VALERIE J.

OBEN

(203) 761-4900 voben@foxboro.net http://www.linkedin.com/in/valerieoben

VP|DIRECTOR STRATEGIC MARKETING
Strategic marketer with proven success growing start-ups and established businesses through integrated marketing
strategy and execution in the B2B and B2C space. Passion for growing market share and ROI by extracting insights
from analytics, creating and implementing go-to market strategies, building teams, leading innovation across Marketing,
Sales and Customer Service. Disciplined product, project and vendor management, hands-on execution, rigorous
financial control.
CORE COMPETENCIES
Marketing Strategy, Plans & Budgets
Customer Acquisition & Retention
Positioning, Branding
Direct Marketing
Digital, Mobile, Social Media Marketing
Product Management-New Products
Content Marketing
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
FOXBORO CONSULTING, INC., Wilton, CT
5/2015 to Present
Founded strategic integrated marketing resource that transforms brand strategy and positioning into cross-channel
campaigns that grow sales, acquire, retain and engage customers for B2B and B2C clients. Recognized as invaluable
resource to CEOs and other C-Suite executives providing reality checks, strategic insights, and reliable results.
Selected Client Accomplishments
Pat Sajaks Voomerang
Deal-a-Day Digital Start-Up Launched service, built audience and customer base in LA geography with opt-in
email campaigns generating 47% open rates, 10% conversion through innovative launch promotion.
Non-responder follow-up email yielded 23% open rate and 12.5% conversion to sales.
MasterCard Marketing Director
Launched MasterCard Advisors, MasterCards multi-million dollar professional consulting practice resulting in
dramatic multi-million dollar revenue contributions and increased net income per employee, prior to IPO.
Validated business model, branding and positioning through design and implementation of global research study
Converted research insights into brand identity, positioning and multi-channel launch campaign
Led RFP, agency selection and managed agency to create award-winning multi-national integrated brand
communications, and internal and external stakeholder education campaign, launch event.
Willis Group N.A.
Wrote, launched e-newsletter sales support to acquire 30,000 opt-in subscribers for global insurance broker, division
of Willis Group Holdings. Monthly risk issue content empowered brokers, significantly increased policy renewals,
policy origination. Vehicle continues as primary outreach channel for all lines of business.
CHOICE PET SUPPLY, Danbury, CT
2/2014 to 5/2015
Chief Marketing Officer
Strategic customer acquisition, retention, online and offline marketing leader for Private Equity owned specialty retailer
with 13 stores in CT. Sold equity to new investors April 2015.
Reversed 5yr same store sales decline, then grew sales by $1MM+ or +7.6% increase year over year in stores open
1yr+
Acquired 666 new customers within 9mos. adding over $80K net profit to the bottom-line
Profitably opened 5 new stores in 4mos. through-out NJ, NY to grow chain to 18 stores by year-end 2014
Increased web traffic 185%, with +180% new users, and +4.3% in pages/session

1|V

alerie J. Oben

CHIEF EXECUTIVE MAGAZINE/SECURITY DIRECTORS REPORT, Greenwich, CT 6/2011 to 12/2013

Marketing Director Contract B2B specialty online and print publications
Acquired by Greenhaven Partners in 2010 out of bankruptcy. Assets sold to Diversified Media in 2013.

Digital - Increased customer subscriptions 21% over 9mos. for Security publication via revamped digital, direct mail
lead generation and conversion campaign

Content - Increased subscriber retention 10% over 12mos. for Security publication through innovative content
marketing outreach that leveraged authoritative, custom content into value-added subscriber resources

Event marketing/e-commerce - achieved record paid attendance for Chief Executive CEO2CEO conferences by
creating and executing integrated direct mail, digital marketing and social media campaign.

FOXBORO CONSULTING, INC., Wilton, CT

1996 to 2011
Founded strategic integrated marketing resource that transforms brand strategy and positioning into integrated customer
acquisition and retention campaigns that grow sales engage customers for B2B and B2C clients.
Selected Clients: Newsday, Rodale, Newhouse Newspaper Group, JP Morgan Chase, MAC Network, Core
States Bank, Meridian Bank, Bay State Bank, Bank of Boston, XL Limited, Versus/Outdoor Life Network, Pet
Partners LLC
MARKETING CORPORATION OF AMERICA, Westport, CT
1989 to 1996
Senior Vice President (1994 to 1996)
Vice President (1992 to 1994)
Managing Director (1989 to 1992)
Built $3,500,000 consulting practice, acquired and managed $1,500,000 in new consulting relationships for this
privately held management consulting firm
Launched Newsday and the Los Angeles Times to the web, drove site traffic, first annual online ad revenue for The
Los Angeles Times, Newsday through successful $2 million simultaneous bi-coastal launch of LATimes.com and
Newsday.com
Achieved 95% small business and customer account retention in JP Morgan Chase/Chemical Bank merger and
branch consolidation of over 300 retail bank branches, multi-million accounts
Team member on award-winning CPG promotions - Gatorade, Kraft
START-UP JOINT VENTURE Financial & Investment Services, Jericho, NY
1984 to 1989
AT&T/JP Morgan Chase (formerly Chemical Bank)/ Bank of America/ Time
Group Manager, Marketing and Product Development
Marketing lead - developed and implemented product and marketing strategies for first interactive direct banking and
information service. Reporting to CEO, led diverse team of five Marketing, IT and Customer Service professionals and
three agencies.
Acquired 40,000 online subscribers, valued at over $700,000,000 in deposits, within 6 mos. of launch
Obtained 52 % increase in subscriber acquisitions and 25 % decrease in acquisition costs through strategic bank-wide
training and incentive programs at Bank of America, Chemical Bank, affiliates in CT, FL & TX
PRODUCT MANAGER
AT&T - Product Manager, Online Directory Services
COLGATE PALMOLIVE COMPANY - Product Manager - Dish Detergent
GENERAL ELECTRIC - Product Manager Small Motorized Appliances
EDUCATION
MBA, University of Michigan, Ross School of Business, Ann Arbor, MI
BA, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Google Digital Analytics Fundamentals Certificate Northwestern University/Coursera Content Marketing Certificate
General Electric Strategic Planning Certificate General Electric Product Planning Certificate
2|V

alerie J. Oben