marketing for General Dynamics Information Technology. His responsibilities include marketing and branding campaigns, external communications, and employee communications activities.
Mr. Meudt has more than 20 years experience as an accomplished marketing and communications executive in the U.S. federal, state and local government and commercial information technology and telecommunications marketplace.
Before joining General Dynamics Information Technology, Mr. Meudt directed the marketing and communications functions for the IT sectors of both Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin. Previously, Mr. Meudt served as director of marketing for Planning Research Corporation (PRC) and Alcatel’s U.S. Government Solutions group. He serves on a number of boards of directors and councils, including the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association (AFCEA), the Chief Marketing Officer Council, the Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce, the GovMark Council, and the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA).
Mr. Meudt, an award winning journalist, earned his master’s degree in public communications from the American University in Washington, D.C., and his bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Maryland. He is a graduate of The University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business executive development program in financial management. Mr. Meudt is an NCAA All-American and Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Champion in the sport of fencing.
Kathy Ditto, Director, Federal Marketing, Cisco Systems
Kathy Ditto leads the marketing team for the Federal Organization at Cisco, the worldwide leader in networking for the Internet. In this role, she is responsible for setting the marketing strategy, increasing Cisco’s relevance, driving revenue and growth through both direct and channel sales, and creating customer loyalty. Previously, Kathy was Collaboration Solutions Manager for Public Sector, and responsible for driving pipeline for Unified Communications applications through integrated marketing programs that created and sustained dynamic customer relationships.
Prior to joining Cisco in 2006, Kathy had an extensive career in the technology field working in various marketing, sales and finance functions over the past 25 years. She has held leadership positions at Nortel Networks, Williams Communications Solutions, Enterasys Networks and Sprint Nextel Communications.
Ms. Ditto is a graduate of James Madison University with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree and majors in Marketing and Management.
Erik Ayers, VP of Marketing, MorganFranklin
Erik is responsible for leading MorganFranklin’s marketing and communications strategy and operations. He is also responsible for commercial sector business development and recruiting. Yes, recruiting. As Vice President of Marketing for MorganFranklin, Erik is responsible for leading and managing efforts to build awareness and demand for the company’s solutions and expertise.
He previously served as President of DBC Public Relations where he supported strategic growth initiatives, operations and business development. In 1998 Ayers joined PricewaterhouseCoopers and as Director of Business Development played key roles in marketing and sales across a wide range of industries. Erik also served as marketing manager for the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority and earlier in his career delivered competitive intelligence technology forecasting services to the U.S. Army Environmental Policy Institute.
Erik is (was until I had twins) an active member in the business community and early in his career earned accolades as one of the top 40 emerging professionals and top ten young professionals in the Washington region. He has held a number of leadership and committee roles with organizations such as the Business Alliance of George Mason, Mason’s College of Visual and Performing Arts, the Mid Atlantic Venture Association, among others.
Erik holds a BA from East Carolina University and a master’s of science in public policy from Georgia Institute of Technology.
Quote: If you feel that you can make a difference, you have an obligation as a sales and marketing professional to share what you know. It’s not selling, it’s helping.
Cost: $35 WIT Members/$45 Non-members/$10 additional onsite
