Biographies

McKenna Associates, Corp.

Serving clients since 1993

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Jim McKenna

President

McKenna Associates, Corp.

52 Crestview Road, Milton, MA 02186

(617) 333-4967

jmckenna@mckennaassociatescorp.com

Jim McKenna is the founder and President of McKenna Associates, Corp., a business consulting and domestic and international franchise advisory firm. Jim consults with companies on the appropriateness of franchising, both domestic and international, as a business strategy to achieve their goals and in the design and development of their franchise systems. He assists established franchisors, multi-unit companies and multi-branded companies in strategic and tactical planning, headquarters and field support systems, manuals and training programs, marketing and expansion strategies, franchisee relations, purchasing co-ops, advisory councils, crisis management, expert witness, litigation support, and the strategic restructuring of franchise systems. He has over 25 years of experience as either a senior executive with major franchise companies or consultant in the retail, restaurant, hospitality, petroleum, and service industries.

Currently, Jim is working with several clients in the restaurant industry while also acting as Chief Development Officer for Sophie’s Cuban Cuisine, a seven unit Manhattan fast casual concept.

Last year Jim taught the Franchise course at the Whittemore School of Business and Economics at UNH, as a visiting Adjunct Professor of Business.

Recently he completed a thirty month contract as Executive Vice President of Honey Dew Associates, Inc., the franchisor of Honey Dew Donuts shops. At Honey Dew he created a professional management approach for this thirty one year old, privately held company including a new strategic plan, corporate reorganization, new brand image and shop design, franchisee advisory council, franchisee purchasing co-op, revamped marketing and advertising strategy, new product program, new equipment introductions, sales compliance program, public relations campaigns, market development plan, franchisee recruitment and screening system, and a customer satisfaction program.

Jim served as a senior executive with Allied Domecq QSR for over 15 years. There he is credited with helping to develop the growth strategy that expanded the chain from a regional donut franchise to an international multi-concept brand. He excelled at leading new initiatives in operations, site selection techniques, market development, product introductions, menu changes, franchisee screening tools, franchisee recruitment techniques, conflict resolution, and franchisee/franchisor relations. A consistently creative sales and profit builder.

Upon leaving ADQSR, Jim began McKenna Associates, Corp. a franchise consulting firm that provided advice, guidance and training to franchisors. He also founded and operated its subsidiary, The Franchise Real Estate Institute, which provided training and consulting in market planning, site selection and encroachment issues. This division was sold to a group of professors and GIS data providers in 2002.

Jim has been published in several industry periodicals and is often quoted in the major business press including extended radio and television interviews. He is a frequent speaker and guest lecturer at industry events and universities around the country. He is a contributing editor for the #1 all time best selling book on franchising - Franchising for Dummies. As a member of the Advisory Board of the William Rosenberg International Franchise Center, a specialized center at the University of New Hampshire’s Whittemore business school that advances franchising through relevant research and innovative teaching, Jim stays in tune with the best current academic work on franchising. Jim has created and is an instructor of Certified Franchise Executive (CFE) accredited classes for the International Franchise Association Education Foundation.

He is one of the founding members and a past chairman of the New England Franchise Business Network and is an active speaker and seminar instructor for the International Franchise Association's (IFA) Institute for Certified Franchise Executives. He has completed the requirements and has been awarded the designation of CFE (Certified Franchise Executive) by the International Franchise Association.

Professional Affiliations & Notable Executive Study:

International Franchise Association Supplier Forum
New England Franchise Business Network
American Bar Association; Franchise Forum
International Council of Shopping Center Developers
Whittemore School of Business, Rosenberg Center, Board of Advisors
Cornell University, Restaurant Strategy for Profitability
Harvard Business School, Strategy; Building and Sustaining Competitive Advantage

Susan Robinson
Biography

This is Sue’s long-anticipated foray into the consulting business and she comes prepared with 25 years of brand-building experience and a dossier of examples highlighting her success at some of the most recognized and respected retailers. As a career writer and creative director, she has had the opportunity to live in many beautiful cities and experience many corporate cultures at the most successful companies. Every new challenge has given Sue the ability to realize a brand’s unique identifier and insights into customer behavior. Below is a summary of the makings of a creative professional.

As student of Journalism at the University of South Carolina, she studied under professor, and author, A. Jerome Jeweler, regarded for his masterful book, Creative Strategy in Advertising, and his focused teachings in the area of copywriting. She excelled under his tutelage and won the copywriter seat on the school-sponsored Student Advertising Federation Competition.

Her professional career started with a copywriting position at the most iconic of retail establishments, Woodward & Lothrop, headquartered in the NOMA neighborhood of Washington, DC. Famous for it’s rich heritage and couture fashion offerings from designers like Claude Montana and Lolita Lempicka, she wrote numerous style ads for The Washingtonian, The Washington Post, and Vogue. Promoted four times in six years she rose through the ranks to become the youngest Copy Chief in the company’s history.

Her next adventure lured her to New York and the esteemed Victoria’s Secret catalog where she wrote lingerie and apparel for many themed catalogs, including the Swimsuit Issue and the City book. It was here that she worked with VSC trademark attorneys to brand specialty lingerie lines and solidify positioning statements for the Miracle bra, Underware and the London Jean, to name a few. She partnered with merchandising executives to communicate the best fit possible for catalog-only merchandise achieving great success with a 5% drop in return rates because of more accurate sizing descriptions. Sue was instrumental in evolving the brand character from its quietly sexy beginnings to its current provocative nature.

Years later, a call from a former colleague from Woodward & Lothrop opened the door to a new challenge, one that would include building an in-house creative studio for Ross-Simons, a jewelry and home catalog. She signed on and was reunited with four former co-workers in Rhode Island. She was instrumental in the quick, seamless transition from advertising agency to in-house operation. The acquisition of Geary’s of Beverly Hills, an upscale home and jewelry boutique, created even more cache for the New England retailer. Sue’s responsibilities included creating the unique personalities for these two very distinct businesses and the accuracy of the copy in the catalogs. She helped launch the website for which Ross-Simons achieved twice the financial projections. She wrote TV and radio copy and assisted on shoots including celebrity spokes-model campaigns featuring Raquel Welch and Faye Dunaway. Promoted to Associate Creative Director she was the second in command under the VP of Advertising and worked directly with owner Darrell Ross on many special projects.

Her next job took Sue to San Francisco where she held an executive creative position overseeing all of Macy’s West catalog and promotional insert efforts. She was responsible for concepting new ideas to leverage Macy’s proprietary lines, including I.N.C,. as well as create awareness and designer cache for the label. These focused efforts increased sales for Macy’s private label businesses by 9% within the first year. She acted as the creative liaison to the cosmetic and fragrance companies to ensure the highest quality creative in holiday mailers while fostering excellent relationships with client representatives. On the global front she partnered with Landor Communications to position and integrate the tag line, “Macy’s More You” in every customer contact for Macy’s West and Macy’s East.

Most recently, Sue worked for Talbots in Hingham, Massachusetts as the Creative Director of Copy. In this global role, she led the creative charge from start to finish directing strategy-based copy in all areas of media. Sue’s all-encompassing responsibility included supporting all of Talbots concepts, including Talbots Kid and Talbots Men’s. She mentored a staff of 10 writers allocating work accordingly to deliver business-driving catalogs, store collateral, synergistic web communication and direct marketing campaigns. Successful in modernizing the Talbots voice, the more energetic tone and fashion relevance answered the call for newness in advertising. Her realm of responsibility also included guiding Arnold Worldwide to develop seasonal print and TV campaigns that would captivate and intrigue our audience and attract new customers. Fundamental in launching Talbots mini-site, talbotsclassic.com, by contributing original copy to sell the brand as a fashion store.

Developed a fictional character to represent our target customer, a woman who encapsulates all the qualities of a Talbots customer. This handy aid was crafted to guide internal creative folks to better understand who she is. Sue was part of a Talbots internal community that engaged Communispace, a social media provider, to uncover deep insights into our target customers.
Sue was a Talbots-sponsored judge for the Retail Advertising Convention Racie awards honoring creative excellence in all areas of media.

Andrea McKenna

Biography

Andrea McKenna rejoined McKenna Associates after having spent the last seven years leading marketing efforts at Talbots a world class international specialty retailer, cataloger, and e-tailer of women’s, children’s, and men’s apparel, shoes, and accessories. Andrea’s experience managing lifestyle brands in retail, fashion, food, entertainment and cosmeceuticals provides the foundation for her understanding of how to build brands.

She is credited with interpreting consumer insights and crafting thoughtful business and marketing plans that resonate with consumers and deliver sales and profits.

Andrea has managed businesses on the client and agency sides. Previously she served as Senior Vice President and Group Media Director at Advertising Agency Hill, Holliday, Connors, Cosmopulos, Inc. one of Boston’s most successful agencies. Just prior to that she spent time at McKenna Associates providing strategic planning and organizational development consulting services to such clients as Allied Domecq QSR, Papa Gino’s, D’Angelo, and European Cosmeceutical company Pierre Fabre. Andrea also served as Vice President of Marketing and Advertising for three years at Hoyt’s Cinemas Corporation launching a brand identity for a then unknown theater chain.

Andrea also spent ten years at Dunkin’ Donuts, Inc. where she managed an award winning advertising campaign that became the longest running in food service history. At the start of her career, she held several marketing and management positions at advertising agencies in New York City and Boston. Andrea currently sits on the Board of Directors for Salu, Inc. which markets brands including Skin Store Int’l. and Mission Scientific Skincare exclusively on line.

Andrea holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the College of The Holy Cross and has completed executive marketing management courses at Harvard Business School and The Darden Graduate School of Business Administration.

Andrea’s key expertise is in:
Branding	Strategy
Organization Development	Tactical Implementation
Advertising	Consumer Research
Online marketing	Catalog Development
Social Networking	Agency Relationship