Speaker Bios

Tim Ash, Sitetuners

Tim Ash is author of the bestselling book, Landing Page Optimization, and CEO of SiteTuners, a firm that specializes in improving website conversion rates through landing page diagnosis and redesign, conversion consulting, a/b and multivariate test plan creation, and client training/mentoring. A computer scientist and cognitive scientist by education (his PhD studies were in Neural Networks and Artificial Intelligence), Tim has developed an expertise in user-centered design, persuasion and understanding online behavior, and landing page testing. In the mid-1990s he became one of the early pioneers in the discipline of website conversion rate optimization.

Over the past 15 years, Tim has helped hundreds of US and international brands improve their web-based initiatives, including Canon, Google, Expedia, CBS, Sony Music, Facebook, Nestle, Verizon Wireless, Texas Instruments, Cisco, and Coach.

Tim is a highly-regarded keynote and conference presenter, and the chairperson of Conversion Conference - a worldwide conference series focused on improving online conversions. He has published hundreds of articles about website usability, best practices in landing page design and tactics to improve website conversion rates, and he is the host of the Landing Page Optimization podcast on WebmasterRadio.fm.

Jason Coleman, Google

Jason Coleman has been an Account Manager, focusing on Google's advertising products, for over two years. During that time, he has worked entirely in the automotive industry, with an emphasis on performance and replacement parts and services. Originally from Kansas City, Jason spent the majority of his teens attempting a full re-build of a beautiful 1966 red Ford Mustang. He now works out of Google's Ann Arbor, MI office, near the heart of the auto parts world.

 

Jessica Gilmartin, Senior Director of Marketing, Wildfire, a division of Google

Jessica Gilmartin is the senior director of product marketing for social media marketing leader Wildfire, a division of Google. Previous to joining Wildfire, Jessica co-founded and sold Fraiche Yogurt, a successful chain of yogurt stores in California. Having seen how critical word of mouth was to her company's success, she is excited about social media's ability to generate word of mouth at an unprecedented scale. Before starting her career in marketing, Jessica was an investment banker in NY and London. She holds an undergraduate degree from Cornell University and an MBA from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania. Passionate about entrepreneurship, she is an active investor and advisor to numerous Bay Area startups.

Tim Hayden, Senior Vice President, Edelman Digital

Tim leads mobile strategy for Edelman Digital in the U.S. and beyond. In this role, he helps teams and clients understand the current and future landscape of mobility in order to develop appropriate integrated strategies and programs. Prior to Edelman, Tim was co-founder and CMO at 44Doors, which developed a mobile marketing platform and mobile marketing services for brands such as Coca-Cola, AT&T, Reebok, Kendall-Jackson Wine and Bank of America, among others. He was a founder and partner in other startups including NION Interactive, Blue Clover and GamePlan, an experiential agency that produced campaigns and programs for brands such as AMD, Bacardi USA, Dell, Humana and IBM using the integrated “Live+Mobile+Online” methodology that Tim coined in 2007. When not saving the world from bad mobile experiences, Tim sits on the board of Meals on Wheels and More, and spends time with his wife and son in Austin, Texas. Tim holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Texas State University.

James Lawrence, CEO, Power Automotive

James Lawrence is the CEO of Power Automedia, a digital media company in Temecula, California, that specializes in the automotive aftermarket. He previously co-founded Promedia, LLC, which is the largest independent promoter of street legal motorsport events in the United States, and he also served on the SEMA YEN Council for two years, acting as YEN Communication Committee chair during that period. Lawrence was the 2012 SEMA Media Person of the year.

Bill Leake, CEO, ApogeeResults.com

A McKinsey & Co. and Dell Computer veteran, Bill draws on a deep expertise in both business and marketing to help increase revenues for a wide range of clients. Bill has been driving provable revenues through Internet marketing techniques since the mid 1990s when, as part of the management team at Power Computing, he built the first company to sell $1 million of product over the Internet.

Bill has guided Apogee-branded marketing companies from inception to success, creating of the 20 largest independent online marketing agencies in North America and one of the fastest growing companies on the Inc. 500 list. Apogee has been particularly instrumental in building dozens of “Internet Retailer 500”, “Software 500”, and VC-backed companies, growing more Inc. 500 / 5000 companies than anyone else in the industry, and serving top global brands like Whole Foods, IBM, SAP and Hewlett Packard.

Bill also serves as president of the Austin Interactive Marketing Association, and was the chairman of SEMPO’s (Search Engine Marketing Professionals Organization) N. America committee. Bill speaks frequently at national and international shows, including South by Southwest Interactive, Shop.org, Internet Retailer, Search Engine Strategies, and ad:tech. In March of 2011, Wiley Publishing is releasing a book by Bill on integrated online marketing. Bill received an MBA w/ honors from the University of Texas at Austin and his B.A. from Yale University.

Kent Lewis, President, Anvil Media, Inc.

With a background in integrated marketing, Lewis left a public relations agency in 1996 to start his career in search engine marketing. Since then, he’s helped grow businesses by connecting his clients with their constituents via the Internet. In 2000, Lewis founded Anvil Media, Inc., a digital marketing agency specializing in search engine and social media marketing for Fortune 2000 companies.

Heather Lutze, Findability Group

Heather is the widely acclaimed speaker, trainer, and consultant who literally wrote the book on search engine marketing. Two books, in fact—The Findability Formula: The Easy, Non-Technical Approach to Search Engine Marketing and Thumbonomics: The Essential Business Roadmap for Social Media & Mobile Marketing. Her writing and in-demand keynotes are delivered with the same witty, “no-geek-speak” style that has managed to demystify internet marketing for countless business owners. Breaking free of corporate “cubicle” jobs over ten years ago with nothing more than a dream of entrepreneurship and a computer in the basement, Heather built her business into a multimillion dollar company—the Findability Group. She recently stepped down as CEO to step up her real passion – speaking, teaching and promoting her unique brand of highly effective search marketing solutions. www.findability.com

Becky Scholten, Google

Becky Scholten is a Product and Solution Specialist for Google covering the Automotive industry. She joined Google in June of 2010 through the acquisition of the AdMob mobile ad network. As a Product and Solution Specialist she acts as a strategic partner, solution expert and consultant to the internal sales teams, helping them turn complex products into simple solutions for their automotive clients. Previously, Becky was the Mobile Account Executive for both Google and AdMob for automotive vertical in the Southern California area. Before Google/AdMob Becky was the Director of West Coast Sales for WeatherBug and prior to that was an Account Strategist at Advertising.com. Becky has been in the online advertising world since 1997 also holding positions at Disney.com, and CBS Sportsline.com. Becky has her Bachelor of Arts from the University of California at Santa Barbara. She currently lives in Hermosa Beach with her husband Eric and their three children Jake, Alexis and Max and two boxers Lola and Maggie.

Robert Rose, Founder and Chief Troublemaker at Big Blue Moose

Robert Rose helps marketers become storytellers. Author of the book Managing Content Marketing, and a recognized expert in content marketing strategy, digital media and the social Web, Robert innovates creative and technical strategies for a wide variety of clientele. He’s helped large companies such as AT&T, PTC, First American Title, Valley Crest, American Camp Association and Nissan tell their story more effectively through the Web. He’s worked to strategize digital marketing efforts for entertainment and media brands such as Dwight Yoakam, Nickelodeon and NBC. And, he’s helped marketers at smaller organizations such as East Harlem Tutorial Program, Coburn Ventures, Hippo and Magus to amplify their story through Content Marketing and Social Web Strategies.

Robert is the Strategist in Residence and Brand Advisor for the Content Marketing Institute, a featured writer and guest blogger for the online magazines iMedia Connection, Fierce Content Management and CMSWire and co-authored of the book “Enterprise 2.0 How Technology, E-Commerce and Web 2.0 Are Transforming Business Virtually.

An early Internet pioneer, Robert has more than 15 years of experience, and a track record of helping brands and businesses develop successful Web and content marketing strategies. In the mid 90’s, Robert developed some of the first Web strategies in the country for clients such as Mediamark Research (MRI) and CTAM (The Cable and Telecommunications Association) literally introducing these leading corporations to the Web.

Rose was an Associate Partner with USWebCKS/marchFirst, serving as an Associate Partner, developing strategic online initiatives for numerous startups, as well as established clients. In 2001, as Vice President, Strategic Planning for Ignited Minds; an advertising agency, Robert advised numerous diverse clientele such as the U.S. Army, Activision and Intuit.

From 2002 to 2009, Rose served as Vice President, Marketing and Strategy for CrownPeak; a software-as-a-service company focused on Web content solutions for online marketers.

Rose is currently a Research Fellow with Coburn Ventures, a community of experts discussing and innovating current trends in Technology and investing. He has also served on the Board of Directors of the Software and Information Industry Association (SIIA) Software Division, and was a founding member of the Executive Council on Software-as-a-Service.

Robert is a frequent keynote speaker, advising top professionals in the successful strategy of content marketing and Web site management. Robert is, and has been, widely quoted in the press, including publications such as Wired, CBS Interactive, KMWorld, Direct Marketing News and BusinessWeek.

Jon Wyly, CEO, SEMA Data Co-op

Wyly was named Chief Executive Officer of the newly-formed SEMA Data Cooperative in March of 2012. His career in the specialty parts marketplace spans 30 years and has included key roles in sales, marketing, e-commerce, business technology and data management. A lifelong automotive enthusiast, he is well known to the specialty parts industry. His background includes 25 years at Arrow Speed Warehouse, which he joined immediately after earning a BS in Economics at Oklahoma State University in 1983. There he worked his way up through the ranks of sales, operations and marketing, ending as Executive Vice President. More recently, he served as Vice President of e-Commerce at Keystone Automotive Operations. Wyly co-founded the SEMA Business Technology Committee and served in numerous SEMA task forces and work groups, including 6 years on the SEMA Board of Directors. In addition, he was recognized for his contribution to the aftermarket in 2005, when he was named SEMA Person of the Year. His long-term goals are to establish the SEMA Data Coop as the predominant central repository for clean, standardized product data for the specialty parts aftermarket, and to develop intuitive applications to disseminate and display product information to all users.