Steven Mason

steven@alchemygroup.net

650.776.7968

 

Strategy | Branding | Communications


Anything of any importance cannot help but be unrecognizable,
since it bears no resemblance to anything already known.
 -- Jean Cocteau

 

SUMMARY

·23 years’ total experience, 18 as a business executive, project manager and marketing leader

·Expert in B2C & B2B competitive strategy, branding and corporate communications

·Passion for corporate communications and advocacy in traditional and on-line media

·Professional copywriter and copyeditor appointed as instructor in Berkeley Extension’s writing program

·Polished public speaker, writer and negotiator who loves to present challenging ideas to diverse audiences

·Budgeted and ran multi-million dollar departments and programs

·Worked directly with executive teams, boards of directors and key influencers and leaders

·Created, led and hired numerous teams built with employees, partners and other third parties

·Direct experience working with non-profits and educational institutions

·Computer expert who was both a software engineer and a university-level instructor in computer science

·Certified in the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator®, used for team-building and facilitating open communication

·Contributing Editor to the Official Internet Dictionary (ISBN: 0865876061)

·  Left- and right-brained person who excels equally in English- and science/math-related fields

·“Renaissance” knowledge & interests beyond technology and business, ranging from philosophy, law, education,

   history, music and poetry to cosmology, physics, genetics, economics, medicine and psychology


TEACHING APPOINTMENTS

·   Instructor, UC Berkeley Extension, Practical Grammar for Writers and Editors, 2005-6.

·   Academic Consultant, Summer Institute for the Gifted, UC Berkeley, 2005.

·   Lecturer & Course Designer, Northeastern University, Principles of Compiler Design, 1985-1990.

EDUCATION

·   Harvard University, all coursework completed, with GPA of 3.94, toward Master’s in Psychology, 1997.

·   Advanced Applications Training and Certification: Myers-Briggs Type Indicator®, 1996.

·   Tufts University, BS cum laude, Electrical Engineering, with double major in Computer Science, 1982.

 

EXPERIENCE

STRATEGIC MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS CONSULTANT                                                            2001-

Clients include Fortune 500 firms (including IBM) as well as medium-sized businesses and start-ups. Industries include:
organic food, nutrition and retail grocery; software; financial services; systems integration services; commercial
event/stage management services; imported art; endodontic dentistry; concierge healthcare; prosthetics;
commercial real estate development; and search engine optimization.

·  Brand companies, products and services in B2C & B2B markets. Develop marketing strategies. Execute
creative marketing campaigns and market share acquisition plans. Direct all marketing communications.
Ensure that design and copy are branded consistently across all media.

· Create names, taglines and packaging copy for consumer products and B2B firms.

· Manage and execute comprehensive Internet-based and traditional marketing programs.

· Perform rigorous competitive analyses to develop new value propositions and marketing initiatives.

· Provide creative direction and copywriting for white papers, video scripts, websites, print advertisements, brochures
and other corporate communications.

· Conduct media training; retain and manage outside design and PR firms; serve as corporate spokesperson.

· Write, edit and review business, marketing and strategic plans.

 

 

WorldChain, Inc., Fremont, CA                                                                                                             2000-2001

Venture-funded enterprise software firm focusing on the supply chain and service logistics space    
MANAGEMENT CONSULTANT                                                                                                              2001

VICE PRESIDENT, MARKETING                                                                                                            2000-2001

After we raised a $32M “B” round, the VCs brought in a new Chairman and CEO. I was retained as a
management consultant (2001) to work on transitional issues with executive management, to continue to act
as corporate spokesperson and to manage corporate marketing and external press/analysts. During my tenure
as an executive and a consultant, the company doubled in size. Achievements:

· Built marketing department from the ground up. Created and executed go-to-market strategy. Three months

     later, led successful product launch.

· Participated in due diligence for $32M “B” round.

· Budgeted, justified, and controlled multi-million dollar marketing budget.

· Worked with CFO on key investment-related events and presentations.

· Identified new vertical markets and developed penetration strategies and value propositions for them.

· Rebranded and relaunched website.

· Significantly increased corporate visibility:

à Before any new customer or product announcements, secured articles in Wall Street Journal, Industry
Standard (twice), Upside Today, Private Equity Week, Red Herring, The Daily Deal, Internet Finance &
Technology, Electronic Buyers’ News, Internet Week, Business Now TV, APICS, Manufacturing Systems,
eWeek, Information Week, Industry Week, Line56, Global Logistics & Supply Chain Strategies, Supply Chain
Technology News, Computer-Aided Engineering, Silicon Valley Business Ink, Venture Wire, Traffic World,
Managing Automation, Smart Partner, B2B Magazine, Sales & Marketing Management and Internet Finance.

à Obtained keynote address for CEO at Line56Live! (San Francisco, June, 2001) and invited presentation for
him at Technologic Partners’ conference (attended by top VCs, investment bankers and Fortune 100 CEOs).

Tonbu, Inc., San Jose, CA        (formerly interEMS.com)                                                                         2000

B2B Collaborative Product Design/Supply Chain start-up, grew from 70-120 people; $25 million raised

VICE PRESIDENT, MARKETING

Hired to replace prior VP of Marketing. Assembled and led marketing team to address strategic, branding,
media, competitive and market focus issues. The company had been incorrectly positioned, which forced it to compete
against multibillion-dollar giants. I identified where to compete effectively and completely reinvented every aspect of
corporate marketing, marketing communications, and product marketing, earning the company significant recognition
from the media and analysts. Achievements:

· Rebranded firm and served as its primary evangelist and spokesperson.

· Developed and executed go-to-market strategy.
· Helped to close company’s first multimillion-dollar customer.

· Established key analyst and press relationships, getting company named to Managing Automation’s Top 25 Companies
to Watch and getting its software listed by Aberdeen Research as a Top 10 C-Commerce Application.

· Identified and hired #1-rated PR & IR agency; worked directly with the division heads of the 250-person firm.

· Led renaming initiative to replace interEMS.com (Tonbu is the Mandarin word for “collaboration”).

· Won company’s admission to Upside Magazine’s Launch event and won 2nd place for best demo at the event.
· Organized and led analyst- and media- tours and briefings (including media training).

· Interviewed by many publications, including Business Week, Voice of America, Industry Week and Fast Company.

· As chief contract negotiator, drafted a multi-million dollar licensing agreement and negotiated all details for a complex

  commercial lease.

Harte-Hanks Data Technologies, Billerica, MA                                                                                      1999

$100M unit of Harte-Hanks, Inc.:  an international, diversified $850M database marketing firm (NYSE: HHS).

VICE PRESIDENT, E-BUSINESS SOLUTIONS

Customers included consumer giants in financial services, automotive and retail, as well as technology firms. Charter was
to transform the company’s non-web applications so they integrated customer data together from web-based and traditional
touchpoints. Also developed alliances with firms that had complementary technologies, evangelized the company’s new
Internet focus within company’s multiple divisions, worked with marketing to develop the campaigns, worked with sales to
redefine the value proposition and developed marketing requirements. Achievements:

· Architected and championed the company’s E-Business, Internet and product strategy.

· Performed extensive due diligence as member of team that evaluated acquisition candidates.

· Appointed as corporate representative on industry-wide Internet standards organization about consumer privacy.

· Chaired intellectual property committee, and was appointed to the non-profit CPEX marketing committee.

· Quoted as expert on CPEX in Forbes’ Digital, Investors’ Business Daily, Information Week and elsewhere.

· Made Co-Chair of company’s Internet Task Force and member of its Divisional Strategy Task Force.

 

STRATEGIC MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS CONSULTANT                                                            1994-1999

· Built alliances and closed major accounts for clients in Internet-based electronic security and e-commerce markets.

· Identified high potential markets, developed go-to-market strategies and launched new products and services
   into vertical markets.

· Identified, recommended and implemented business, change management, negotiation and Internet strategies.

· Developed/reviewed numerous business and marketing plans.

· Landed $11.5M from Battery Ventures for QSS, Inc. (sold in 2000 for $115M).

· Additional assignments involved organizational development, corporate & product strategy, lead generation, strategic
partnering, public relations, sales (6- and 7-figure deals) and complex contract negotiations.

· Garnered substantial media and analyst coverage for multiple clients, even in the days before dot-com hype.
In 2 months, press coverage caused Fortune 1000 CFOs and CEOs to call the company unsolicited.

· Clients included Ogilvy & Mather Direct (IBM), Symbios Logic (PCMCIA chips & RAID storage),
QSS (Requirements Management for defense) and Surety Technologies (Internet security/digital notarization).

 

International Software Group, Inc., Natick, MA                                                                                    1993-1994

US unit of international developer of IT database access and B2B middleware tools

VICE PRESIDENT, MARKETING & CONSULTING          

Built and managed core team to enter the US market and establish a US presence for this Israeli-based
firm. Chartered to create all marketing functions and processes and build a team from scratch. After a few months,
the company, which was publicly traded, had a multimillion merger and the company reorganized.
The merger was an outgrowth of the strategic plan that I developed. Achievements:                  
· Led marketing team; developed & executed marketing programs; managed public and investor relations.

· Directly responsible for working with the overseas engineering team on the product specifications.

· Achieved significant media placements, even before we had released the product.

· Developed complete strategic and tactical plan to build consulting business.

 

Software Leverage, Inc., Arlington, MA                                                                                                1985-1993

Privately-held software consultancy. Turnaround situation: firm had faced bankruptcy within 3 months.
VICE PRESIDENT OF MARKETING, SALES & CONTRACTS                                                                   1988-1993

· Managed teams of up to 12 internal engineers/consultants.

· Directed multiple client engagements for software development projects.

· Negotiated/drafted 300+ complex agreements with Fortune 1000 customers, including HP, GE and Citicorp.

· Personally responsible for lead generation, customer and proposal development and client management.

· Generated millions of dollars in sales to these customers.

 

DIRECTOR OF MARKETING                                                                                                                  1985-1988

· Repositioned company from a product-based firm to a services-based one.

· Grew company to the multimillion dollar revenue level, while doubling operating profits for 3 years straight.

· Initially saved company from bankruptcy by selling four high-ticket artificial intelligence-based computers at

   prices 50-100% greater than book value. The transactions netted $200K in new working capital.  

 

Analog Devices, Inc. (NYSE:ADI), Burlington & Norwood, MA                                                                 1984-1985

MARKETING ENGINEER                                               

· Created training materials, performed competitive research, and developed technical marketing specifications.

· Correctly predicted the automatic test equipment industry’s support for higher-level computing languages.

 

Technology Concepts, Inc., Sudbury, MA & COMPASS, Wakefield, MA                                                 1982-1984

SYSTEMS ENGINEER & PROGRAMMER/ANALYST

· Integral member of team that built the world’s first transaction-based, real-time travel reservation system.

· Designed and built lexical, syntactic and semantic modules for parallel-processing FORTRAN compiler.

· Also built and verified full grammar for FORTRAN 8X language, including parallel extensions to the language.