Rick is a prominent business leader and operator in the advertising community and has worked in digital media and ad tech for over 25 years. A results-driven, strategic operator with a renowned industry rolodex, Rick’s had proven success contributing to two exits and building companies, from start-ups to multi-billion dollar enterprises. He's managed teams up to 200+ with vertical experience ranging from branded content, social and programmatic, to CTV, ad measurement and experiential.Rick currently serves as President of the Brand Innovators Strategy Group, leading revenue, marketing and operations, while helping clients make meaningful connections to the industry’s largest marketing community of the world's leading brands. Most recently, he was the GM of Digital Clients at Nielsen, where he led consistent double-digit revenue growth throughout his tenure, contributing to Nielsen's $16B sale to a private equity consortium in October 2022. Throughout his career, Rick has held sales leadership posts at industry-leading companies including Forbes, Yahoo!, Microsoft, iHeartMedia and Rocket Fuel.A DE&I advocate and non-profit volunteer, Rick most recently was the Chair of the Board of Directors for The Ad Club of New York -- the industry’s first trade organization founded in 1896, which also produces the International ANDYs Creative Excellence Awards. He currently sits on the Ad Club's Executive Board as Chairman Emeritus. He joined the board of Harmony Program in 2021, a non-profit which provides music education to NYC's underserved communities. Rick is a former President of 212 NYC, a four-time IAB MIXX Awards Juror and a founding member of the Digital Content Newfronts. For seven years, he served as Benefit Chair for non-profit Young Audiences NY, which delivers performing arts programs to NYC public schools. Rick is a native New Yorker and a graduate of Carnegie Mellon University.Specialties: Digital & Video Ad Sales LeadershipStrategic Planning & Organizational DevelopmentBranded Content SalesBusiness Operations ManagementProgrammatic Marketing