CB&A Associates
Throughout the years, CB&A has developed relationships with extremely intelligent, hard-working experts within the industry. We consider these professionals as our associates, turning to them when questions arise in their specific areas of expertise. Whether it’s marketing, design, sales, new media or capital gain, we’re able to draw on the special skills of our associates to help clients reach their goals.
Laurie and Monty Swiryn – Cuesta Technologies
Cuesta Technologies coined the term “Sophisticated e-Stuff” back in the early 90s. The company has been providing mission-critical websites for publishers and organizations that reach out to K–12 educators for longer than any Web service provider we know. Founders Laurie and Monty Swiryn are former educators with more than 25 years experience in educational technology, product development, product catalog and direct marketing. As a result, Cuesta has never lost sight of the needs of teachers and schools while developing high-end, easy-to-use tools and technologies for the folks who market to, or provide services for, the K–12 education market. Cuesta is best known for designing and developing Web sites that include “industrial strength” e-commerce and online database integration. Its business model is to partner with publishers and education organizations for the long term. Our friendship spans a couple of decades and is based on our mutual affection for the education market and the good times we’ve shared there.
Kevin Custer – Arc Capital Development
Kevin Custer specializes in helping education companies evaluate options when they are about to face a critical business moment—an acquisition, a sale or a round of financing—drawing on his experience as the founder of five companies that have all achieved sales of more than $10 million each. He asks great questions (it usually takes him less than three to identify the key issues on the table) and has counseled executives in businesses of all sizes, including several of our clients as they work to develop the strategies needed to achieve a breakthrough to the next revenue level. Kevin and his Arc Capital Development business partner Rita Ferrandino help position companies for investment capital or potential shareholder exits, provide business and operating expertise , and quickly improve a company’s competitive position for rapidly increasing sales. They also operate a private equity fund. In addition, Kevin serves as CEO of AutismPro, an Arc portfolio company.
Annie Galvin Teich – The Teich Group
Annie Teich is a sales and marketing professional whom we always enjoy working with – and not just because she’s a former member of the CB&A team. With her 20+ years of publishing experience, Annie creates value for publishers by helping them develop content marketing strategies that blend the best of print, digital and social content to reach customers, readers and subscribers. The Teich Group, Inc. provides a range of services such as strategic marketing communications initiatives for outbound customer communications via direct mail, email, social media, case studies, whitepapers, brochures and catalogs. Annie also has a keen eye for identifying new product opportunities in the market, streamlining and revising current product lines, and leading rebranding initiatives.
Jerry Rosenbusch – 7th Wave Consulting
We turn to Jerry Rosenbusch for expert advice when a member of our client family may be experiencing “channel conflict” while using a mix of sales initiatives to reach potential customers. We’ll also confess that we like working with Jerry because he shares our love of boats and water. Presently, Jerry and the 7th Wave Consulting team are leading the sales initiative for a member of our client family, focusing on so-called “open territories” states that do not have an official curriculum adoption program. His consulting firm specializes in successful execution of profitable marketing and sales plans. Jerry is a revenue generation expert who recommends new pricing, product configurations and sales channels to increase revenue.
Linda Winter – The Winter Group
Linda Winter can pull a rabbit out of her hat when it comes to direct mail and advertising campaigns. The first promotional piece Linda ever sent Charlene as a potential client (nearly two years before CB&A was founded) featured a magician doing exactly that, and she’s always exceeded our highest expectations. Nearly 20 years later, Linda and her team are leading the extremely successful catalog, e-mail and direct mail campaigns for two members of our client family. And we have the pleasure of watching her “in action” several times a year, leading focus groups for SIIA and CoSN. Having earned numerous awards from the Association of Educational Publishers and others, Linda and her team at The Winter Group set the education industry standard for excellence in advertising, branding and exhibit design.
Steven R. Cony – Communications Counselors, LLC
Steve Cony’s mantra is Bigger Ideas, Better Results. He provides each client with Bigger Ideas—strategically driven creative solutions that work hard to attract more positive attention than the competitors. From brand identity, Web and print to video, advertising and trade show display, the Communications Counselors team becomes a comprehensive go-to resource that helps to ensure continuity of impression for your brand. Steve began his career on Madison Avenue, supervising accounts such as Chrysler, Burger King, Eastman Kodak and Dunkin’ Donuts. Now he brings a wealth of strategic know-how to every project and does all the writing himself to guarantee nothing gets lost in translation. Throughout all assignments, Steve commits to making the marketing decision process relaxed and enjoyable for the client. At the same time, he maintains that to him, your deadline is as important as your headline.
Liz Strauss – Successful-Blog.com
Liz Strauss builds irresistible strategies for incredible people, brands and businesses online and off. Her passions are entrepreneurs, business and education. Liz is the founder of SOBCon which grew out of her popular Successful-Blog.com and author of: The Secret to Writing a Successful and Outstanding Blog: An Insider’s Guide to How Conversation Is Changing the Way that Business Works. Liz is a community builder who has been called the most influential non-celebrity blogger on the Internet. She’s been called a thought provoker, an über connector and an idea machine. Liz Strauss has been named to the Top 100 Social Media & Internet Marketing Bloggers, the Top 100 Most Influential Marketers of 2008, and most recently, one of the Top Social Media Strategists To Watch In 2010
Ellen Bialo and Jay Sivin-Kachala – Interactive Educational Systems Design (IESD)
Ellen and Jay have conducted research for the ed tech industry since childhood! Their expertise includes market/product research and analysis — surveys, focus groups, interviews, competitive market analysis, literature reviews, white papers, case studies, user testing, product design consulting, and market insight and guidance. They design and implement customized studies demonstrating the effectiveness of educational programs, products and services. And, if you want to open the door to what your customers really think, you can reserve EDRoom, their private web space, to conduct online focus groups for a deep discussion of any topic you choose, with the types of administrators and teachers you want to talk to.