Without our sales and marketing teams, our businesses wouldn’t even get off the ground. This is why we take the time each year to celebrate those individuals that go above and beyond to, not only make our year a success, but to share the company’s vision with the world.
Best Content Marketing Campaign
Big Leap
An award-winning digital marketing agency, Big Leap has perfected the art of SEO. Partnering with Spoonful of Comfort, a company that ships homemade soup and care packages, they worked to increase web traffic and help boost the brand that’s helping customers to comfort their loved ones from any distance. Through a focused strategy backed by SEO know-how and a creative approach of authentic content and influencer collaboration, they helped Spoonful of Comfort grab Google’s coveted answer box for two prime keywords and secured first-page ranking for many others, all within a year. And their crowning piece of content has captured over 2,500 organic keywords since publication and continues to have a strong showing.
Ivanti
On the second Tuesday of every month, the Ivanti team jumps into action. With their complementary “Patch Tuesday” campaign, they help IT administrators sort through the noise as Microsoft, Adobe, Google, Apple, and more announce their regular critical system updates. And navigating through these updates is no easy task for any IT organization. Producing media commentary, infographics, blog content, and more, Ivanti’s efforts culminate in their regular Patch Tuesday analysis webinar, which delivers real-world explanations of the patches and practical advice for update prioritization. Known within the industry as the go-to source for patching insight, the Ivanti team has generated remarkable success in this campaign, while working hard in the global fight against cybercrime.
Hilton Salt Lake City Center
Wanting to differentiate themselves from the competition, the Hilton Salt Lake City Center turned to Utah’s staple: the beehive. With the help of Bees Brothers, a local certified beekeeper, and Grow Brighter Gardens, a local urban gardener, they launched “Honey with a Purpose,” a simple campaign that’s created tremendous results. Installing four honeybee hives and a pollinator herb garden, marketing and sales director Marion Neversummer and the team at Hilton Salt Lake City Center have not only generated new business, but they’re working toward the Hilton Worldwide’s goal of cutting their global footprint in half. Now, at the end of the season, the “Honey with Purpose” campaign has grown their honeybee population by a factor of 10 to 40,000 honeybees, which produced 9.2 gallons of honey.
Best Social Media Campaign
Extra Space Storage
Social media has always been a channel for exploration for the Extra Space Storage team. So at the start of 2019, they upped their strategy and after targeting Facebook conversion ads and overall CPA, they’ve seen unprecedented success. “We take pride in leading the industry with strong community engagement,” says social media manager, Andrew Todd. “Focusing on the Utah job market, we set out to raise awareness about how great it is to work at Extra Space Storage,” he says. And after a four-month advertising sprint, the data has shown a tremendous increase in job seekers who think the company has a great reputation as an employer.
Lucid
Everyone loves a good meme, but Lucid has taken that phenomenon and driven it to quantifiable success. After the launch of the viral “Doggos” campaign, where they explained the popular internet meme using Lucid’s diagramming platform, they saw unprecedented success. So they decided to keep it going. Following an idea out of the company-wide #Bad-Ideas Slack channel, they spawned a larger “Lucid Explains the Internet” campaign, where they used flowchart explanations for other memes like cattos, sneks, Star Wars relationships, and Bitcoin. And the videos just kept going viral, even leading to an international video in Spanish for the World Cup. Today, this campaign has generated millions of views and thousands of new subscribers, and their creative approach to social media has elevated the Lucid brand to new audiences across the world.
Best Use of Video
Epic Marketing
Video has always been the prominent advertising medium in fitness. But when all the fitness ads look and feel the same, is it really effective? Partnering with VASA Fitness, Epic Marketing set out to break the mold and proposed an entirely new gym advertising approach. Featuring a full sensory fitness experience, they built sleek and innovative creative assets to make what they branded as “VASA Studio” stand out. And the result? A video campaign that elevates the brand to a premium experience. Not only is it being used for digital advertising, but it’s also featured on digital signage and displays throughout gym properties. And it’s been so well received, it’s being rolled out across all of VASA’s gyms across the United States.
Jordan Page | Founder & CEO
FunCheapOrFree.com, LLC
Jordan Page has built a successful multi-million dollar business from the ground up in only a few short years. And her video boot camps have helped thousands of people with their finances, productivity, and motivation. With one bootcamp focused on budgeting and another on productivity, Page helps her audience achieve their goals while she’s there to hold their hand through the process. “In 2020, we hope to help more families and individuals improve their financial and personal lives,” she says. “Our goal is to help our audience pay down at least $1 million in debt [this year] with the help of our products and content.”
Marketing Professionals of the Year
Garrett Atwood
Vice President Commercial Operations | Wolverine Fuels, LLC
Garrett Atwood’s background isn’t in marketing or logistics—but that hasn’t stopped him from shooting for the stars. Responsible for selling and transporting coal to a variety of domestic and international customers, he oversees eight rail sets, over 120 trucks, two ports, and over 40 vessel shipments annually to ship approximately 13 million tons of coal. “From a marketing perspective, branding our coal internationally and building those relationships has been very exciting,” he says. And he’s excited to show people what the company does. “Most people don’t have a good understanding of machinery and technology involved in coal mining. I like to educate people regarding how sophisticated our business really is.” And unlike most other US coal companies, under Atwood’s guidance, they’ve grown their market share in both volume and price.
Jen Gray
Director of Product Marketing | Weave
Jen Gray started her career at Qualtrics in their early days as employee number 70, scanning receipts in their accounts receivable department. Now, she’s directing product and customer marketing at Weave. She chose to move to marketing because she was passionate about finding new and creative ways to communicate with customers, and she hasn’t looked back. Now, she’s looking forward to using that passion to launch Weave into new markets and positioning their products to simplify the lives of small business owners across the globe. “This sounds cliche, but the number one skill I look for in marketing hires is the ability to figure things out,” she says. “You don’t need years and years of industry experience. You can make a huge impact by being creative, tenacious, and having a relentless pursuit to learn and grow.”
Jessica Kunzer Pearson
Director of Marketing | Dragonfli Media Technologies
Jessica Kunzer Pearson has made a career out of marketing nonprofits, and she started in Park City. With a passion for skiing, event production, and public speaking, she took on the role of communications director with Ski Utah, and has since worked with Mountain Sports International, The Egyptian Theater, The North Face, CLIF Bar, and more. Now, at Dragonfli Media Technologies, she’s the master of many different hats. “My career has allowed me to have so many incredible experiences and meet interesting people that I might otherwise have never encountered,” she says. “I love working in this field because it is always challenging and new.”
Karli Slocum
VP of Marketing | 3Form
Karli Slocum has been in marketing for over 15 years, but she started in sales. “When I first got out of college, I landed a sales job and quickly learned it wasn’t for me,” she says. But it did expose her to the marketing side of the business. “It was creative but strategic, and I was very attracted to it.” Now, with almost a full year under her belt at 3Form, she has built and implemented a new strategic plan, restructured her team, increased the company’s social media following, deployed two huge enhancements to the website to improve customer experience, and deployed a large product launch. And she’s looking forward to the excitement and change that 2020 will bring. “It’s a balance of art and science and it can be killer fun, but it’s also a bit crazy!”
Marc Glauser
Senior Director, Marketing | Grand America Hotel & Resorts
“Looking back on my life, I think I landed where I am because of how I was raised,” says Marc Glauser. His father was a local entrepreneur spinning tales of successful small businesses and his mother an incredible athlete that had him on skis before he was two. He knew what he wanted to do early on. “When I graduated, I knew I wanted to be on the business side of the ski industry, and I’ve been fortunate enough to build a career in an industry I love.” Having built his career in resort and hospitality marketing, he’s now leading the team at Grand America Hotels and Resorts, building success at the company’s properties across the American West. “Find an industry that you love, roll up your sleeves, and get to work,” he advises. Because there’s nothing better than looking forward to work each and every day.
Sales Professionals of the Year
Anthony Fleming
Vice President of Sales | Groove Entertainment Technologies
Managing five teams across three offices, Anthony Fleming’s focus is on driving growth. “Sales is a skill like swinging a golf club,” he says. “Some people make it look easy, but it’s a skill that can be practiced and honed, and no matter how good or successful you are, there is always room for improvement.” Working in the finance industry before he joined Groove Entertainment Technologies, he is capping off an incredible six-year run leading the sales team that had previously never seen the level of growth and development that it is now. And he’s looking forward to pushing the team to new heights as they enter the new year.
Braden Moore
Project Development Director | Big-D Construction
Braden Moore started in the construction industry as a laborer, then a carpenter’s apprentice, but sales and marketing have always held his interest. “Building friendships and relationships is why I love what I do,” he says. “Our team has the opportunity to build some of the most amazing buildings in Utah and the western US all while building friendships for a lifetime.” And he knows those relationships you build in sales are more than just going to lunch with a client. It happens when people know they can count on you. Using that attitude to help Big-D Construction become the most sought after company in the business, he’s worked hard to build relationships like the company builds projects, and he looks forward to coming to work every day. “We get to build some of the coolest projects around,” he says. “What always makes me proud is to look at a project our company has built and reflect what we can accomplish when we put our efforts to a common goal.”
Keith Tanaka
Vice President of Enterprise Sales | Lucid
Keith Tanaka genuinely loves people. “I truly believe that if you approach sales with a genuine concern for the customer and a desire to help them and provide them with something that will make life easier, they will see the value in what you have to offer,” he says. And as the vice president of enterprise sales, that passion has taken him far. “The reward in being a sales leader is helping people meet their goals and progress in their careers,” he says, and helping others become great leaders helps him, too. While sales might be a grind, Tanaka is optimistic about the future and where it will take him. And if world domination takes the continual buildup of his team members, he’s more than happy to pursue it.
Kyle Adams
President | Simplicity Laser
Since graduating from Brigham Young University, Kyle Adams has been part of not just one successful startup, but two. Responsible for the overall creation and execution of the sales and marketing model at Simplicity Laser, he’s worked to create a program that maximizes client experience and clinical results, disrupting the industry in the process. Starting with only four clinics, they’ve grown to 15 locations across seven states in less than a decade, and Adams doesn’t see them slowing down any time soon. “Working in sales is very similar to being a professional athlete,” he says. “It’s all about what have you done lately. It can be difficult, but the challenge also makes it a rewarding profession.”
Lance Ferguson
Senior Vice President of Sales | Walker Edison
For more than 20 years, Lance Ferguson has been involved with sales. But he’s spent the bulk of his career with Walker Edison, building relationships and powerful connections with some of the biggest commerce businesses in the US, Canada, and Europe. “To be honest, I never saw myself in sales,” he says, “but my wife thought I’d be good at it. So with her encouragement, I accepted a job.” And it didn’t take him long for him to realize that he really did love it. Now, as the vice president of sales at Walker Edison, he oversees a team of more than 30 in one of Utah’s fastest-growing companies. “I love helping my team gain the habits and traits that will make them successful throughout their careers,” he says. “Sales isn’t just about maintaining accounts, but constantly seeking the next opportunity to grow.”
Matt Warner
Director of Channel Management | OptConnect
Matt Warner attributes his ease of talking to customers from his time as a tire technician. “It wasn’t uncommon for a salesman to introduce me to a customer for assistance in their tire purchase or to be the bearer of bad news if a tire wasn’t repairable,” he says. “I didn’t realize at the time that I was selling.” But with a genuine interest in helping people, a couple of decades later he’s still following that passion. Working with OptConnect, he’s lead the team to a record-breaking growth of revenue and a launch into several new markets. And with the help of his team, he leads the launch of the Certified Partner Program, an initiative that’s built momentum and exponential growth.
Melissa Lane
Director of Sales | DivvyWith a background in both building and leading sales teams in emerging markets, Melissa Lane has worked across the nation to create powerful, strategic powerhouses. The oldest in an extended family of athletes, she has teamwork in her DNA. And when Lane plays, she plays to win. “I like being able to help each individual on my team play to their strengths and develop their weaknesses to be competitive and win on the daily,” she says. Developing a team of problem solvers, Lane finds that the rewards in sales are bountiful, and she uses that to motivate them toward the next sale. “We spiff our team with really fun games, passing out poker chips so they can play Divvy craps or roulette. We have even had Divvy Yahtzee and Plinko, just fun ways to celebrate our wins.” And as Lane leads her team into 2020, she’s excited to learn and grow and roll with the punches. “That is what’s fun in sales. There is always more to do and ways to do things better.”