“You may not like what I say, but it’ll always be the truth.”

Scott NormanCEO

Scott, our CEO, operates on a simple formula: to take care of our customers, we have to provide positive results. The difference between telling clients what they want to hear and giving them what they really need is what we call our Customer First philosophy.

As a retailer himself, Scott couldn’t find an agency that understood the basics of selling in or selling through – or, for that matter, one that knew how to take care of customers. So starting with his own business 30 years ago, Scott decided to do his own advertising, run his own promotions, and floor the right products at the right price. In came the customers – not browsers, but buyers.

For 30 years, Scott has coached his team in the value of sell-in, sell-through and post-purchase programs. Yet, while each initiative follows its own unique path, at the end of the day, it’s about making our customers look good, with an ROI to prove it.

“Content is king.”

Jay HeavilonPresident

An early internet innovator, Jay thrives on the changes and challenges of this ever-growing medium. Now at the forefront of internet growth, he understands that a positive consumer experience is only as good as the content displayed. “You must provide information and images to support your product, or the consumer gets frustrated and goes to your competitor’s site,” he says. Jay champions the back-end thought process of your front-end strategy: data, coding, organic search copywriting.

Jay continues to work with masters of technology (see Our Partners). His early involvement in marketing communications and video production gives him an edge in creating ecommerce solutions for companies including Sears Holdings, Georgia-Pacific, Lowe’s, Electrolux, Target, Whirlpool Corporation, Discovery Channel and Career Education Corporation.

“Satisfied clients are the agency’s backbone.”

Ronda ScaliseVP, Agency Operations

Ronda oversees the company’s planning, recruitment and operational activities, ensuring seamless delivery across all departments.

In 2005, Ronda was asked to spearhead the agency’s expansion efforts by opening the Chicago office, which more than tripled in size in just three years. What drove that growth? Ronda credits a strong customer focus and solid talent recruitment.

Ronda’s true passion is client service. You often hear her say, “Satisfied clients are the agency’s backbone.” She spent 12 years of her career in account management and brings the voice of the client to the agency on a daily basis. With a strong background in retail marketing, Ronda’s portfolio includes some of the most well-known and respected brands and companies, including Whirlpool, Kenmore, Sears, Kmart and The Great Indoors.

“The fun starts when we turn a brand into an experience, and cultivate a community of brand evangelists.”

Kashif Zaman VP, Interactive Services

Kashif leads and manages our interactive services department and develops online strategies for our clients.

Analytical, passionate, and offbeat, Kashif is one of those guys every interactive client or agency team wants. His serious demeanor is offset by a quirky sense of humor and a passion for one-to-one relationship marketing. “The fun starts when a brand turns into an experience, creating a community of brand evangelists,” he says. “It requires genuine creativity, systematic optimization and a focus on measurable results.”

“The new breed of web 2.0 entrepreneurs inspire my approach to marketing,” Kashif says. His marketing background includes 10 years spearheading strategies for award-winning sites such as Sears, Kmart, Kenmore, Electrolux/ Eureka, Craftsman, Lean Cuisine, Stouffer’s, Quill Corporation and The Great Indoors.

“It’s all about results.”

Dale Heim VP, Sales & Marketing

Dale leads our business development initiatives with a broad background of online technology in analytics, business intelligence and enterprise content management.

With 18 years of sales and marketing experience, his key to success can be summarized in one word: results. “Whether it’s increasing brand awareness or growing online revenue, companies are looking for bottom-line performance,” he says. Dale sets the course for our go-to-market strategy with a focus on long-term client relationships. “By providing a full suite of advertising and interactive marketing solutions, we can do much more across an organization than our competitors,” he asserts.

Dale launched global online marketing initiatives and digital asset systems for ABC, Bosch, Disney, Ford, Hyatt Hotels, Wolseley UK and Maersk Sealand, Sea Ray Boats and WebMD.com, among many others. Before joining ARS, Dale was Vice President of National Accounts for DeepBridge Content Solutions, a New York City-based systems integrator.

“Creating a big win is great, but the small ones along the way are just as important.”

Kim Finch EVP, Managing Director

Kim consults with and oversees the marketing and merchandising vision of our Fortune 500 clients in our Michigan office.

Leading our major appliance brands’ in-store marketing, merchandising, product training and promotions, Kim implements 20 years of experience in the creative arena, account management and leadership roles to provide a level of expertise that reaches all media.

Kim learned from her mentor, Scott Norman, that “you’re only as good as your people”, an adage she definitely believes in.

“It’s all about making your product relevant to the consumer.”

Michael Davis VP, Creative Services

Michael is our big thinker, idea man and go-to guy for promotions that drive sales and get your products out the door. An accomplished creative director with 20 years of retail and brand marketing experience, Michael puts his background to work by making your product relevant to consumers, and making sure we’re telling the story you want to tell. He leads and mentors 40 staff members to explore ideas and bring out the best in one another – and in him.

From couture to Craftsman, from Macy’s to Maytag, Michael has been telling the story in senior creative management positions for Macy’s, May Co. and SCHAWK! Retail Marketing.

“Pushing the boundaries brings campaigns to life.”

Renee Martin Creative Director

Renee exemplifies the qualities you want in a creative director: visionary leader, client advocate, impassioned mentor. She leads our print creative team in cross-channel launches encompassing in-store display, consumer literature, point-of-purchase, branding and public relations. She draws on an enormous understanding of how to engage customers in the retail space.

A published and award-winning creative director with ten years of industry experience, Renee has worked with brands such as Valspar, Sam’s Club, Household International and Snap-on Tools. Renee’s experience and insight guide her team to push the boundaries every day.

“Your content drives the purchasing decision and lets you separate yourself from competitors.”

Marc Serrano VP, Content Management

Marc, our organizational phenomenon, oversees our content management services staff of 100-plus employees.

Marc jump-started his career as a member of the team that put industry-leading retailer Sears online in 1999. He expanded his reach from there, increasing Marshall Fields’ online presence by putting every in-store product online. Target.com was next, with a vendor-direct online assortment project that took ARS to a new realm, allowing our ecommerce hosting to sell direct from the retailer via the supplier.

Marc, who’s always been a bit left of center, has joined the mainstream through his recent appointment to the National Retail Federation’s Associate Member Advisory Council Peer Review Committee.