Interview

Q: What was your first job?

Lifeguard.

Q: What was your most interesting job?

Counselor at a co-ed overnight camp.

Q: How did you get into Direct Marketing?

I was hired by Al Eicoff, who had a small Direct Response Television agency.

Q: Who are your major influences?

Al Eicoff and David Ogilvy.

Q: Of all the projects you have worked on, which one(s) stand out?

Re-engineering the DMA.

Q: What is the most exciting aspect of the DM field right now?

The velocity of change. What's working this afternoon may not be working tonight.

Q: How do you see direct marketing evolving in the next 10 years?

One could write a book about this, but I think the most exciting aspect is the impact digital will have on the marketing world.

Q: How are you responding to this challenge?

We are involved every day, testing everything that comes along.

Q: Are there any other challenges facing marketers that you would like to discuss?

I think the biggest challenge facing marketers is making sure they are staying relevant and ahead of the curve.

Biography

Born in the small Pennsylvania town of Coraopolis, Ron grew up as an average student and an above average athlete. He attended the University of Arizona and played on their baseball team. After graduating, he worked briefly for the Heinz Company in Pittsburgh selling baby food then moved to Chicago where he landed his first job in advertising. After working for a mid-sized advertising agency and a small entrepreneurial company, Alvin Eicoff hired Ron and he began working as a vice president for A.Eicoff & Co.

Ron flourished at the agency, which specialized in television advertising for immediate, measurable results. By the early '80s, Al named him as President/CEO and he became chairman. Shortly after that, the Eicoff agency was bought by Ogilvy & Mather and Al became chairman emeritus.

As the head of the agency, Ron broadened the client base and helped their growing roster of blue chip clients capitalize on emerging trends, such as the natural synergies between DRTV and cable. They became the country's leading DRTV agency and gained the reputation as being an agency that could both produce results and build brands.

Over the years, Ron received a number of honors for his work in the field, including chairmanship of the DMA board of directors and selection to the DMA Hall of Fame. He is also the author of a book, The C Student's Guide to Success. Ron continues to run A. Eicoff & Co. and stays on the cutting edge of DRTV.