AMA Atlanta Virtual Event: Decoding D2C for 2021

Traditional brick-and-mortar retailers and retail as a whole has undergone massive and disruptive changes amidst the pandemic. Consumer preferences and behaviors have shifted to online shopping and direct-to-consumer brands. The AMA is bringing together leaders across a wide variety of brands to share their insights and stories of success as they pivot to a more DTC-focused eCommerce strategy and explore ramping up online sales.

*The zoom link will be sent closer to the event date to the email address used when registering.

Speakers:

Tia Cummings (Moderator) – VP Marketing, Walker & Company Brands, Inc.

Innovators, an exclusive community of brand marketers from the world’s top companies/brands ranked Tia Cummings as a 2019 40 Under 40 honoree (South division.) An Atlanta-based award-winning marketer, Tia encompasses over 15 years of experience across the corporate sector, including fortune 500 companies like United Technologies, Johnson & Johnson, L’Oreal, Kellogg’s and Intercontinental Hotels Group. Ms. Cummings currently serves as the Vice President of Marketing for Walker & Company Brands, which designs health and beauty solutions for people of color. Prior to her career in brand management, she had varied experiences in corporate philanthropy, manufacturing operations, and product development.

Tia attended Hampton University as a Presidential Scholar and earned her B.S. in chemical engineering. She also has an MBA from the Krannert School of Management at Purdue University where she was a Business Opportunity Program Fellow.

Cummings has always had a passion for community service and giving back to those less fortunate. Her 15+ year service record includes volunteering with organizations such as Junior Achievement, Citizen Schools and America Needs You. Currently, she is an active volunteer with Big Brothers Big Sisters and a member of her beloved sorority, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

In her free time, Tia enjoys traveling the world, reading, and spending time with family and friends.

Angela Cannon – VP Channel Manager, UP Faith & Family

As Vice President/Channel Manager, Angela Cannon is responsible for management oversight of the subscription video on demand service, UP Faith & Family – America’s Favorite Streaming Service for Families. Offered as direct-to-consumer and through distribution partners, Cannon has been an instrumental player with UP Faith & Family since its inception in 2010 (formerly, gMovies). Transitioning to head the service in Dec. 2018, She has accomplished many ground-breaking, revenue generating goals through the effective management of P&L, content acquisition, programming, marketing, distribution, technology, data science, PR, creative services, operations, planning and analysis. Under Ms. Cannon’s leadership, the service has consistently exceeded subscriber goals, growing the service exponentially, while optimizing the growth funnel which has increased Lifetime Value and lowered churn year-over-year.

Previously, Ms. Cannon was VP, National Accounts, Content Distribution and Marketing where she managed international program sales, distribution and CDM-focused marketing efforts for ASPiRE, UPtv and UP Faith & Family. One of Cannon’s most notable accomplishments was being tasked with launching Earvin “Magic” Johnson’s ASPiRE on June 27, 2012. Aspire reaches its 40 million viewers by sharing and celebrating the experiences of black culture and urban lifestyle. Entertaining audiences with culturally rich stories about today’s interests, attitudes, and values, where you can share in and enjoy the experience of how we live, eat, shop, play and dream.

She also represented the brand globally. In July 2016, Ms. Cannon took a sabbatical (UP provides for employees to take 10 days off for mission work) and traveled to Machakos, Kenya to teach students at the I Can Fly International Academy, an institution providing education, shelter to youth 13-17, rescued from forced marriages, female genital mutilation, extreme poverty, or tribal war.

Along her career in entertainment, Cannon has been the recipient of the WICT Horizon Woman to Watch 2019 Award, Cablefax Most Influential Minorities for 2018 & 2019, NAMIC Luminary Award for Rising Cable Executives in 2014 and 2012 Cablefaxie Honorable Mention for her Uplift Someone America Bus Tour, CTAM Mark Award in 2009 for a “Care Free Minutes to Mexico” Spot and the CTAM Mark Award in 2008 for her work on the NCTA “Quintessential New Orleans Experience.”

A member of the Changing a Generation Full Gospel Baptist Church, where she is on the Board of Directors & the Scholarship Foundation Committee, she is certain to give back to her community as much as possible. Cannon is on the board of directors for WICT and Women in Streaming Media and is also a member of NAMIC, where she has serves as mentor & NAMIC Vision Award Judge for several years running. Finally, Ms. Cannon is an author. Her children’s book, “Who Am I? I’m God’s Princess” is now available on Amazon.

Gary Gastel – CMO and Digital Officer, Zep

Gary Gastel serves as Chief Marketing and Digital officer for Zep Inc., a leading producer and distributor of cleaning solutions in the consumer (B2C) and professional (B2B) markets. He is responsible for leading Zep’s marketing organization, which includes Product Management, Marketing Communications, Digital Marketing, Corporate Marketing, and eCommerce.

Prior to joining Zep in 2018, Gastel managed the Brawny® and Sparkle® paper towel businesses at Georgia-Pacific, where he led the turnaround of the Brawny® brand at retail, taking the brand to become the highest growing paper towel brand in 2016. In his tenure, Gastel improved net revenue and profitability by launching the most successful brand marketing campaign in over 20 years, and by developing an innovative product size nomenclature that eliminated waste and improved the brand’s cost position.

Before joining Georgia-Pacific, Gastel held various brand management roles at Bayer Healthcare, both in Global Marketing and in the U.S., managing leading brands like Aleve, Bayer Aspirin, One-A-Day Kids, and Flintstone Multivitamins. He began his career as a management consultant for Accenture in New York City, working in the Investment Banking sector.

Gastel holds a Masters in Business Administration from Georgetown University, a Bachelors in finance from University of Miami, and an Executive Education degree in digital marketing from Columbia University.

Lisa Cheatham – VP E-Commerce, Global Franchise Group

Building a best in class e-commerce program in less than a year might seem like a lofty goal, but that’s precisely what Lisa Cheatham accomplished as Vice President of E-Commerce for Global Franchise Group (the parent company of Great American Cookies, Marble Slab Creamery, Pretzelmaker, Hot Dog on a Stick and Round Table Pizza). She successfully expanded the reach of the Great American Cookies and Pretzelmaker brands bringing delicious products like Cookie Decorating Kits, Cookie Gift Boxes and bake-at-home Pretzel Breads directly doors of customers across the country.

Since joining GFG in 2011, she has successfully launched numerous marketing initiatives and new products such as integrating third-party delivery, designing a catering program, and creating a loyalty platform for the Pretzelmaker and Hot Dog on a Stick brands. Lisa played a critical role in the development of Hot Dog on a Stick’s California lifestyle-inspired merchandise – which made its way to celebrities and popular influencers. Responsible for all GFG brand licensing and partnerships, she facilitated licensing a new Ice Cream Pizza product with delivery app GoPuff.

With more than 20 years of experience in franchise development and marketing, her career and hard work has taken her from working in the Sales & Marketing division of Ford Motor Company to corporate experiences with Proctor & Gamble, Hearst Cooperation and Brinker International. She has also obtained entrepreneurial experience by starting and operating a nationally franchised real estate brand in Atlanta, GA. Lisa holds a Bachelor’s in Business Administration and an MBA in Marketing from Florida A&M University