The New York Times said it best: "Every dream needs a merchant, every myth a mythmaker. In Las Vegas, that job falls to Billy Vassiliadis."

Billy has been swaying opinions, shaping public policy and persuading the hard-to-persuade in industries as varied as travel, energy, utilities, health care and transportation for more than 30 years. He operates from a simple yet powerful philosophy – "Build the brand, protect the brand" – a mindset that sprang from his roots as a sought-after political adviser on senatorial and presidential campaigns. It comes down to an unwavering, clear-eyed commitment to finding, telling and operating from a brand's core truth and standing ready with deep resources to protect it in case of a crisis.

His work for the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority is a prime example. He has guided the destination through decades of economic ebbs and flows, produced the iconic "What happens here, stays here^®" campaign, and received the coveted Brandweek "Grand Marketer of the Year" award over such major brands as McDonald's, Apple and Hershey's (and the only agency guy ever to win). Yet, he still believes that the best work for this brand is yet to come. Never resting on past success is a big theme.

He has been profiled on the front page of The New York Times and his views on marketing and political issues have appeared in The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, The New Yorker, Roll Call, The Hill, The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, Good Morning America, Dateline NBC, Prime Time Live, CNBC, Nightline and MSNBC. Consulted by presidents, business leaders and fellow marketers alike, Billy is, simply, the man to see.

Mary Ann specializes in helping brands reenergize and build value. With quick, incisive thinking, she identifies with clients who face the absolute need to get it right. A collaborator by nature, her great passion lies in building powerful, integrated agency teams and working with them to create communications solutions that fuel a client's business growth and success.

One of the agency's primary architects, she believes deeply in R&R's "Build the brand, Protect the brand" culture and brings together the brightest, hardest working talent in the country (and beyond) to tackle every client's crisis/opportunity challenge with this simple, holistic approach. From the moment campaign planning begins, clients have access to expertise in advertising, public relations, digital marketing and development, government affairs, media planning and buying, and primary/secondary research to make brands more profitable in the marketplace and protect those same brands on Wall Street or in the halls of state legislatures. Building and protecting brands ... something Mary Ann has been doing for more than 20 years.

She brings this stewardship of the agency's talent to every client, including award-winning work for Norwegian Cruise Line, Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity, MGM Resorts International and many others.

Becoming a long-distance runner takes an intensity and sheer force of will that not many people can maintain. For Randy, its second nature … just another day, bone against blacktop, pushing against the elements and fatigue, emerging victorious, only to tackle it with the same ferocity the next day. This all-in attitude tells you everything you need to know about his approach to a client's challenge. He'll also tell you that marketing success comes from creativity and perseverance, not necessarily from having the biggest budget. In his role as supreme commander of R&R's brand development division, he provides strategic guidance to our clients, which span a wide range of industries – from travel and tourism to energy and utilities to public transit and health care. In this capacity, he oversees R&R's Brand Integration Group (BIG) process and leads our strategic planning teams across all six offices.

Perhaps the best example of Randy's tenacity is the fact that the legendary "What happens here, stays here" campaign saw the light of day. A germ of an idea from two young copywriters in his charge, he knew it deserved a hearing and the rest is history. He's been pushing that creative burn for more than 25 years.

Jim is our financial guru with more than three decades of financial and budget analysis, banking, corporate administrative management, advertising, marketing and small-business ownership under his svelte belt. But everything he needed to know about hard work, team building and embracing the unexpected he learned as a roughneck on an offshore oil rig.

His wisdom, judgment and calm under fire make him the rudder that guides R&R's success and stability. He oversees the agency's auxiliary business interests, joint ventures, acquisitions, real estate holdings and served as the de facto general contractor on the agency's 70,000-square-foot corporate headquarters in Las Vegas. As president of the R&R Foundation, he is particularly proud of the agency's charitable arm, which, over the past three years, has donated some 35,000 hours and $3.9 million in marketing services to assist local nonprofits in developing their messages and promoting their causes. He has also been an active board member on numerous other nonprofit boards and currently serves on the board of Meadows Bank.

Jim joined R&R as an account executive after an early career in banking and finance, drawn to the ad business for its use of creativity to solve the profit/loss puzzle. Years later, having worked his way up to the corner office, he's our homegrown CFO, still embracing the unexpected.

As the leader of R&R's government and public affairs division, Pete always has an eye on the rearview mirror, making sure his clients are laps ahead of their competition and keeping watch for any legislative, regulatory or public opinion changes that might be gaining momentum. A former three-term Nevada state assemblyman, he is widely known as one of the state's most influential Republican political consultants. Regionally and nationally, he is known as an experienced advocate for Western issues such as energy, public land use and mining. Under his leadership, the agency's GPA and lobbying capabilities have evolved and expanded to include teams in Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Austin, Denver, Reno/Carson City, Phoenix, Salt Lake City and Washington, D.C.

Pete developed a specialty in utilities and energy issues as a state legislator, ultimately playing a key role in restructuring the state's electric utility industry through passage of the critical “Repower Nevada” legislation. As a lobbyist, he has represented a broad spectrum of clients including gaming, utilities, energy contractors and mining companies before state legislatures, Congress and federal agencies working on such issues as interstate natural gas pipelines, transmission line and mine permitting, ratemaking, renewable energy development, conservation measures, demand-side management issues and regulatory reform. His work has also led to passage of a law allowing property and sales tax abatements for large-scale solar generation facilities, which has been instrumental in the development of utility-scale solar energy generation facilities in Nevada, California and Arizona.

In addition to his experience in elected office, Pete managed the successful campaign of the late Governor Kenny Guinn and subsequently served as his chief of staff. More recently, he managed the successful campaigns of Governor Brian Sandoval (R-Nev.) and Nevada Supreme Court Justice Jim Hardesty.

Bob is highly regarded by senators, governors and local officials alike. In his three decades as a seasoned communications professional and marketing strategist, he has handled some of the most challenging public issues facing western states – from labor relations to public transportation to energy and resource issues. Specializing in issue advocacy, image enhancement and crisis communications, Bob has spent many years in Washington, D.C., Nevada and Utah directing the administrative, advertising and communications efforts of several dozens of corporations, government entities and elected officials.

During his tenure in Washington, D.C., Bob served as chief of staff to the House Mines and Mining Subcommittee. He coordinated efforts between the mining industry and government leaders to promote a national strategic minerals policy, and to protect vital mining legislation. During the Wilberg Mine disaster of 1984, he received national acclaim for his adept handling of the 13-month public relations crisis. His extensive experience also includes health care, alternative and renewable energy, and public lands issues.

As current Utah Governor Gary Herbert characterizes Bob's political and communications expertise: "Bob is the best in the business – bar none!"

The most successful creative companies cultivate a distinct culture that nurtures their employees and defines their business. Cindy has played a pivotal role in the development of R&R's fabled culture, overseeing everything from construction of the company's Las Vegas headquarters to leading the R&R Partners Foundation, the agency's philanthropic arm.

Armed with a degree in psychology, Cindy started in the ad business as a media planner. With a knack for making the numbers work no matter the budget, she was soon promoted to R&R's corporate media director and, soon thereafter, the agency's managing director. In 2006, she became a partner and EVP of advertising operations, where she oversaw technology, office and facilities management, corporate travel, capital budgets and management of corporate operating expenses. In that role, Cindy also turned her considerable talent to the "people side" of the business, regularly partnering with R&R's human resources department to develop professional training and the kinds of programs and events that led R&R to be named Advertising Age's "Top 30 Best Places to Work in Marketing and Media."

In late 2011, Cindy's role changed to one of the most rewarding yet. While she continues her work enhancing and strengthening the agency's culture, she now devotes the bulk of her time to serving as executive director of the R&R Partners Foundation. Committed to transforming lives and strengthening the communities in which R&R does business, the Foundation assists nonprofit organizations in developing their messages and promoting their causes. The Foundation has donated more than 35,000 hours and $4 million in marketing services to numerous worthwhile organizations.

Of all of the brands in the world that enjoy global awareness, Rob has the great fortune to oversee probably the coolest one by any measure. From advertising and marketing to events and promotional partnerships, his oversight of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority account for R&R Partners takes him on an exhilarating ride every day. He manages a fully integrated team that's charged with filling 144,000 hotel rooms 365 days per year. There just isn't another destination in the world that demands this level of market performance, but for Rob, it's just another day at the office.

Over the past 25 years, Rob has managed some of the most celebrated tourism campaigns in history, while his expertise in the sector has become internationally known. A master at recognizing and breathing life into smart marketing partnerships for clients, his portfolio includes UFC, Ford, Bud Light, Major League Baseball, the NHL and more. This experience also makes him a leader in R&R's business development efforts.

He has also developed, negotiated and promoted such special events as the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue Launch Party; NBA All-Star Game; Latin GRAMMY Awards; Billboard Music Awards; Academy of Country Music Awards; Las Vegas Bowl; NASCAR Champions Week; Miss Universe/Miss America/Miss USA; and the internationally renowned gourmet and wine event, Vegas Uncork'd. All have resulted in millions of dollars in added value and earned media for the Las Vegas destination. A great example of the results that Rob delivers was the launch of the Professional Bull Riders' Championship Tour, which propelled bull riding into the mainstream of professional sports, established a fiercely loyal fan base and increased sponsorship revenues by 700 percent with such blue-chip brands as Ford, Wrangler, Bud Light and Coca-Cola.

David is the creative strategist that everyone wishes they had watching their back. At R&R, he starts every planning session with the question, "Where do we want to go?" but we know he already has the answer in his back pocket. His 360-degree view of the marketplace makes him the kind of visionary that CMOs turn to for insight and led to his role as contributing columnist for Advertising Age.

With more than 25 years of brand development, positioning, go-to-market strategies, and marketing of more than 100 start-up consumer and B2B companies and corporate spinoffs in his portfolio, David has shepherded some of the best known brands in a variety of industries. Just a sample includes DIRECTV, Edison Enterprises, UPN (United Paramount Network), Fandango, IBM Multimedia, Hallmark Channel, Discovery Channel, California Green Communities (for Southern California Edison), Smashbox Cosmetics, Falcon Waterfree, TreePeople, Infiniti Motors and Activision, among many others. There is no challenge he can't turn into an opportunity.

Phil is our man on the ground in Los Angeles. From rock drummer to sports entrepreneur to agency chief, his life experiences make him the right guy to spot talent and opportunity on behalf of R&R. He assembled a stellar pool of talent in the new LA office, integrating a team of advertising, digital technology, strategic development and account management professionals, while bringing on board clients like Norwegian Cruise Line, TVG, Hollywood Bowl, Pepperdine University, The Boeing Company, and others. In his dual role as SVP, Western Region, he provides inspiration and business development guidance to support the managing directors as they work to grow our LA and Phoenix offices.

Phil joined R&R from Motta+Morris (previously the Motta Company), which was widely known in real estate and hospitality sectors, with clients such as The Howard Hughes Corporation, Irvine Company, Del Webb Corp., Bonita Bay Group, Lennar Urban, Collier Enterprises and Sunbelt Holdings, among others. Prior to this, he served as CEO of the Phoenix and Dallas offices of EvansGroup (now Publicis USA), an agency whose clients included T-Mobile, United Healthcare, PetSmart, Hardee's, Asiana Airlines and Starbucks. At EvansGroup, he personally managed major campaigns for Bank of America, TXU Energy, Presbyterian Health Care System, Wendy's franchise associations, and the On the Border Mexican Cantina chain.

He has also helped create innovative corporate sponsorships for intercollegiate sports, like Sunkist's sponsorship of the Fiesta Bowl (the first major bowl to feature a title sponsor) and, subsequently, Frito-Lay's sponsorship of what is now known as the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl. He worked with the Southwest Conference through its merger with the Big Eight to form the Big XXII and helped create and launch campaigns for the Phoenix Suns and the Arizona State University Sun Devils.

What does a company do when faced with profound brand challenges and radical, lightspeed change in their marketplace? Our smart money is on Andrew, a veteran of the business who broke away from the big agency scene to form his own firm and run accounts from a truly integrated perspective, bringing to bear the communications disciplines and social media strategies that engage audiences right out of the gate and delivering immediate, measureable results.

He recognized this need for a tailored approach to each challenge facing his clients after years running major accounts at Grey, NY, BBDO West, Dailey & Associates, and Seiniger Advertising. He has handled more than $500 million in billings for such national clients as ESPN, DIRECTV, Feld Entertainment, Pizza Hut, HBO, Hilton Hotels, Hitachi PC, Fox Sports, Red Lobster and TNT/TBS.

In nearly three decades of service in Washington, D.C., Mike has become recognized as one of the top strategists in the western United States and a strong advocate for this region. His wealth of knowledge and network of solid relationships make him uniquely qualified to oversee the complex day-to-day operations of R&R Partners' government and public affairs practice across six offices. His long career inside the Beltway is an invaluable asset to clients who need help navigating the inner workings of Capitol Hill and the executive branch. In addition, as managing director for the firm's Washington, D.C., office, he provides a critical presence in a city where client interests can change at a moment's notice.

Mike previously served as executive director of the Republican Governors Association, where he oversaw the national fundraising efforts and political strategy for the 28 Republican governors. He also served five years as the chief federal lobbyist for the state of Nevada, and prior to that worked in the U.S. House of Representatives as chief of staff for two members of Congress.

Michelle is a master in managing clients, staff and systems, and her rapid ascent at R&R puts her in charge of all three.

Upon joining R&R in 2005 as a senior account executive, Michelle managed the $20 million Caesars Entertainment account, which included multiple properties and diverse brand challenges. After just three months, she was promoted to group account director for demonstrating strategic leadership, creative vision, calm under pressure and a roll-up-your-sleeves work ethic. In that role, Michelle worked on a variety of high-profile accounts, including Wynn, Quiznos and MGM Resorts International, and helped the agency land the Busch Gardens Howl-O-Scream account, which expanded R&R's entertainment portfolio.

Michelle's keen interest and talent at problem solving led to her next promotion – corporate director of advertising operations. That position put her in charge of the traffic department, and also made her responsible for systems and processes for the entire agency. A title change a year later brought additional responsibilities – in the form of the print production, print studio and digital project management functions. At that time, she also established the digital studio. Her stellar work in these roles led to her August 2011 promotion to her current role.

Michelle joined R&R Partners from Tampa-based WestWayne, where she worked on the Orlando/Orange County Convention and Visitors Bureau, Marriott Hotels and the Tampa Bay Partnership for Regional Economic Development accounts. Prior to this, she managed the Carnival Cruise Lines account at Cooper & Hayes in Coral Gables, Fla. Earlier, she managed the Heinz Frozen Foods accounts at DDB San Francisco.

Developing strong client relationships takes an awareness of their market pressures and the flexibility to make adjustments without missing a beat. It requires an intuitive sense of what communications tools they need and how to package them for the most efficient result. On a gut level, it's about fierce loyalty and dedication to a brand's success, and Anna embodies all of these qualities and more. Her exceptional leadership and enthusiasm for the work energizes her teams and clients alike, and makes even the most demanding day productive and rewarding.

Anna manages R&R's talented account services teams across all offices, and in that role, oversees the agency's multisector client list. Her exceptionally high standards of client service and responsiveness inspires a unique level of trust and contributes to R&R's many longstanding client relationships. Her talent for team building, up-front market analysis and strategic planning delivers spot-on marketing plans, promotional partnerships, strong revenue growth and the bonus of positive press coverage in such media outlets as CNN, 60 Minutes, 20/20, The Wall Street Journal, the San Francisco Chronicle, Adweek, Reader's Digest and Communication Arts.

Matt leads the digital brain trust at R&R Partners, helping the agency deliver work across the vast digital realm. His favorite pastime is dreaming up new ways to draw people into his web, literally and figuratively. Coming to the digital space with stellar design credentials and top-flight agency experience, he's passionate about growth in the digital space, viewing the Internet not just as a medium where true creativity can flourish, but also as a platform to engage consumers in inspiring ways. He specializes in nourishing and developing a kernel of an idea, then pushing it beyond our clients' wildest expectations.

But he's a numbers guy too. Before his teams make a move, he has walked them through the research and based every next step on this road map. His measure of creative excellence is a client's bottom line – their unique site visits, click-through rates, retail traffic and brand impressions.

Prior to joining R&R Partners, Matt was a partner with Sarkissian Mason, with a client list that included Mazda, Boeing, Ford and Nike. In this role, his focus was developing user-centered design processes, unique technology applications, innovative information architecture development, and direction and production for music and video. He also worked with world-renowned firms such as Saatchi & Saatchi and Bowne Internet Solutions on interactive solutions for blue-chip brands like General Mills cereals, Tide, Pepperidge Farms and General Motors.

Peter is a firm believer in results-oriented communication that's achieved through creative, collaborative means. His management of R&R's PR practice across six offices emphasizes digital thinking and integration of the agency's research, media and event management resources to serve every aspect of a client's needs. But above all, his practitioners live R&R's "Build the Brand, Protect the Brand" position by establishing and defending the reputation and goodwill of their clients.

Prior to joining R&R, Peter developed a deep specialty in health care communications as a vice president for several health care companies, including the Las Vegas operations of UnitedHealthcare, the nation's largest health insurer; Sierra Health Services, Inc., another Las Vegas-based company, where he was the primary contact for Wall Street analysts and investors; and WellPoint Health Networks, a Los Angeles-based Fortune 500 managed-care company, where he was responsible for corporate and financial communications activities. He also served in communication management positions at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and the American Hospital Association, both headquartered in Chicago.

A smart insightful business planner who also understands how to forge great agency/client relationships is pivotal to an agency that's growing as quickly as R&R. Lucky for us, Erik is our right-brain/left-brain guy. From that first handshake, client relationships are off to a running start with agreements centered around their real needs. Having worked with such blue-chip brands as Nike and IBM, he knows how to negotiate a mutually beneficial deal that leaves all parties eager to get to work. Toward this end, he closely studies a client's existing challenges and goals, and then puts together a flexible road map that will adapt and respond to new opportunities along the way.

Erik polished his talent for people and numbers at Price Waterhouse LLP, where he helped design global tax-efficient business structures for Nike, numerous subsidiaries and spinoffs of IBM and Intel, forest products supplier Louisiana Pacific, and entertainment distributor Hollywood Video. He got his introduction to Las Vegas in the marketing department at Harrah's Entertainment, and prior to joining R&R, served as tax director at McGladrey & Pullen LLP.

Some people have a natural ability to inspire greatness in others and Cathie's leadership of R&R's Salt Lake City office is a great example of this. Her command of communications disciplines and ability to integrate diverse marketing efforts into a seamless rallying cry elevates everyone's game. From our clients' perspectives, her commitment to their success is unmatched. Her staff knows too that whenever a crisis looms and they need to make that midnight phone call, she'll not only be there, she'll already have a game plan. Her enthusiasm, depth of experience and razor-sharp instincts have been the driving force behind our Salt Lake City office since we first hung out our shingle more than two decades ago.

Cathie's personal portfolio of client work extends from health care, hospitality and tourism, to economic development and government contracts. She also has an extensive background in broadcast production, from television to corporate training and promotional videos, which took her to such international locations such as China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Japan.

If the true mettle of a leader is measured by the way she steers her clients through a recovering marketplace, Lisa could qualify for Ben Bernanke's job. From recessions to floods to mergers and corporate restructurings, she brings a laser focus to problem-solving and you won't find anyone better at it. In her role overseeing R&R's Reno office, she and her staff know what keeps their clients up at night. They understand how their success is measured and consistently over-deliver. She masters adversity through a mixture of keen instincts, attention to detail and an ability to coordinate operations, problem-solve and implement solutions with uncanny speed and accuracy.

Throughout her career at R&R, she managed her team with a deft touch, winning clients' confidence and respect, particularly those who do business in the harsh glare of the public eye. Highlights have included work for Saint Mary's Regional Medical Center, Truckee Meadows Community College, Economic Development Authority of Western Nevada, Reno Hilton (now called Grand Sierra Resort), Caesars Tahoe (now Mont Bleu) and Sierra Pacific (now NV Energy).

Arnie has one of those *great idea* lightbulbs over his head nearly every minute of the day. You can see it on his face the second that another layer of the onion peels away and he sees what no one else in the room can. It's what two decades working every possible angle in the ad biz will do for you. From copywriting to freelance design to media buying to account services … incredibly rare for a creative guy, but he has the perspective that all clients long for. Theirs. He knows the budget challenges, the accountability to boards of directors, the need for a great creative product as well as the need to move product.

He also knows that great creative starts a conversation. By that measure, he has engaged in some of this agency's best conversations, like the "What happens here, stays here" campaign, which has taken up permanent residence in pop culture history. He also spearheaded parallel campaigns to enlighten new visitors on the great stuff that awaits them in nowhere else but Fabulous Las Vegas. He guided the agency's push-back against the economic recession with the widely hailed "What's Your Excuse?" campaign, populated by rebellious chinchillas, which won him a Bronze Lion at the Cannes Lion Advertising Festival. He added this latest accolade to his already over-burdened mantle, sporting metal from diverse sectors like travel, health care and economic development.

Vanessa's broad experience in multiple forms of research and account planning techniques is pivotal to her leadership of R&R's talented research and planning department. She's a master at applying her observations and insights on consumer trends to R&R's creative product. Vanessa immerses herself in the brands that she stewards and is committed to being the voice of the consumer from strategy through every application of an integrated communications program. An avid reader and observer, she has an uncanny ability to understand and relate to every target audience she encounters, having spent thousands of hours in the field working to bridge that chasm between consumers' hearts and minds.

Prior to joining R&R, Vanessa spent a decade in New York City, where she worked at several top agencies and managed a range of clients. At Ogilvy and Mather New York, she served as senior partner/management supervisor on the $300 million National Youth Anti-Drug media campaign, directing all general advertising and sharing in successes like the well-publicized reduction of youth marijuana use and the dramatic improvement in parenting behaviors and education nationwide. She also conducted groundbreaking ethnographic research on the youth audience, which was celebrated at the Advertising Research Foundation's annual meeting and was named co-director of Ogilvy's Youth Practice, a division of the agency that offered insights on this highly sought-after audience. Her clients included American Express, The New York Public Library, Yahoo!, Hershey's and Sprite. Prior to Ogilvy and Mather, she lead MCI's national advertising effort at Euro MVBMS.

When it comes to understanding human behavior and motivation, Todd is a research maestro, having spent the last two decades directing an experienced and innovative research team dedicated to helping clients uncover new revelations about their brands. The best evidence that we aren't overstating is the gleaming David Ogilvy Award that he won for creation of a trademarked metric platform that measures the success of an advertising campaign, to effectively judge if and how brand messaging moved the needle.

Rather than an assembly-line approach to research, Todd looks at each challenge as a unique opportunity to discover new perceptions, identify barriers and better understand attitudes and motivators, drilling down to the rational and emotional connections that drive choice. His portfolio of quantitative, qualitative and secondary research projects spans domestic and international markets in sectors as varied as banking, health care, travel and tourism, gaming, retail, entertainment, utilities, education, theme parks, insurance, election campaigns, ballot initiatives and, well, many more, but you get the picture.

Matt is a business-savvy executive who understands what keeps CEOs awake at night. He knows how to calm troubled waters, plan strategically and stay one step ahead of the competition. With more than 20 years of experience, he has honed the art of communication from every possible angle. In managing world-class advertising, public relations and government affairs teams, he brings a 360-degree approach to devising and implementing sophisticated marketing and communication programs for a wide range of organizations in areas including health care, finance, technology, government, telecommunications, public transportation, professional services and nonprofits.

Prior to joining R&R, Matt served as senior director of communications for the State Bar of Arizona, where he expertly navigated the organization through tough issues and created a multichannel communication program that improved relationships among critical stakeholders. Earlier in his career as a TV journalist, he worked in and managed newsrooms in multiple markets, receiving an EMMY and numerous other awards for his leadership, news judgment and creativity.

Fletcher is the chief architect of R&R's diversely talented media and digital activation department, which extends across the company's six offices. This powerful group of on- and off-line media specialists solves business challenges with integrated plans that reach across the spectrum of communications outlets. From breakthrough content integrations and unique partnerships that pump millions of dollars into clients' promotional budgets to keeping messages relevant and immediate through strategic new media, social marketing and online extensions, Fletcher's team engages and motivates audiences.

He has overseen integrated partnerships for the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority with such top brands as Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, ESPN, E! and CBS Radio. His work in sectors as diverse as travel, utilities, law enforcement and nonprofit has been widely recognized, earning R&R the four most prestigious national media awards – Adweek Buzz, MediaPost Creative Media, Mediaweek Plan of the Year and OMMA Integrated Online Award. He is also committed heart and soul to the Human Rights Campaign for which he is a local board member.

Prior to joining R&R, Fletcher served as associate media director at Starcom in Chicago, where he worked on key clients including Miller, Canon, Philip Morris, Kellogg, Sara Lee, Showtime, Heinz, Nintendo, Discover and Walgreens, among others. He also negotiated multiple cross-market unwired deals for Canon, Miller and Hallmark, securing extensive added-value opportunities including customized vignettes on the Today Show, Extreme Home Makeover and FOX NFL.

For nearly two decades, Victoria's career has taken her from grassroots political campaigning, to oversight of such sensitive issues as nuclear waste management for the Nevada governor's office, to placement of political appointees within the U.S. Department of the Interior on behalf of the White House. It is this breadth of experience, network of contacts and knowledge of the inner workings of all levels of government that makes her an invaluable asset to R&R Partners.

In her role as vice president of government and public affairs in R&R Partners' Washington, D.C., office, Victoria brings to the table unwavering integrity that opens doors, builds coalitions and creates solutions for clients who compete on the national political stage. She also acts as a liaison between R&R's offices, located in Denver, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Reno, Salt Lake City, Carson City and Washington, D.C., and members of Congress and the executive branch agencies.

Prior to joining R&R, Victoria spent three years with the United States Department of Energy, originally as senior policy adviser to the assistant secretary for Environmental Management, and later as chief of staff, overseeing a $7.1 billion budget and 42 active DOE sites across the country.

Previously, she served as White House liaison and special assistant to the secretary for the Department of the Interior. She also served at the White House Office of Presidential Personnel, interviewing candidates for the Office of Homeland Security, Department of Agriculture (USDA), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board (DNFSB) and Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP).

On the state level, Victoria was deputy chief of staff for Nevada Governor Kenny Guinn. She also served as the lead representative to such federal agencies as FEMA, DOE, DOI, DOD, DOJ and the EPA.

Victoria has managed several campaigns, including Kenny Guinn's successful bid for governor, Barbara F. Vucanovich for Congress (1992, 1994 and 1996) and Larry Brown for Las Vegas City Council.

Victoria is a mentor for the American University in Washington, D.C. She earned a dual Bachelor of Arts degree in political science and international affairs from the University of Nevada/Reno.

Morgan specializes in both corporate law and government advocacy work, which are two key aspects of R&R's position as a multi-state communications agency. Strong relationships with lawmakers and regulators give her clients a clear advantage. Her track record in researching policy issues, developing client positions and communications plans, drafting legislative language, and advocating for and against legislative bills and ballot campaigns has won her accolades from both sides of the political aisle.

Prior to joining R&R, Morgan's legal practice emphasized state administrative and regulatory law, including a specialization in the areas of public utilities, water law, land use and planning, insurance, workers' compensation, and gaming law for the firm Lionel, Sawyer & Collins.

Doug directs all public relations activities for R&R's D.C.-based clients and works closely on strategic communications planning and integration with other core disciplines within the firm. He has extensive experience counseling corporate clients and government officials on policy and communications issues and his wide network of contacts is an invaluable asset to our clients.

Prior to joining R&R Partners, Doug served as director of public affairs at the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy. In this role, he coordinated the communications plan for the Obama administration's launch of its first National Drug Control Strategy, which established five-year goals for reducing drug abuse and its consequences through prevention, treatment, enforcement and international cooperation. His distinguished career has included stints as director of government affairs at McDermott, Will & Emery, one of the nation's largest international law firms; executive director and policy communications director for the Democratic Governors Association; and statehouse bureau chief for the Associated Press in Indianapolis, Indiana. His work on behalf of public and private sector clients has earned coverage from such outlets as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, The Washington Post, CNN, Fox News, ABC, CBS, NBC and NPR, among others.

In his role as the leader of R&R's government and public affairs team, Marc represents the firm's clients before the Arizona Legislature, the governor's office and various regulatory agencies. The trusted relationships he has formed in Arizona and across the west provide his clients with the insight and strategic counsel needed to understand the regulatory landscape. And when the art and science of persuasion calls for a more integrated approach, adding media relations and advertising to the mix, Marc and his team leave other shops gasping for air.

Marc's lobbying career began with the Arizona Chamber of Commerce, where he advocated public policy on behalf of the Arizona business community, lobbying the state Legislature, administrative agencies and other governmental bodies on diverse issues important to the business community. He also has held legislative and public affairs director positions with the Arizona Department of Commerce and the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality. His areas of expertise include education, regulatory reform, environmental law, tax policy, health care, employment law, workers' compensation, transportation, tort reform, economic development, infrastructure financing authorities and campaign management.

As a former Nevada state assemblyman and public administrator, Jim has intimate knowledge of the inner workings of Nevada government on both the state and local levels. He serves as a human compass for clients of R&R Partners' government and public affairs division, helping them to successfully navigate the political road through all levels of government.

Jim joined R&R after serving as assistant director of administrative services for Clark County, where he oversaw many critical offices and staff members, including the office of emergency management; strategic planning and organizational development; and franchise services, where he established the legal framework for utility and telecomm franchising for all jurisdictions. Jim also coordinated a variety of special projects for the county commission and county manager, including the county's widely applauded ethics policy, and served as the county's chief lobbyist through two sessions of the Nevada Legislature. In 2004, Governor Kenny Guinn (R-Nev.) appointed him to the Nevada Homeland Security Commission, a public body that sets policy and oversees use of federal homeland security funds by the state and local governments.

Mike's vast background in government and public affairs, combined with the relationships he has cultivated over three decades, make him an invaluable asset to clients who are scrutinized by regulatory and legislative bodies. His vigilance, candor and high ethical standards have earned him the kind of reputation that gives his clients a competitive leg up … especially helpful when going before the governor, the legislature, or county and municipal governments to make their case.

Along with the rest of our Salt Lake City team, Mike has developed a specialty in public funding of mass transit projects. The historic victory that he helped achieve on Utah Transit Authority's sales tax campaign has become a model for other cities. He has since taken R&R's unique formula for transit initiative success to cities like Charlotte, Honolulu and St. Louis – and has emerged victorious every time. In fact, when it comes to mediating for a desired outcome in the public eye, Mike has an impressive record, such as diffusing a heated labor dispute with physicians on behalf of Intermountain Healthcare, which continues to influence their labor contracts to this day; and developing a successful municipal and legislative strategy on behalf of the Metropolitan Water District of Salt Lake and Sandy in their efforts to locate a major water treatment facility. Prior to his tenure at R&R, Mike directed his own government and public affairs business where he jump-started his transit expertise, leading Citizens for Balanced Transportation, a nonprofit corporation supporting improved transportation in the Salt Lake Valley.

A seasoned communications professional with deep roots in public relations, business management, and government affairs, Catherine is a pivotal member of the R&R team. Her extensive background in crisis communications, media relations, strategic planning and event management makes her the go-to person when the heat is on. In her time at R&R, Catherine has managed public relations accounts in such varied sectors as real estate, education, utilities, transportation, manufacturing, retail and nonprofit.

Prior to joining R&R, Catherine served as director of public affairs for the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce, where her fluency in Spanish, combined with her broadcast journalism expertise, enabled her to speak directly to key audiences, which garnered a better understanding of such complex issues as tax policy to school funding to the Yucca Mountain repository. In her journalism career, she worked for CNN during the 1996 Olympics and as a writer at WCVB-TV in Boston.

Across multiple states with widely varying political leanings, Neal has a track record as a political innovator, specializing in issue advocacy. If you're in a tough spot and in need of a seasoned campaign manager to lead an integrated campaign and overcome tough odds, he's your man. His work as part of R&R Partners' six-office government and public affairs team gives our clients the ability to quickly organize and effect change in a smart, cost effective manner.

Since joining R&R Partners, Neal has worked with a wide range of clients and community leaders on various political and marketing projects, including American Medical Response, the Nevada Mining Association, the Washoe County School District, and the I-15 Mobility Alliance, among others. He started his political career as a field organizer for one of U.S. history's most impressive political feats, the election of Reform Party candidate Jesse Ventura as the governor of Minnesota. He soon found himself in demand as a political operative. Working as a primary strategist, campaign manager and spokesperson for local and statewide progressive ballot initiatives, as well as state-level lobbying campaigns throughout the country, Neal delivered impressive results across the board: passing six new laws in six different states in less than six years; winning three statewide ballot initiative campaigns; and managing or consulting on dozens of local campaigns – racking up a winning percentage of more than 90 percent.

For more than a decade, Jim has achieved optimum results for business clients facing issues, in both Arizona and on the federal level. His client list represents some of the state's most important economic partners including Raytheon, BP, United Health Care, El Paso Electric Company, Goodrich Corporation, the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Arizona Historical Society, Republic National Distributing Company, Enterprise Rental Car, Yavapai Downs and Johnson International. His breadth of experience and record of success on behalf of this diverse client list makes him the first call that company's make when a challenge looms on the horizon. Previously, Jim was a principal with Norton & Associates, an Arizona-based lobbying firm that specialized in western issues and established him as a results-driven advocate for the business community. Upon merging his firm with R&R Partners in 1999, he brought his invaluable network of relationships to the firm's existing clients.

Every well-positioned brand has a steward, a champion, a defender of the faith. It's the person who knows the backstory and believes in its culture, its mission and its people. At R&R, that torch is carried by Betsy, who works to build and protect the R&R brand as one of the premier independent agencies in the U.S.

As R&R's ambassador, Betsy brings to her role the writing chops and instincts of a journalist and the judgment of a seasoned PR pro. Her career spans both disciplines on both coasts and has shaped her innate understanding of what makes news, delivering positive coverage for R&R in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, USA Today, Newsweek, Fortune, Self, NBC's Today, Dateline NBC, ABC's Good Morning America, CBS News Sunday Morning, CNN, CNBC Power Lunch, Fox News Channel, MSNBC, PBS' Nightly Business Report, Adweek, Advertising Age and on the cover of TIME, to name a few. When the agency took a chance on a smart new approach to marketing Las Vegas, she landed the exclusive story in The Wall Street Journal and "What happens here, stays here" went viral. In a subsequent front-page profile of R&R Partners' CEO Billy Vassiliadis, The New York Times called the campaign "a stroke of marketing genius."

Throughout her career at R&R, and previously, Betsy has guided brands in such diverse industries as utilities, media, gaming, tourism, sports, real estate and advertising through the labyrinth of public scrutiny.

She served as senior account executive for Freeman Public Relations, where she coordinated national publicity for Meredith Publications Better Homes and Gardens, Traditional Home and Country Home. She also launched the Leukemia Society of America's Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis photo exhibit on Dateline NBC, which featured an exclusive interview with Kennedy family photographer Jacques Lowe. Prior to this, she honed her writing and promotional skills in the New York market for such magazines Family Circle (as a ghostwriter for Martha Stewart), Brides, Redbook and Glamour. And there is no form of media she hasn't had a hand in. In both New York and California, she freelanced for several newspapers, produced two talk radio shows and served as an associate TV news producer.

Dustin's talent for the visual medium, and his skill at managing and coordinating broadcast television and video projects for various clients, makes it possible for Sherpa clients to enjoy a cost-effective, one-stop shop for all their broadcast needs. He is responsible for managing and producing television film and video projects for Sherpa's Los Angeles office.

A 15-year veteran of the commercial production business, Dustin learned advertising from the ground up during his long career at Las Vegas-based R&R Partners. This depth of experience is what makes him so effective at anticipating the needs of his clients at Sherpa.

While at R&R, he oversaw many highly successful film and video productions for such clients as the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, the Andre Agassi Foundation for Education and the Southern Nevada Water Authority, where his team took home a Silver Effie award for setting the bar in water conservation campaigns.

Dustin has also built solid relationships with local and national vendors that make it possible to pull off the impossible when the crunch is on. He's also the go-to guy when it comes to knowledge of the latest broadcast technology – which changes every six months. His honors include awards from the ABA and the EMA for broadcast excellence, along with a slew of ADDYs too numerous to count.

Every winning team draws its inspiration from a coach who knows the ropes, and throughout the last two decades, Alan has been that guy for his creative team. In fact, you could argue that his passion for wrestling instilled in him the ability to quickly size up a client's essence and help his team translate that into the exact right creative positioning. In this spirit, he has overseen award-winning campaigns for ESPN, DIRECTV, HBO and FOX Sports, where an afternoon on the field with Peyton Manning or a few hours in the locker room with Wayne Gretzky was just another day at the office.

As the creative head coach of R&R's LA office, he goes to the mat every day, making sure the work is strategically sound, relevant to the target, visible through the right medium and a break-through creatively. Alan firmly believes that it's the brand's personality (not the agency's) that should shine … so depending on the goal, you'll see work that ranges from emotional to irreverent to sophisticated, or any mashup thereof.

Alan honed his craft at global agencies Grey, JWT and Dentsu working in every category you can name including package goods, automotive, travel, health care, sports, entertainment and technology.

He also believes in giving back to the community so he has served as vice chairman of the board of directors for Children's Bureau, a leading nonprofit for the prevention and treatment of child abuse and just one of R&R's many pro bono clients.

Want to know the best kept secrets about a city that knows how to keep one? Aurrice lives and breathes what happens in Vegas and leads the talented PR team that keeps the city in the headlines. She can often be found simultaneously juggling a satellite media tour, fielding a dozen reporter callbacks, putting the final touches on a multistate road show, and working with R&R's LVCVA creative and account teams on integrated guerrilla and social media projects. It's a 24/7 career that mirrors the city she loves.

With more than 15 years experience in brand marketing, special events and media relations, she has developed numerous successful campaigns for a broad spectrum of clients in the hospitality, lifestyle and real estate sectors. And she has the awards to prove it, including a PRSA Bronze Anvil, a PRSA Silver Anvil, a PRSA Big Apple Award, a Gold SABRE and several HSMAI Adrian Awards.

Prior to joining R&R, Aurrice served as account director for WordHampton PR in New York, where she managed accounts such as Hamptons Restaurant Week, Long Island Restaurant Week, plus a long list of restaurant clients. Previously, she worked as a marketing communications consultant for General Growth Properties' Fashion Show Mall and Village of Merrick Park (Coral Gables, Fla.), Newell Rubbermaid, Kimberly-Clark and Pfizer.

Additional client experience includes brand building for Hanes Hosiery, including the annual "Hanes Sexy Legs" survey, Calvin Klein, Microsoft Windows, No nonsense, Avon's Breast Cancer Crusade and Donna Karan. Aurrice spent her early years at Conde Nast Publications as an editorial assistant at Vogue and Brides before landing an assistant fashion editor spot at Glamour.

As the digital world continues to evolve, a brand message is only as good as the technologist who builds and protects it. At R&R, that job falls to Ben in his role as grand overseer of R&R's digital shamans. This supremely talented group benefits from Ben's leadership, good humor and indefatigable drive to take our clients higher.

Even with all he has accomplished in his career, it is still the beauty and science of writing seamless code that is his Holy Grail. He'll tell you that daily hands-on experience is the only way to differentiate between what truly elevates a client's site from what is just of the moment. He's also an expert at helping clients understand the various platforms available to them and developing enterprise level applications and tools that allow a business to meet its logistical and brand immersion objectives. His current obsessions include object-oriented programming, Web video broadcasting, mobile content, 3D Flash and taking scalable CMS to new levels – something he's already done for Mazda and Boeing.

His work at R&R covers a range of sectors from aerospace (Boeing) and energy (American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity) to automotive (Jackson & Partners) and travel (Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority and Norwegian Cruise Line), and in each case, he has managed their sites from that first line of code to the final testing of a site's architecture.

Prior to joining R&R, Ben was instrumental in driving the growth of digital boutique agency Sarkissian Mason, creating tools to showcase content in new and unique ways. Master of the realm that he is, Ben helped his clients (including Mazda) develop new methods of delivering content through Flash and video, Internet-based multimedia applications, content management tools, and radical database design and development. Previously, Ben worked on Nike, Ford, CBC, ESPN, P&G, Chrysler, Sony and Nickelodeon.

With more than 30 years of experience in the advertising industry, Brian brings a wealth of knowledge in the areas of public transportation, travel and tourism, and health care marketing. He is charged with development of strategic direction and oversight of all operations in one of R&R's fastest growing offices.

But he is best known as the agency's home run champion for public transit, from inspiring a new, highly effective model for transit marketing to winning ballot initiatives that have raised millions to fund new systems, expand existing systems and reduce air pollution. His cheering fans include public transit entities in Honolulu, Salt Lake City, Phoenix, St. Louis, Charlotte, Norfolk, Tampa, and Atlanta as well as the American Public Transportation Association (APTA), the industry's governing organization.

Prior to joining R&R, Brian co-founded Aller & Rasmussen in Salt Lake City, where he specialized in health care marketing, serving clients in dozens of hospital groups and health care organizations in 16 states. This work earned another legion of fans for his work at effectively marketing women's health centers throughout the West. Previously, he served as an account supervisor at Penna Powers Cutting and Haynes, supervising such clients as Little America Properties, Sun Valley Ski Resort and Deseret Power among others.

Brian is a governor-at-large on the Rocky Mountain Council of the American Association of Advertising Agencies (AAAA), and he is a member of the American Public Transportation Association (APTA).

Chris is one of those rarities who can step in at any point in the messaging process and offer up keen insights derived from his uniquely diverse marketing background. Having served as a copywriter, creative director, marketing director, strategic lead and account director over the past 15 years, he has a true understanding of what integration brings to the process, enabling him to spot every opportunity for innovation. At R&R Partners Los Angeles, he leads our account team and oversees the strategic direction of agency clients including Norwegian Cruise Line, Care1st Health Plan and Pepperdine University, among others.

Prior to R&R Partners, Chris served as chief strategy officer at Kaiser Marketing, and was senior director of marketing at Fastpoint Games, creator of a dynamic social gaming platform adopted globally by partners like NBA.com, Fox Sports and LG Electronics.

Previously, he worked as a creative director and copywriter at KMI, MMG Worldwide, Callahan Creek and Bernstein-Rein Advertising. Throughout his career, he has created award-winning work for clients including Westin Hotels, Norwegian Cruise Line and Embassy Suites.

Clinton is an expert at reinventing existing brands and launching new ones through strategic communications, understanding the needs of the nation's top media outlets, and having a comprehensive knowledge of Nevada's political and media landscape. His client portfolio has included such organizations as NV Energy, Americans for Balanced Energy Choices (ABEC), Nevada Resort Association, Health Services Coalition, Nevada Commission on Tourism and Coyote Springs.

Prior to joining R&R Partners, Clinton served as account director at Kirvin Doak Communications, PRWeek magazine's "Boutique PR Agency of the Year 2004," where he was the agency's resident expert in real estate, public affairs and corporate communications. He managed such premier brands as the W Las Vegas Hotel, Casino and Residences; Star Trek: The Experience; and Las Vegas Springs Preserve. He led the Nevada Cancer Institute account, spearheading the grand opening of the organization's $52 million flagship building. He also played a key role in helping to strengthen the University of Nevada School of Medicine's brand among opinion leaders, the media and the public throughout Southern Nevada.

Previously, he served as vice president of client services for the Nevada Development Authority where he was responsible for attracting new businesses to Southern Nevada.

Prior to this, Clinton sharpened his skills in Silicon Valley by launching such products as the Palm III and Palm V handheld computers at A&R Partners (A&R Edelman) in San Mateo, California, which was named PRWeek magazine's "Midsize PR Agency of the year 2004" and among the best high-tech public relations by Holmes Report. He further honed his technology specialty leading the corporate communications department for the Internet start-up Preference Technologies.

With the tenacity of a legal mind, David's persuasive skills were honed in the courtroom and further polished as a journalist, two fields that uniquely prepared him for a career in public relations. David is a PR bulldog who consistently gets results for our clients. That's why he leads our Arizona public relations team. With one of the most diverse and extensive backgrounds at R&R Partners, he brings unique insight to the PR discipline.

Working as though he has a personal stake in each client, he inspires smart thinking and outside-the-box solutions from his team on such diverse accounts as Valley Metro, Arizona Commerce Authority, Cox Communications, TriWest Healthcare Alliance, Fennemore Craig and Cigna Medical Group, and Maricopa Community College District, among others

David joined the agency from Maricopa County Animal Care and Control, where he served as public information officer and community relations supervisor. Prior to that, he exercised his adroit persuasive communication skills as a trial lawyer for 11 years before moving into the public relations discipline full-time, opening his own firm on the East Coast.

Later settling in Scottsdale, he joined Cooley Advertising and Public Relations as director of the firm's charitable works division. Managing a team of 15, he created integrated marketing and promotional campaigns for many diverse clients across Arizona.

Doug's output transcends the normal creative trajectory, producing epic work for the agency's most high-profile client, the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. Besides new chapters in the still wildly popular "What happens here, stays here" campaign, he has produced parallel campaigns that tell important stories such as "Vegas Bound," which scooped up America's hardest working small town and delivered them en masse to Vegas to demonstrate that the city is alive and well, despite that nasty little economic downturn. Or "Chinchilli Day" from the "What's Your Excuse?" campaign, which was named among the top two funniest commercials of the year by Turner Broadcasting and won a Bronze Lion from the Cannes International Advertising Festival.

He began his advertising career in New York City, cutting his teeth at such top agencies as Publicis, DMB&B, Ogilvy & Mather, and Dentsu. His work had an impact on high-profile accounts like Microsoft, Sanyo, BMW, Suzuki Automotive/Motorcycles, Acura, Honda, Hyundai, KIA, Mercedes-Benz and Blue Cross Blue Shield. In 2008, he even won an Art & Technique of the American Commercial Award (AICP) for Suzuki Automotive's viral video, "The Honkin' Bastard." (For a good time, check it out on YouTube.)

But like any self-respecting creative, Doug wanted to direct. Except that he actually made it happen.

He struck out for Los Angeles and earned an MFA from Art Center College of Design in film production. He went on to win several awards with his commercial director reel including a Clio certificate (and that AICP statuette), which was all fine. But in 2001, the dream was realized … Doug completed his first feature film, which he co-wrote, produced and directed. "My Best Friend's Wife" starred John Stamos, Tony Roberts and Jessica Walters, won several prestigious awards and was distributed worldwide both theatrically and on DVD.

Las Vegas is the ideal place for a guy like Jeremy, for whom winning is the Holy Grail. Whether he's grabbing Adweek's Media Plan of the Year honors for Wynn Resorts, a Silver Effie Award for the Southern Nevada Water Authority's water conservation campaign, or a fistful of ADDY awards for his collaboration on the Altoids brand – finishing out of the money is never an option.

Speaking of the almighty green, when it comes to getting clients the most for their media dollars, Jeremy is the win-win dealmaker. If he had his own TV game show, it would be called "Great Deal or Awesome Deal." R&R clients who have benefitted from his creativity and negotiating prowess include MGM Resorts International, Ultimate Fighting Championship, Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, Saint Mary's Hospital, Intermountain Healthcare, NV Energy, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department and the Agassi Foundation for Education. He leads a talented media team across all of R&R offices, specializing in areas such as transportation, travel, utilities, health care, law and live events.

Jeremy joined R&R from Starcom Worldwide, where his refreshing approach to media placement for Altoids Cinnamon in The New Yorker magazine won a Gold ADDY award. His billboard campaign for Altoids Strips scored Media Plan of the Year honors from the Outdoor Advertising Association of America and when budget cuts threatened the Velveeta account, he applied his smart money approach against a cable strategy that spiked sales over the prior year despite a much smaller media buy. Mmmm. Now that's tasty!

With the swirl of complex media options in today's marketplace, Karen is the human GPS system you've been searching for. With nearly two decades in her back pocket of building smart, impactful, cost-efficient plans in every conceivable format, her ability to map out the exact right direction for your brand is unparalleled.

As the media go-to in our Arizona office, she also understands how best to leverage Hispanic and rural markets, using the solid relationships she has established over the years. Whatever your desired mix, from Web and search-engine marketing to print and broadcast, to direct response/ROI-based campaigns – even buying the side of a freaking building or hiring a plane to write your brand's name across that great billboard in the sky, Karen can leverage the best package deals. She'll also negotiate added value and no-charge opportunities to stretch your budget beyond what you thought possible.

Throughout her career, she had guided a variety of clients through the media labyrinth including Cox Communications, Cox Business Arizona, National Bank of Arizona, Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Arizona, Subway restaurants, Phoenix Zoo, Valley Chevrolet and Isuzu dealers, and more. Prior to joining R&R, Karen served as senior media planner/buyer at Phoenix-based Media Impressions.

Leadership of a diverse team serving a complex client in a challenging economic climate is all in a day's work for Kim. One of R&R Partners' most successful account directors, she is the co-steward of the $230 million LVCVA account and the wildly successful "What happens here, stays here" campaign.

Charged with leading the account through two recessions, and continuing to produce results in one of the most difficult times Las Vegas has ever seen, she works with all agency disciplines to produce seamlessly integrated campaigns. In response to the economic downturn, Kim helped drive the "Vegas Bound" campaign, which brought a tiny Texas town to the city, generating millions in earned media value and demonstrating to the world that Las Vegas was still open for business. She also coordinated the LVCVA's "Camp Vegas" summer promotion, which was the first time a promotional event drew major citywide participation by the resort properties.

During Kim's tenure, the LVCVA account has earned a prestigious Cannes Bronze Lion, scores of National ADDYs and a Platinum Adrian Award from the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International. She also managed the Detroit-based MotorCity Casino account at R&R, where she successfully established an unknown gaming brand that faced tough competition from a well-known MGM Grand property.

Prior to joining R&R, she served as account manager for outdoor services, where she handled the Stratosphere and The Venetian resort properties. Previously, she was marketing manager for SFX Entertainment (now Clear Channel Entertainment) where she managed "Titanic: The Exhibition," and "Michael Flatley's Lord of the Dance." And in her spare time, she also owned and operated two Subway Sandwich franchises.

What do you get when you cross an account guy with a copywriter? Usually an argument. Such is the luck of R&R that we scored this left brain/right brain guy, who melds smart strategy with creative brilliance in our Salt Lake City office.

Coming up through the ranks of account planning before spearheading the Salt Lake creative team, Kyle is an idea-generating machine – pumping out wave after wave of fresh, often brilliant, always-tethered-to-rock-solid-marketing-strategy concepts. They're the type of ideas that boost clients' sales curves and appear in the One Show annual, Adweek magazine, the National ADDYs, TBS's "World's Funniest Commercials," and even college marketing textbooks, to name just a few.

Nationally recognized as a public transit-marketing expert (there's that left brain/right brain again), Kyle was named one of the "Top 40 Under 40" transit minds in the country by Mass Transit magazine. His work for underage drinking prevention has been honored twice by Mothers Against Drunk Driving as the best PSA campaign in America.

Kyle's client list includes transit systems from Hawaii to Washington, D.C., Foot Locker, Champs Sports and research projects for Nike, Toyota and Infiniti. He usually doesn't talk about the research projects though. Creatives don't like account guys, even former ones.

Don't let her diminutive stature fool you … the lady is a formidable champion on behalf of her clients' interests. Her strong leadership skills and razor-sharp market instincts keep her teams at the top of their game, delivering above expectations every time, including coverage on CNN, 60 Minutes and 20/20 and in the pages of The Wall Street Journal and Adweek.

As manager of multiple account service teams across several offices, Lena oversees policy management and public affairs, digital strategy, creative design and development, and social and traditional media planning and buying for clients as varied as American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity, RE/MAX, SeaWorld Park and Entertainment. Always on top of industry trends, she stays focused on the long-term strategic direction of her accounts. Prior to her promotion to mid-management, she served on the Wynn Resorts account, and was part of the team that won Mediaweek's "Media Plan of the Year" award in the "best plan spending $1 million or less" category for the property's employee recruitment campaign.

Before joining R&R Partners, Lena was account supervisor at Virgen Advertising in Las Vegas, where she led The Pinnacle Las Vegas Condominium Project; Winder Farms Home Delivery; Miracle Mile Retail Shops; and LV Theatrical, Inc. Prior to this supervisory role, she served as senior account executive on the firm's gaming accounts including Harrah's Entertainment; Luxor Las Vegas; The Venetian; and Agua Caliente Casino and Spa Resort Casino, both in Palm Springs. Previously, at Creative Civilization in San Antonio, she specialized in the Hispanic market for the San Antonio Spurs Sports and Entertainment (NBA), San Antonio Rampage (AHL), San Antonio Silver Stars (WNBA), Klass Food & Beverage Products, Our Lady of the Lake University, Gonzaba Medical Group and the San Antonio Express-News among others. She also sharpened her public relations skills for March of Dimes, American Cancer Society, Texas Department of Health and San Fernando Cathedral.

Marla's skill set is among the broadest at R&R Partners. A born leader, she is known for inspiring strategic thinking within the ranks of her clients' top management. A graduate of the American Marketing Association's Management Training Program, she is voracious in keeping abreast of market trends and making sure messaging is consistent across all audiences and mediums. This also enables her to chart the ideal course to avoid pitfalls, react smartly and appropriately to challenges and fully optimize opportunities. She is a master brand builder and is greatly respected by both her clients and peers.

Examples of her client ROI illustrate her bottom-line approach. For Cox Business, she led development of a campaign that increased new business sales by 25 percent in a market where commercial vacancies were up 17 percent. For The Residences at The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain, Marla led an integrated campaign, which landed more than $17 million in sales for 13 home sites within six months.

For the Arizona Commerce Authority, she developed a comprehensive lead generation strategy that attracted new businesses to Arizona through targeted Web and direct mail.

Prior to joining R&R, Marla worked for CY Research in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where she oversaw research and analysis of IBM's broadcast spots in China, Japan, Russia and throughout Europe. Previously, she served as operations manager for USA Hosts, events manager on the Orange Bowl Committee and handled marketing for Phoenix Home & Garden Magazine.

Bio coming soon.

Since the ancients first created paper, mankind has been waiting for one true master to perfect the art of applying ink to its surface. Pat honed his mastery of fine print services through hands-on experience, but he now translates that passion to the digital realm and revels in new technologies, always ahead of the next curve. In his role as the guru of print production services, he manages a staff of 25 craftsmen including studio artists, production managers and pre-media specialists, overseeing a budget of more than $5 million annually. His expertise in managing budgets, timelines and internal communications plays a critical role in R&R Partners' service to our valued clients.

Pat's fascination with ink on paper began on the Las Vegas Strip as the in-house print expert for the resort chain Circus Circus Enterprises. Working within the marketing department, his expert eye and crack math skills made him the guy to see if you needed 50,000 direct mailers printed and ready for post within 48 hours. He supplied the Luxor, Excalibur and Circus Circus hotels with literally tons of printing needs, from 50-foot duratrans to restaurant table cards. This is also where he developed a specialty in signage and promotional item purchasing, having worked hundreds of special events.

The epitome of the long-suffering Chicago Cubs fan, Pat's office is a shrine to Wrigley Field. On days when we can't find R&R CEO (and fellow Chicagoan) Billy V. anywhere else in the building, it's a sure bet he's hanging in the "friendly confines," plotting next year's comeback.

Señor Lopez is all about range. His creative genius can go from breathtaking to humorous, to poignant to groundbreaking in the span of an afternoon depending on the client, the audience and the goal.

Ron's management of R&R's talented creative pool is credited with producing some of the agency's best work, like the water conservation campaign that won a slot on the TBS special "Funniest Commercials of the Year." Or the foxy, murderous Raven Twins who took over Busch Gardens' Halloween event and delivered record-breaking attendance for parent company Sea World Entertainment. Or that poster campaign for the Professional Bull Riders rodeo series, which not only landed on the cover of the prestigious design publication Archive – it performed like a champ, generating record attendance and spotlighting host city Laughlin, Nevada, as the premier event destination in the West.

Ron also specializes in tough public eye accounts like utilities and energy, which strive to inspire a change in attitude and behavior. His adroit combination of humor and a customer-centric view wins hearts and minds every time.

As you might guess, his work has been recognized nationally and internationally – most recently, with a Silver Effie, a New York One Show award and multiple inclusions in Adweek Ad of the Day – plus media coverage in publications like Archive, Shoot and U.S. Ad Review. But his bottom-line measurement isn't accolades; it's how an ad performs.

He sharpened his keen eye for the big picture at Bartels & Carstens in St. Louis; at Lord Dentsu in Los Angeles at Salvati Montgomery Sakoda/Bozell in Orange County; and at DRGM in Las Vegas. As a freelancer, he handled projects for Walt Disney/Touchstone Films and Anheuser-Busch.

Sean's roots in account management give him a deep understanding of how to align user needs with business goals and develop strategies that move consumers from "I think" to "I need, I want, I have to."

He'll tell you he's a geek, but behind that easy label lies an exhaustively inquisitive mind that can analyze a client's business model in one conversation and offer 10 action items to boost its digital results immediately.

An early adopter of the digital realm, Sean thoroughly embraces consumer stewardship of the brand conversation and he counsels his clients on the best way to hop on that speeding train. For over a decade, he has been the engine driving R&R's digital strategy for sectors such as tourism, banking, real estate, health care, energy, public utilities, technology, retail and public advocacy, and for clients as varied as the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, Wells Fargo Bank, Cigna, Computer Associates ARCServe and more.

Speaking of those account roots at R&R, he learned the advertising biz from the inside out, marketing events for NASCAR, Professional Bull Riders, ESPN, the National Finals Rodeo and the Las Vegas Bowl, and later, stepping up to a leadership role on the massive Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority account. Prior to joining R&R, Sean worked for DRGM Advertising and Public Relations where he worked on brand development for Reno-Tahoe tourism, Pacific Bell, and Food 4 Less.

Tim is a celebrated veteran of R&R Partners' creative corps. After an initial seven years with the agency, he packed his bags for the Wild, Wild East Continent and established R&R's outpost in Moscow, Russia, (that is not a typo) back in 1993. With two bleak Slavic winters under his belt, Tim rejoined the agency as creative director of the Reno, Nevada, office and has been thawing out ever since.

While in Russia, he kept himself warm wearing multiple hats simultaneously, from creative duties to managing account services, production and media planning, for Radisson Hotels, PepsiCola International, Apple Computer, The Kremlin Cup, Booz Allen & Hamilton, The Moldovan Ministry of Privatization, The International Press Center & Club-Moscow, and Columbia-Presbyterian Health Services.

Stateside, his work has gained international recognition in publications and competitions such as D&AD, the Clios, the London International Advertising Awards, Communication Arts, Print – consistently topping the American Advertising Federation's ADDY Awards.

He has proven his creative prowess in both health care marketing and the promotion of the visual arts, having created life-changing, cultural-provoking campaigns for brands like Saint Mary's Regional Medical Center, Washoe Medical Center, The Terry Lee Wells Nevada Discovery Museum, Arte Italia and the Nevada Museum of Art. Perhaps most significantly, Tim was the creative engine behind the nationally acclaimed print campaign for the Nevada Commission on Tourism, which was covered by The Wall Street Journal, generated millions of dollars in tourism revenue for the state and garnered numerous awards. It remains one of R&R's most successful and longest running campaigns to date.

Kelly is the center of gravity around which R&R Partners' in-house production team swirls. A pro at managing the organized chaos of complex, multisite shoots, she has spent two decades building a strong network of contacts and a reputation of trust among her clients. Her portfolio includes collaborations with such acclaimed national and international directors as Bobby Sheehan, Errol Morris, Ernesto Melara and Matthew Badger on accounts as diverse as the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority; NV Energy; Sea World Parks & Entertainment; Las Vegas Motor Speedway; Sunrise Hospital; Southern Nevada Water Authority; and numerous Las Vegas resort properties.

Technology evolves at light speed, but she takes that ride with both hands on the wheel, always ahead of the curve. This level of knowledge gives her clients a cost-effective advantage over production houses in more expensive markets. But it's her ability to quickly and efficiently get a complex shoot up and running on time and within budget that keeps her in high demand. Her work has received numerous awards, but for Kelly, it's really just about getting the shot.

She came to R&R with solid creds in video and film production, honing her skills as a producer and camera operator at KLAS-TV and at Laguna Productions as director and producer, both in the Las Vegas market.

Chris knows that it sometimes takes a thousand ideas before you stumble across THE ONE. And some of his best "ONEs" have been featured on ABC's Nightline and in the pages of The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and Adweek.

As the grand overseer of our Phoenix creative team, he brings to bear his storied career as a copywriter and (spoiler alert) account manager ("It was the '90s … people were experimenting.") at two Western boutique agencies, and on the Las Vegas Strip for Bally's and Paris Las Vegas.

So he approaches his clients' challenges with a kind of hybrid artistic genius that captures the imagination while delivering the ROI.

Since joining R&R, Chris has created brilliant concepts for the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, Quiznos, Boeing, RE/MAX and the American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity. And don't let his blond beach-boy looks fool you … he lived in San Sebastian, Spain, for a while and blended in like a local, right down to perfectly rolling his "Rs."

From energy to aircraft, custom homes to children's museums, Mike has managed a diverse client portfolio at R&R Partners, with a specialty in strategic planning, community outreach and media relations. With oversight of all public relations and public affairs efforts in R&R's Reno office, his network of strong relationships covers a wide range of stakeholders including media, legislators, and business and community leaders.

Crisis communications is some of the toughest work to tackle in the public affairs sector and Mike is our resident expert in this area. When the H1N1 epidemic first broke in northern Nevada, he led the communications team for Saint Mary's Hospital, bringing together other area hospitals and the county health department to coordinate messaging and emergency response across multiple cities and rural towns. He worked directly with Saint Mary's staff to keep them informed and help them explain the disease to the media, which diffused the fear that was building among the public.

His expertise in mining and energy, combined with his background in multistate grassroots organizing, have helped him diffuse numerous other crises for these industries for such clients as Nevada Mining Association, Newmont Mining Corporation and El Paso Natural Gas Corporation.

His stellar work for the National Championship Air Races helped this celebrated event recover from a tragic accident. His advice helped the Nevada Association of Realtors find its way through the state's economic downturn. And if that's not enough, he has also delivered stellar results for R&R's destination marketing clients, winning him some serious mantel medal, including five Silver Spike awards.

When a company is recognized as an awesome place to work by two national organizations in as many years, it should definitely be on your career growth radar screen. It also tells you that the firm's human resources director takes her title quite literally. Fran is R&R's spiritual leader in the art of understanding, supporting and guiding our greatest assets, our talented human resources, which span six offices and five states.

With nearly three decades in the field, half of them at R&R, Fran has worked closely with the firm's partners to build a culture where we work as hard as we play. From managing some of the most generous health benefits you'll find anywhere to overseeing multiple employee recognition programs to shepherding the many annual festivities (Super Bowl of Chili Cook-Off, St. Patrick's Day, Cinco de Mayo, Bring Your Child to Work Day, and the legendary annual Halloween party to name but a few), she is the keeper of R&R's culture and great vibe.

Fran also spearheaded the process that led to us being named among the top 30 "Best Places to Work in Marketing & Media" by Ad Age magazine; and one of the top "25 Best Small & Medium Companies to Work for in America" by the Society for Human Resource Management.

Prior to joining R&R, she served as regional director of human resources at American Medical Response, where she was responsible for hiring; employee relations; training and development; and wage, salary and benefits administration across seven Western states. During this time, Fran became certified as a Development Dimensions International trainer and coached nearly 100 management employees on the art of supporting and growing talent within their organization.

Bio coming soon.

Bio coming soon.

Sean Hardwick faced a career realization. He lived and breathed advertising and had built a stellar reputation and record with some of the industry's biggest names, creating blockbuster campaigns for such powerhouse brands as Apple, Lexus and Taco Bell.

Successful as he was, Sean longed for a work environment that was nimble, smart, creative and accountable – but without the bureaucracy that seemed to come part and parcel with the Big Guys.

Enter R&R Partners, whose collaborative and integrated culture and innovative "Build the Brand. Protect the Brand" philosophy, is anything but bureaucratic – and which just happened to be in search of a leader for its newest office, Sean's home city of Los Angeles. In the newly created role, he is responsible for growing the agency's new business prospects, where his "self-professed geek" status will come in particularly handy in the City of Angels' white-hot digital arena.

Sean arrived at R&R from Draftfcb's Orange County, California, operations, where he was brought in to lead the Taco Bell account, and to be the head of the office. Under his leadership, he steadily grew revenues, both organically and through new business development. That work led to the addition of several accounts, including PETCO and Del Monte Pet Products, marketer of such household staples as Kibbles ‘n Bits, Meow Mix, 9 Lives and Milk Bone.

Earlier career adventures included two tours with Chiat/Day, where Sean worked on one of the world's most venerable brands: Apple. He helped to launch the "Think different" campaign, which won numerous awards, including an Emmy, the Grand Effie and others, and led the U.S. team that launched the iMac, iBook, iPod and iTunes. He even spent three months as advertising director at Apple during a personnel change, and was exported to London for two years to run the Apple Europe account, along with Vtech Electronics and The Body Shop International.

During his earlier stint with Chiat/Day, Sean worked on such accounts as Mitsubishi Electric, Yamaha Motorcycles and Toshiba laptop computers. He also spent time at Saatchi's Team One, where he worked on the Lexus account, helped to nab the adidas America account, and was part of the team that created Team One's Interactive Group during the fledgling Internet years.

During his decade-long tenure crafting advertising campaigns for the Hispanic market, Manuel has witnessed the evolution of strategic communication in his beloved comunidad latina (Latin community). His success is inextricably linked to his professional philosophy of staying close to his "gente," or people, because that is where he believes all inspiration begins. Manuel brings this unique perspective as a Pan-American creative professional to R&R ALA LATINA.

A native of Argentina, Manuel's greatest career accomplishments have involved working on advertising campaigns for the U.S. Hispanic market for clients including Miller Lite, McDonald's, State Farm, SONY, Greyhound, Discovery Networks and U.S. Cellular. He also has lent his expertise to major community initiatives, working with such organizations as El Buen Samaritano Episcopal Church and the National Fatherhood Initiative.

Campaigns for those and other clients have garnered Manuel two national ADDYs, and awards presented through several major multicultural and Latin American advertising and marketing programs, including a Grand Prix in TV by the Association of National Advertisers' Multicultural Excellence Awards; and awards from the Ojo de Iberoamérica; FIAP and Festival Caribe. Manuel's work has been broadcast during some of the United States' most popular television specials, including the Oscars (2010 and 2011), the Olympics, and the GRAMMY and Emmy awards.

Manuel began his advertising career in 1996 with Ogilvy & Mather in Buenos Aires. He then worked at LatinWorks and Mendoza Dillon (Bravo Group) before serving as creative director of DDB's U.S. Hispanic advertising agency, Alma DDB, where his clients included McDonald's, Cricket Wireless and Nokia.

An instructor at the Miami Ad School, Manuel's talents also extend to screenwriting. His most notable project was the 2006 Mexican romantic comedy Cansada de Besar Sapos (Tired of Kissing Frogs), which was distributed by Miravista (Disney) and seen throughout Latin America. Manuel came to R&R ALA LATINA from Cinco Talentos Creative Services, where he most recently was president and creative officer.

During his almost two decades of international business experience, Andy has developed an extensive background as a marketer, manager and developer of Hispanic brands and products. His international knowledge has made him a master at assessing the same reality from different cultural perspectives and delivering integrated marketing solutions that effectively target U.S. Hispanics. He brings a new holistic and strategic approach to multicultural marketing with the formation of R&R ALA LATINA.

Over the course of his 18-year career, Andy has been responsible for growing products' sales, increasing brands' awareness and negotiating lucrative sponsorships in 18 countries, from the United States to China, including most Central American, South American and Mediterranean countries. As a serial entrepreneur, he also has founded six companies on four continents, including New York-based Maffia Musica, which has composed and produced original music for award-winning ads and other branded content for such clients as McDonald's, Sony, Playboy TV and Pledge. Other brands he has worked with include Bayer, Gatorade, Ford, Renault, Motorola, P&G, Unilever, ESPN, and Aerolineas Argentinas, Argentina's largest airline.

As a partner at Latin Culture Productions in New York, Andy produces and promotes concerts and tours with Latin American and Spanish artists targeting different U.S. Hispanic audiences, where his work focuses on making sure every show is a success and that sponsors realize increased brand awareness. He also is the founder of Escuela Argentina de Tango in Buenos Aires, which has taught more than half a million students around the world the art of tango since it was founded 10 years ago, a cultural phenomenon covered by media worldwide, including CNN, USA Today, National Geographic, German international broadcaster Deutsche Welle and Italian broadcaster RAI. Working through local embassies in the United States, Andy also has collaborated on media and PR campaigns with tourism and cultural offices for Latin American countries and Spain.

A native of Uruguay who was raised in Argentina, Andy grew up speaking German and Spanish, is also fluent in English, and is conversationally proficient in Italian, which he learned while living and working in Italy for almost two years.

Sean leads R&R Partners' seventh and newest office, in the country's "Mile-High City."

Before joining R&R, he was the founder and president of Phase Line Strategies, a full-service, multidisciplined, Denver-based global consulting firm. Before founding Phase Line, Sean served as the deputy chief of staff to Colorado Governor Bill Owens. He was responsible for the day-to-day operations of the office as well as managing intergovernmental affairs and external relations with various constituencies, including political, minority and business organizations.

In addition to his political experience, Sean has developed and executed successful strategic plans for some of the country's and region's largest companies, including Western Union, Denver's HealthOne, Wal-Mart and Houston-based Noble Energy. He also has been successful in raising and deploying investment capital for small and medium-sized companies.

Over the course of his career, Sean has worked on numerous political campaigns in the U.S. and abroad, including the campaigns of President George W. Bush, Governor Owens, former Colorado Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell and Colorado Congressman Mike Coffman, along with numerous local and state efforts. He was named a national rising star by Campaigns & Elections magazine after he engineered a nationally recognized get-out-the-vote campaign that resulted in the largest gubernatorial vote cast in Colorado history.

Because of his father's Air Force career, Sean was born in Landstuhl, Germany, and grew up in numerous locations around the world. He served in the U.S. Army and attended Reconnaissance, Airborne, Ranger, Desert and Jungle warfare training. In addition, Sean served as a scout for the 24th Infantry Division in Operation Desert Storm, where he earned the Army Commendation Medal for Valor.

Whether trekking 13,000-foot peaks on the Inca trail to reach Machu Picchu or fostering successful client relationships, Janell prides herself on constant collaboration and achieving the elusive "ah-ha" moment. Those qualities helped to fuel her rapid ascent at R&R, from group account director to agency integrator extraordinaire. In her latest role, Janell ensures that existing and prospective clients tap the most effective government/public affairs and marketing solutions to meet their business challenges. As if that's not enough to keep even the most dedicated professional busy, she continues to lead accounts such as RE/MAX, Western Union and American Medical Response.

Janell joined R&R from Caesars Entertainment. Among her responsibilities at the global casino resort company was leading a cross-functional team that restructured the buying, planning, procurement and distribution of the company's promotional products – generating significant savings while maintaining high-quality standards. She also launched an innovative off-property incentive program to complement the organization's Total Rewards loyalty program.

Before joining Caesars, Janell oversaw West Coast operations on the U.S. Army account for McCann Erickson New York. Earlier in her career, she also worked on such international brands as Miller Brewing, Hewlett-Packard and Kodak.

When not busy in the marketing business, Janell is a consummate explorer, traveler and learner – especially seeking out all things artistic, historical and cultural.

As a passionate, results-driven marketing professional, Regina is motivated by the need to provide clients with dynamic, creative communications solutions that change the conversation, shift behavior and lead to a paradigm shift in thinking.

With more than 20 years of experience in marketing, advertising and communications, Regina possesses deep expertise in the utility industry and energy efficiency. She has held senior management positions for a large Southern California utility and for several prominent home builders, real estate developers, and marketing and advertising firms. In addition, she was owner of a successful advertising and marketing agency specializing in home building and real estate development in Florida and on the East Coast.

Regina has been responsible for developing and implementing multimillion-dollar marketing and advertising programs, from planning and budgeting through implementation. Her broad background includes planning, implementing and developing team-envisioning sessions, analyzing market research, forecasting trends, researching product design and assessing product segmentation.

Regina is passionate about making a difference and volunteers for the American Cancer Society, S.A.F.E., Temecula (Calif.) Valley Slow Food, and the Temecula Unified School District.

Don helms Sherpa Pictures, R&R Partners broadcast production department. Sherpa produces all of the agency's film and video, in addition to creating stunning work with a unique point of view for other national and international clients.

Don also leads an in-house audio/video facility within Sherpa's headquarters, which includes a digital audio suite and two Final Cut Pro nonlinear digital editing suites.

Before his leadership of Sherpa Pictures, Don managed the production staff on all radio, television and video projects for R&R. During his more than 27-year career at R&R, he worked with such top directors as Errol Morris, Zack Snyder, Bryan Buckley, Jim Jenkins and many top-end production companies. His work has made headlines in Adweek, Brandweek, Shoot and The Wall Street Journal.

Smart media planning is defined by stellar research abilities, in-depth client knowledge and a talent for spotting great opportunities to achieve a client's goals. These are the skills that Pamela brings to the Media and Digital Activation team at R&R Partners.

She leads a team that, on any given day, evaluates, develops and optimizes campaigns for all 16 MGM Resorts International properties and the agency's accounts serviced by our Salt Lake City office. She joined R&R Partners in 2007 as a media planner/buyer before being named media supervisor and being promoted to her current position in 2012.

Before joining R&R Partners, Pamela served as senior media planner for Consolidated Media LLC, the in-house agency for Consolidated Resorts. In this role, she handled all advertising for the firm's timeshare properties in Las Vegas and Orlando. Previously, Pamela sharpened her skills at Carat: NY, one of the top media houses in the industry.

Allyson serves as the main gatekeeper who directs the flow of work into and out of the buzzing R&R Partners creative and production departments. Her in-depth knowledge of both creative and production – and her understanding of the budgetary bottom line – is rare in the industry. She has been invaluable in setting up efficient systems that keep everything moving out the door and on schedule.

Allyson also specializes in systems management, production oversight and creative problem-solving, skills that led to her most recent promotion to corporate director. She also has considerable special events experience, having played a critical role in such grand opening galas as the MGM Grand and the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino.

Before joining R&R, Allyson honed her skills as traffic and production manager for Las Vegas-based agencies DRGM, where she handled the MGM Grand and conversion of Valley Bank to Bank of America accounts; and for Thomas Puckett, where she oversaw AT&T, the Monte Carlo, Summerlin and Howard Hughes.

In addition to directing digital services for the entire agency, Brendan serves as the project lead for R&R Partners' Boeing account. His responsibilities include strategic thinking, with an intense focus on improving process and organization. He also specializes in expertly managing multiple resources and projects simultaneously.

Brendan's high-profile work for Boeing includes leading the 787 effort, from "First Flight" to "First Delivery." Other recent Boeing projects with which he has been intimately involved include the "Design Your Own Dreamliner" application and the 787 "Dream Tour."

Brendan joined R&R from boutique agency Sarkissian Mason, where he also worked on the Boeing account, along with other blue-chip clients including Mazda, IMAX and Zappos.

Joe co-stewards the $230 million LVCVA account. In this role, he works across all departments – research, creative and public relations, digital marketing, media and broadcast production – to support his talented team in its mission to fill 150,000 Las Vegas hotel rooms 365 days a year.

Joe's accomplishments at R&R include developing and launching the "branded weekend" platform, in which the agency works closely with resort partners to leverage popular events as a tool to drive incremental visitation, along with continuing the wildly successful "What happens here, stays here" campaign. He also managed creation of popular consumer campaigns such as "Know the Code," Prince Harry and "Take Back Your Summer."

Joe came to R&R from the Tampa office of Atlanta-based 22squared, where he worked for more than a decade. His high-profile clients have included Marriott International, Denny's, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Sports Authority and Baskin-Robbins. While under Joe's leadership, Baskin-Robbins experienced exponential social media growth, from 465,000 to 1.2 million Facebook followers in less than seven months. During his tenure, the brand also reversed six years of sales declines and reclaimed its position as an international icon.

Greg's 22-year career in advertising has included time at some of the industry's top multinational agencies, creating successful and measurable integrated campaigns for an all-star client list. At R&R, he oversees all aspects of the largest account in the agency's Los Angeles office: global computer hard drive, networking and home entertainment products designer and manufacturer Western Digital.

In addition to WD, Greg's career has focused on providing world-class service to a number of consumer electronics and technology companies, including T-Mobile, Xerox, Hitachi Electronics, Canon, BlackBerry manufacturer Research In Motion (RIM) and Pioneer Electronics. His portfolio also includes work with global hotel and hospitality brands such as Hilton and Westin. Whether it's overseeing creation of product data sheets or managing multi-million dollar global advertising campaigns, Greg's focused on whatever it takes to drive results and boost ROI.

Before joining R&R in early 2011, Greg earned his advertising chops with such global agencies as Lord Dentsu & Partners, Bozell Worldwide and Foote Cone & Belding, serving in roles ranging from media planner to vice president.

Steve's extensive experience in social cause marketing, strategic communications, media relations and event planning makes him the agency's go-to expert for advocacy campaigns aimed at changing public perception. With his March 2012 promotion to his current role, Steve has expanded beyond R&R's Salt Lake City office to also offer PR and community partnership expertise to other accounts throughout the agency.

During his time at R&R, Steve has spearheaded and consulted on Utah's underage drinking prevention campaign, ParentsEmpowered.org; Mothers Against Drunk Driving's (M.A.D.D.) teen alcohol prevention effort; Utah Governor's Water Conservation Campaign, SlowTheFlow.org; and the statewide prescription drug awareness campaign, UseOnlyAsDirected.org. He also oversaw PR for former Utah First Lady Mary Kaye Huntsman's Power In You/Punt the Keys campaign. His work has garnered national recognition from both M.A.D.D. and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Before joining R&R, Steve served as an advertising manager for 180 Design, where he worked on the accounts of Utah personal injury attorneys Siegfried and Jensen, global nutritional company Sibu International and Brigham Young University. Earlier in his career, he worked for McCann Erickson's global office in New York, on the accounts of Black & Decker and computer networking/IT/telecommunications company Avaya Communications.

Shawn is a true Renaissance man: when he's not exercising his technical and managerial muscles, you will find him painting, illustrating or writing. He has logged close to 15 years of experience in Interaction Design, User Experience Design, Information Architecture, Visual Interface Design, and management and direction of design teams. He also draws on expertise in wireframing, prototyping, usability testing and analyzing website usage and user Stories.

Shawn was recently promoted to his new position after about a year-and-a-half as R&R's digital studio manager, in which he managed and grew that team to offer both internal and external consultation on digital production, digital design, web and interactive best practices, and user experience.

He earlier operated his own fine arts and illustration agency and also maintains his e-commerce and promotional design business, Artful Intelligence, LLC. He previously worked as a senior user experience designer and designer for firms in Atlanta and Oregon.

In his "free time," you'll find Shawn teaching web design as an adjunct instructor at The Art Institute of Las Vegas – or leading one of R&R's always irreverently entertaining "Group Therapy" all-employee meetings as part of his role on the R&R employee Council.

Digital continues to be a vibrant and growing discipline in R&R's considerable portfolio of integrated marketing tools, and Lauren makes sure that digital projects are completed on budget, on time and to ours and our clients' exacting standards. She has worked on some of the agency's biggest accounts, including the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, Boeing and Western Union.

In addition to her project management skills, Lauren has experience with SEO/SEM, display advertising, ad serving, social media, HTML, Adobe Creative Suite and Flash and PHP. Since joining the agency in January 2011, her dedication and top-flight skills have landed her two promotions.

Lauren came to R&R from the Hard Rock Hotel, where she worked as internet marketing manager and oversaw all online initiatives, including websites, search, email, display, social and other online avenues, along with agency selection and contract negotiations. Before joining HRH, she worked as the online campaign manager, junior web designer and production artist for Las Vegas advertising agency SK+G.

Kweku – who takes it easy on the phonetically challenged among us by also answering to his college soccer team nickname of "Q" – joined R&R after consulting with the agency on projects in Ghana and Indonesia.

The son of a U.N. diplomat, Kweku was born in Ghana, but grew up in Paris and Washington, D.C. He flirted with a professional soccer career, but ultimately opted to instead concentrate on college, earning undergraduate and graduate degrees in international relations, and diplomacy and international commerce, respectively.

Kweku, who is fluent in English, Spanish and French, has extensive experience in government affairs and political campaigns. He most recently served in the office of Colorado Speaker Frank McNulty, where he was responsible for the House Majority Leader's office's day-to-day operations and for managing external relations with various constituencies. He earlier worked on several political campaigns including campaigns of Colorado Governor Bill Owens and Colorado U.S. Senate challenger Ken Buck. He also worked at The Heritage Foundation, a highly regarded conservative think tank headquartered in Washington, D.C.

Although he's often traveling to international destinations and is expected to play a critical role in the agency's planned expansion in the Pacific Rim, Kweku is based in R&R's Denver office and reports to its managing director, Sean Tonner.

With more than 35 years of experience in consulting, David has advised Fortune 500 companies, directed media, public relations and governmental relations in markets across America, and participated in political campaigns ranging from city council to presidential. He joined R&R Partners as part of the agency's acquisition of Austin, Texas-headquartered Weeks & Co.

Weeks & Co.'s political clients have included Texas Gov. Rick Perry, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison; Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval, Nevada U.S. Sen. Dean Heller, the National Republican Senatorial Committee; and the Republican Governor's Association. Among its corporate clients, the agency has counted Chickasaw Nation, GTECH, Sanderson Farms, Brazos River Authority, Direct Energy; Americans for Fair Taxation, Twenty8 Entertainment and Circuit of Americas US Grand Prix.

A former gubernatorial press aide and speech writer, David participates on the Advisory Committee to the Texas Legislative Conference and is a member of the American Association of Political Consultants, in which he is often a winner in the organization's annual Pollie Awards, the most prestigious in the political campaign and public affairs profession. He also served on the Texas Quarter Dollar Coin Advisory Committee as an appointee of then-Governor George W. Bush, contributing to the design and creation of the 542 million Texas state quarters put in circulation by the program, the most popular commemorative coin program in U.S. history.

A frequent guest lecturer on politics and political campaigns at his alma mater, The University of Texas at Austin, David in 2008 was named Alumnus of the Year of the university's college of communication. In 2000, he endowed a presidential scholarship in communication at the school and has served on a number of university boards.

Suzanne has been working in media and public relations since 1992. She joined R&R Partners as part of the agency's acquisition of Austin, Texas–headquartered Weeks & Co., which was among the most experienced corporate and political communications firms in the country.

Suzanne began her professional career as a business development director with the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce, working to lure high-profile companies and events to the Austin area, with a focus primarily on the sports and entertainment sectors. She subsequently served in PR and investor relations for energy storage company Electrosource Inc., before founding her own PR firm that worked with clients including Motorola and the Round Rock Express. She began consulting with Weeks & Co. in 1998 and joined the firm as an associate before being named a partner in 2002.

A fourth-generation University of Texas graduate, Suzanne serves in leadership positions with the Junior League of Austin; the Young Women's Alliance of Austin; the Elizabeth Ann Seton Board, serving the Seton Community Health Centers; and the Texas Exes' Young Alumni Task Force and Public Affairs Committee.

A member of the American Association of Political Consultants, Suzanne has worked on national and statewide political campaigns recognized for media excellence in the organization's annual Pollie Awards, the most prestigious in the political campaign and public affairs profession.