Jerry Howard

Jerry has more than 30 years of experience as a marketing practitioner, business leader, and strategist to Fortune 500 corporations and leading organizations, in the US and internationally. 

 

As Principal and co-founder of Strategy First, Jerry has led client engagements with market leading companies in technology, financial services, higher education, industrial markets, and consumer goods.

 

At Coca-Cola, Jerry was World-wide Director for Brand Coca-Cola. He and his team created the brand positioning, global communications, marketing plan best practices and emerging market strategies. During his tenure the world's most valuable brand delivered record revenue and earnings each year.

 

Previously, Jerry operated consumer products businesses for Procter & Gamble in the USA, Australia, and Japan, combining his operational expertise with strategic leadership roles in Asia-Pacific. While in Japan Jerry led P&G's Beauty Care business, which included several of the company's most profitable brands. 

  

Jerry holds Master of Business Administration and Bachelor of Science in Engineering degrees from Cornell University.  

 


Jim Phillips

Jim has built brands and businesses during the past 30+ years, in over 50 countries, in a range of marketing-related disciplines, including Strategic Marketing, Brand Management, Business Development, Sponsorship Marketing, Innovation / New Products and Sales Management.

 

Jim is currently Principal at Strategy First Partners, the brand and marketing strategy firm he co-founded in 1999.

 

Previously, Jim held a range of roles within Global Strategic Marketing at the Coca-Cola Company. He developed strategies and plan to address some of the biggest global issues and opportunities facing the Company. Jim also directed the Marketing Assets function, leveraging the Company's investments in global sponsorships, including The Olympic Games and World Cup Soccer.

 

Jim also led global marketing for a portfolio of brands including Powerade Sports drink and Nestea. Jim's team launched Powerade globally, which proved to be one of the most successful new products introduced by Coca-Cola in the past 20 years.

 

Prior to Coca-Cola, Jim held a variety of Brand Management roles at Procter & Gamble, including going businesses, new products, and global business development. 

 

Jim began his career as an Account Executive with Motorola, selling and supporting wireless voice and data systems in the Emergency, Law Enforcement, Healthcare and Education Sectors.

 

Jim holds a Master of Business Administration degree from The University of Kentucky and a Bachelor of Science degree in Management and Marketing from Northern Kentucky University.