Leadership Team
Michelle Cardinal
Co-Founder, R2C Group CEO, Cmedia
Michelle has spent her entire career challenging traditional ideas about media and providing clients with exceptional value for their media dollar!
Under her leadership, Cmedia was twice honored as the Largest Woman-Owned Company in Oregon, as well as one of Oregon’s Best Companies to Work For. Inc. Magazine profiled Michelle as one of the nation’s Most Fascinating Entrepreneurs along with high profile CEO’s that included Martha Stewart and Richard Branson.
Michelle began her career in television working with some of the top direct marketing companies, including Time Life, NordicTrack, Ronco Products, and Guthy Renker. In 1998, Michelle founded Cmedia with the vision of creating a top-notch media buying company that would vigorously negotiate in multiple formats: television, print, radio and online, providing clients with an integrated media approach that ensured the most efficient media spend possible. “I knew we had to perform not only for highly demanding direct marketers, but also provide strategic integrated DRTV for major brands, as both these genres were on the verge of intersecting.”
Since then, Michelle has become a respected leader in helping major brands bridge the gap between direct response marketing and driving retail sales. Her clients have included Humana Healthcare, P&G, General Mills, Home Depot, TiVo, Shark, NordicTrack and many more.
Ask Michelle what inspires her? “I love to watch the Olympic Games. Growing up, I was smitten by the likes of Mark Spitz, Nadia Komenich and Bobby Orr. I admire the dedication and complete focus on excellence. It gives me goose bumps!”
Michelle was raised in Dedham, Mass., and graduated from The University of Massachusetts at Amherst with a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communications. She resides in Carson, Washington with her husband and business partner Tim O’Leary.
The smartest question a client can ask? “Where do I spend my next incremental media dollar?”
Tim O'Leary
Co-Founder, R2C Group CEO, Respond2
For the last two decades Tim has been a visionary in direct-response and online marketing, helping expand DRTV into an integrated, measurable, multiple-channel advertising medium now embraced by a client list that has included Apple, AT&T, Toshiba, Sears, Hewlett-Packard, Sony, and many other Blue-Chip companies.
A lifelong entrepreneur, he has founded or co-founded more than a dozen companies, including four that have been named among Oregon’s fastest growing private companies. Prior to co-founding R2C Group, Tim was one of the founders and the CEO of The Tyee Group (now the direct division of Euro RSCG).
He’s the recipient of dozens of creative accolades, including the only Clio Award given for the DRTV format. Tim has been published in numerous magazines including Ad Age, Brand Week, and Fortune. Inc. Magazine recognized Tim as “One of 26 Entrepreneurs We Love” celebrating their 26th anniversary, and he was profiled in Fortune Small Business. His award-winning book on entrepreneurship and management, Warriors, Workers, Whiners, & Weasels, was released by Xephor Press in 2006, and he is currently working on his newest book, Pitchmen. He has served on the Board of Directors of The Electronic Retailing Association, and was named “one of the most influential people in DRTV” by Response Magazine.
Tim now leads R2C Group alongside his wife and business partner, Michelle Cardinal. A native of Montana, he is a graduate of The University of Montana, where he currently serves as a Trustee for the University. Also an avid outdoorsman, he also serves on the board of The Freshwater Trust.
His favorite season? Fall… for the best trout fishing of the year.
Chris Peterson
Managing Partner, R2C Group President, R2Ci
Chris’s hero is George Plimpton. The New York sports writer and founding editor-in-chief of The Paris Review boxed with Sugar Ray Leonard, played football with the Baltimore Colts, and appeared on The Simpsons. To Chris, he’s an example of someone who could immerse himself in experiences outside his comfort zone and have the intellect and ability to translate those experiences for the everyman.
Chris leads our San Francisco office and our team of interactive/digital marketers in R2Ci. With almost 30 years in the industry and a passion for continuing education, he brings fresh marketing ideas to our clients.
With a degree in English and Physics from Amherst College in Massachusetts, Chris went on to become CEO for cutting-edge agencies FusionDM, Publicis Dialog, and Chautauqua Communications. His clients include tech giants HP, IBM, Microsoft, Cisco, Sprint, Google, Nintendo, and Vonage, as well as consumer brands Humana, eBay, Gamefly, TiVo, Whirlpool, and FRS.
Chris is a big fan of the San Francisco Giants, but an even bigger fan of his son’s baseball team, where you can find him and his family at every game.
Chris often speaks publicly at events for the Electronic Retailing Association, Direct Marketing Association and NCDM, the Conference for Engaging Customers Using Data & Technology. He also leads several workshops at Stanford University. He was profiled in the Wall Street Journal in the mid-1990s for his innovative early application of direct response communications to the Internet.
His favorite vacation? The next vacation plan.
David Savage
Managing Partner, R2C Group Executive Vice President, Cmedia
Growing up in Virginia, David was a fan of the Washington Redskins: “I can still remember watching John Riggins’s 43-yard touchdown run on fourth down in Super Bowl XVII, earning their first Super Bowl victory.”
David is active in and regularly speaks on behalf of R2C Group at ERA and DMA conferences and events – and serves as a member of the Editorial Advisory Board for Response Magazine. If he looks oddly familiar to you, it’s because he has appeared regularly as a QVC spokesperson for companies such as Sharper Image and our entertainment company, Respond2 Entertainment, helping sell entertainment properties such as Johnny Carson, Rodney Dangerfield and many more.
Along with his colleague Marilyn Davis, David manages Cmedia’s Philly office and has worked with a diverse range of clients, from entrepreneurial startups to emerging brand and well-known corporate marketers including Estee Lauder, Bayer Health Care, Philosophy Skin Care, Novartis, The Home Depot, TimeLife, AllStar Marketing, Suzanne Somers and eDiets.
Outside the office, David spends time with his wife and three young sons. His all-time best personal achievements so far: “Marrying my wife, climbing Machu Picchu in Peru, watching a match on Centre Court at Wimbledon, traveling through Vienna, Prague, and Budapest by myself; dinner with friends at a castle in France overlooking the Mediterranean, and assisting Peter Jennings in Paris for ABC World News Tonight.”
David earned his degree in Foreign Affairs from the University of Virginia. Make sure to ask him about his induction into the Hall of Fame for Philadelphia’s Catholic Youth Organization.
David’s graduating high school class voted him “Most Dependable.” We agree.
Marilyn Davis
Managing Partner, R2C Group Executive Vice President, Cmedia
Marilyn earned her degree from the University of California at Berkeley; while there she also achieved All-American status in Cross-Country and a year after graduation qualified for the Olympic trials in Track & Field!
She started her DRTV career at American Telecast Corporation where she transformed the in-house media buying division into one of the nation’s leading DRTV media-buying agencies. Marilyn helped launch many legendary campaigns such as Richard Simmons’ Deal-A-Meal, Lori Davis Hair Care, Total Gym, and Torso Track. She has also been a frequent panelist for R2C Group and Cmedia at events hosted by the Electronic Retailing Association.
Marilyn currently leads all TV media-buying teams for the agency, oversees key accounts and works with her colleague, David Savage to manage Cmedia’s Philadelphia office. She enjoys providing true value to our clients and seeing our recommendations and campaign management strategies help make our clients successful. “We have an amazing group of professionals that are truly committed to helping our clients. And we have a lot of fun doing it.”
Marilyn has a deep admiration for Amantine Dupin, better known under her male pen name George Sand, a French writer who refused to let cultural mores keep her from expressing her views. Amantine took on the pseudonym and often dressed as a man to get access to venues so her views would be heard and published.
Outside of the office, Marilyn spends time with her daughters – outdoors riding horses or, in the off chance Philadelphia sees a warm rainstorm, walking barefoot in the rain.
If you’ve ever heard of Amantine Dupin, you and Marilyn will appreciate each other’s point of view.
Steve Rossman
Chief Financial Officer, R2C Group
Steve joined R2C Group’s finance team with more than 25 years’ experience as CFO and financial advisor for middle market companies in the Pacific Northwest. The depth of Steve’s experience includes more than 10 years as principle owner of his own public accounting practice located in Lake Oswego, Oregon. He worked with clients on individual and corporate taxation, financial reporting, strategic business consultation, and financial planning.
When he’s not crunching numbers for our teams, you will find him living like “Man vs. Wild.” Well, maybe not that extreme, but likely he’ll be camping or fly-fishing. He will also take on all challengers to a “throw-down” via BBQ or stove-top. Steve is also sneaky long on the golf course, attributable to his college golf team days.
Steve has intimate knowledge of the ad business as he has worked with the company and its executives since its infancy. Before joining the company full-time, he served as a financial consultant handling financial reporting and tax compliance matters. He has been a long-time part of R2C Group’s history and unique culture, which has contributed to our success.
Steve holds a BS in financial management from Oregon State University. Naturally, he’s an avid Beaver fan!
Sally Dickson
Managing Partner, R2C Group President, MMSI
As a recent speaker at the Electronic Retailing Association’s Direct to Consumer Convention in 2010, Sally taught participants all about the ins and outs of pay-per-lead advertising in mobile environments.
What can you expect from working with Sally? “I love that we are a small but powerful group of professionals that are passionate about what we do. The enthusiasm and energy in our office is palpable.”
Sally earned her direct-response stripes as media director for the original Ginsu Knives. She eventually jumped into TV sales at Providence’s ABC affiliate where she spent seven years, culminating her TV sales career as local sales manager. She currently leads our team of pay-per-lead experts who help clients generate new leads through innovative TV, online and mobile campaigns.
When she’s not working, Sally is often found in the Caribbean, her family’s “home away from home.”
Cool factor? Zip-lining and rappelling in Costa Rica.
Tony Ferranti
Managing Partner, R2C Group Executive Vice President, MMSI
With more than 15 years leading the MMSI team, Tony oversees the agency’s pay-per-lead media operations for TV, online, and mobile. He loves working with his own team at MMSI, and with the rest of the R2C Group; he feels that our integrated offerings give our clients a terrific competitive edge. Tony also focuses on developing per-inquiry opportunities for MMSI clients on Hispanic TV networks in the U.S. Previously, he spent several years successfully developing direct-marketing campaigns for television and radio stations around the country to promote themselves during sweeps periods.
Tony graduated with a degree in Marketing from the University of Rhode Island, and in his professional career has worked with clients like Gerber Life Insurance Company’s Grow Up Plan, ITT Tech, Legal Helpers, and ProFlowers.
The most exciting thing he’s ever done? Scuba diving the Great Barrier Reef. The most exciting thing he’s ever watched? Professional bull-riding. “Those are some of the toughest guys I’ve ever seen.”
Recommended: The 1970s classic starring Robert DeNiro, “The Deer Hunter.”
Sara Moorthy
Managing Partner and Executive Vice President of Strategic Planning, R2C Group
A long-time Colts fan, Sara grew up in Indianapolis and earned her undergraduate degree from Indiana University. She went on to get an MBA and a Master’s in International Business from Pepperdine University and the European Business School in Germany.
With two master’s degrees under her belt, Sara is uniquely positioned to help clients solve tough business challenges with marketing strategies. At R2C Group, Sara leads the R2Ci team in its delivery of the latest digital campaigns online and via mobile devices. Sara loves her team’s camaraderie and their ability to work together to come up with creative and innovative ideas.
Sara has had a seasoned career working for companies like Merck, Cedars Sinai Medical Center and Adobe, as well as advertising agencies such as DraftWorldwide (Now FCBDraft), YR/Wunderman, McCann Relationship Marketing, and Publicis.
Her clients have included tech leaders Sony, Google, Sprint, Microsoft, Intuit, Seagate, Hewlett Packard, Adobe, Novell, AMD, and CDW. She’s also worked with General Motors, Cadillac, Nestle, NordicTrack, PacifiCare, Astra Merck, Investor’s Business Daily, Bermuda Board of Tourism, Diamond Club International, and Countrywide Financial.
Sara has won many awards for her past work, including an Addy from the American Advertising Federation, a “ONE Show” Interactive Award from the ONE Club which champions excellence in advertising and design, an NCDM Database Excellence Award, and several ECHO awards from the International Direct Marketing Association.
If you ask Sara about her quirky side, she’ll tell you there is no “side” to the equation; she’s just quirky!
Tom Benelli
Vice President of Client Services, Cmedia
On a sunny summer day, you’ll find Tom surfing (sans wet suit is best) on Long Beach Island, New Jersey with his family.
Back in the office, Tom leads our team of client services professionals for Cmedia. Based near New York, Tom makes it a priority to keep our well-oiled machine humming along, frequently traveling to work on-site with the Cmedia teams in Portland, Philadelphia, and San Francisco. He’s especially proud to work for R2C Group, where, as an independent agency and a private company, his team puts their clients’ interests first and foremost.
With a long history on the ad agency scene, Tom spent time at Lowe, Geer Dubois Advertising, Wunderman, and Rapp Collins/OMD. Tom has served clients such as American Express, AT&T, Xerox, Merck, Glaxo Smith Kline, Citibank, Bank of America, AIG Auto, Universal Orlando, and Brinker Restaurants.
He is a big fan of all New York sports teams, even though he grew up in Pennsylvania cheering for the Pittsburgh Steelers. And speaking of sports, be sure to ask Tom about his most prized award: his 1974 Small Fry Football Championship with the Blue Devils in Wellsboro, home of the Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania.
His favorite movie of all time? Apocalypse Now. “You can either surf or you can fight.”
Sue Collins
Vice President, Respond2
For Sue, family and fitness top the charts. No wonder both she and her husband, Brett, were professional competitive athletes “back in the day” (he an NFL player and she a pro volleyball star). Sue has not lost that competitive spirit and often can be found on the sidelines cheering for her daughter’s soccer and softball teams.
Sue has worked with powerhouse companies such as Microsoft, Intel, Subway, Oracle, Quantum, and Seagate – helping them formulate successful direct-marketing strategies. She has also helped many successful DRTV brands like NordicTrack, Wieder Fitness and Nautilus Group.
She now manages all day-to-day operations for Respond2 and leads our team of creative account supervisors and directors. Together, Sue’s team guides clients through the creative process to attain innovative and results-driven campaigns. In 2010, her team lined the trophy case with several new accolades: Telly and Omni Awards, ERA Moxie’s and Jordan Whitney Awards.
At Sue’s house, you’ll often find competitive sports on her TV. Whether it’s the Portland Trail Blazers, the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Green Bay Packers, or the Washington Huskies, her family loves supporting a great sports team effort to overcome a challenge.
Where will you find her on vacation? Maui, Hawaii! Sue loves the climate and the slow pace. She highly recommends it as a great destination to recharge and spend time with the family.
In 2010, Sue’s team lined the trophy case with new honors…ask her about Respond2′s “Best Infomercial of the Year.”
Mark Simon
Vice President of New Business Development, R2C Group
At R2C Group, Mark is always looking for great companies who could have big success with an integrated DRTV campaign. He develops new relationships across the country with executives who are looking for the next great marketing tool in the arsenal.
With his undergraduate degrees from the University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts and Annenberg School of Journalism, Mark went on to earn his MBA from Pepperdine University. Before joining R2C Group in 2000, Mark worked for CBS as a TV reporter, Kingworld Direct, and Guthy-Renker. Mark’s past clients include Sears Craftsman, Ace, Home Depot, PetSmart, Walgreens, Wild America, Fox, Paramount, Kitchen Aid, Eureka, Vonage, Hamilton Beach, Sunbeam, iRobot, and Mutual of Omaha.
Why does Mark love the team at R2C Group? “The MBA in me is very ROI-driven, which matches perfectly with our team’s mission. I look for ways to help companies get the most efficiency and accountability from each invested marketing dollar.”
Mark is inspired by individuality and genuine kindness. As a devoted husband and father, he also strives to be the best owner a Weimeraner could hope for.
Mark has vacationed in Bali, run the Paris Marathon, and ranks skydiving as one of the most memorable things he’s ever done.
