Steve Moss
Steve Moss has a track record of managing multiple consumer brands and improving brand position, market share, and profitability in competitive markets on a global basis. He has seen 30 of his direct reports go on to VP of Marketing positions. Steve has managed well recognized brands including Memorex, Old El Paso, Green Giant, Häagen-Dazs, Kool, Bailey’s and Cuervo. He has successfully developed new products, fixed declining businesses, built strong teams, and carried established brands into new and emerging markets.
Steve was CMO at Imation, a $2B leader in digital storage media, where he oversaw the creation of the marketing function, the development and execution of brand strategies for Imation, Memorex, and TDK Life on Record, and the integration of acquisitions totaling $900M in revenue. In his role as Chief Marketing Officer at the $700M Nestlé Ice Cream Co., he grew Häagen-Dazs and Drumstick business in the face of new competitors by establishing new brand strategies, and he led the creation of the innovative products now marketed as Dreyer’s Dibs.
As Vice President of International Marketing at The Pillsbury Co., Steve managed global brand development strategy for Green Giant, Häagen-Dazs, and Old El Paso, generating combined revenue of $1.5 billion, introducing Haagen-Dazs to China, bringing Pillsbury to India, Argentina and Israel, and turning a $2M Wanchai Ferry brand into an international property. He re-positioned Pillsbury’s desserts and specialty products, reversing revenue declines to increased revenue and profits. While VP of Marketing for Gilbey Canada, he turned around the flagship Smirnoff performance from double digit declines to over five years of consecutive growth.
In his spare time, Steve serves as CEO for Minnepura Technologies, a startup using encapsulated microbes to degrade contaminants in water. And when he wants to get serious, he drives from Minnesota to the Florida panhandle for a month of beachcombing and eating the world’s best oysters. He received a B.A. degree from Georgetown University and an MBA in Marketing from the Wharton School of Management at the University of Pennsylvania.
Kennon Jaeger
Kennon Jaeger brings over twenty years’ experience with Fortune 500 companies to her work as a brand and strategic planning consultant. Her own consultancy, One Up Marketing, is a specialized consulting firm that is accomplished at understanding vital customer insights and using these insights to drive for results through a thoughtful process. She has partnered with countless business leaders to create the linkage between customer insights, strategic brand clarity, and profitable business growth.
She is a former Consumer Marketing Executive at Kimberly-Clark, Pillsbury, and General Mills, with extensive experience as an organizational leader and agent of change. In her last corporate role, she was VP of Consumer and Customer Marketing at General Mills. A talented relationship builder and creative strategist, adept at working among cross-functional disciplines in challenging environments, Kennon has the ability to frame up the strategic needs and align organizations to attack business challenges.
Kennon earned her Business degree at the University of Wisconsin. A former high school and college athlete, she remains active in many sports (golf, fitness, skiing, windsurfing) and volunteers with many city, state, and youth activities. She is married with four children and lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Steve Zuber
Steve Zuber has 30-plus years experience in marketing research and strategic brand development in both corporate and consulting roles. He is now the principal of his own firm, Zuber & Associates which focuses on consumer and customer insights and building business and brand strategies for companies of all sizes.
Steve was a founding partner at Stellus Consulting, a Minneapolis firm that helped B2C and B2B clients in consumer food, financial services, retail, professional sports, identity protection, sporting goods, insurance, cable television, telecommunications, large equipment manufacturing, and non-profit grow through business and brand strategy development. His role included leading the consumer insights practice (directing, designing and conducting quantitative and qualitative research including focus group and one-on-one moderating).
Steve spent the majority of his career at the Pillsbury Company. He served as the Global Brand Director for Häagen-Dazs and for the Pillsbury brand. Zuber developed the Brand Equity Monitor for Pillsbury. As Marketing Research Director for the company’s largest division, Pillsbury brands, Steve was the first to implement Nielsen marketing mix modeling at Pillsbury, providing direction for marketing and promotion plans that resulted in volume and profit growth.
Steve’s expertise in insights extends beyond customer research. He is also a master in baseball and early Rock & Roll trivia. Steve has a BBA from the Tippie School of Business at the University of Iowa and an MBA from the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota.