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For the past few years, Athol had been taking a break from high tech and working as a startup and internet sales consultant. Today he is back doing marketing and management consulting in both consumer, services and technology fields. He maintains an active marketing consulting practice, is the President of Brighter Naming (Silicon Valley's full service independent naming agency), and is also the owner and publisher of Foden Press. Before becoming a marketeer and brand meister, Athol was a technical computer person. He holds two degrees in Computer Science, has been a systems analyst, computer salesperson, presales support manager (all at Sperry Univac) as well as product manager (Nanometrics and Calera), and field support manager (Digital Research). Since then, he went on to be a Technical Marketing Manager (Sony Microsystems), Director of Marketing (Maxspeed), and V.P. Sales and Marketing (Ravel Software). During this time, he turned his hobby and fascination (obsession?) into a business and co-founded NameTrade in 1992. NameTrade later merged with Tollner Design Group to create Cintara, a full service integrated marketing and branding agency. Until leaving to start his own consulting practice and consumer market endeavours, Athol was their V.P. Branding and Naming Director. An experienced, popular teacher and public speaker, Athol taught many technical courses before transitioning into marketing. Since then, he has spoken at many conferences and private corporate events on a wide range of subjects, usually tieing technology, marketing, people and planning together. Many of these practical ideas are illustrated in his various books and articles. For the past 12 years he has taught various marketing courses for U.C. Extension in Silicon Valley, and today is the coordinator for their marketing certificate and sales award programs. He introduced their first courses in P.R., Distribution Channels, Product Marketing, Sales,Trade Show Marketing, Internet Marketing and Branding. Having worked in Africa, Europe, and North America, and having also travelled to Japan and Latin America, Athol is now firmly settled in the heart of Silicon Valley in beautiful Northern California. From consumer wholesale and internet businesses, to HR, networking, interactive services and the usual gamut of hardware and software businesses, he prefers to help startups discover their true market potential. Since his knees (and weight) won't let him ski or referee soccer anymore, Athol tries to squeeze in at least 9 holes of golf, 2 games of fat old foggies racquetball, and one game of lawn bowls each week. This helps counteract his love of exploring unique and different, but inexpensive restaurants and international foods. See full Resumé |
