Our Team

"Make it work. Period.  I believe in delivering significant business results for our clients immediately, while enhancing their awareness, image, and reputation.  If our expertise, services, and skills don't move the needle for a client, then we should be fired."

Whether he's trying to break 100 on the golf course, perfecting his grilling technique, or capturing the perfect image on one of his hikes in the mountains, Russell approaches his hobbies with the same passion that he brings to the business. An avid cook, he also grows his own tomatoes on the deck of his Mailbu home.

Russell began his career in account services at DDB/Needham.  He left to start his first agency in 1982.  His clients include Apple, Avaya, Clearwire, DIRECTV, IBM, HP, Intel, SAP, Sprint, and Symantec. A popular speaker at direct marketing events around the country, Russell is an expert at large-volume customer acquisition and B2B demand generation. He is also the author of S.U.R.E.-Fire Direct Response Marketing.

Russell started The Kern Organization in 1991, and spent the next two decades achieving some pretty astonishing results. Today, he does high-level strategic planning for our clients, and acts as mentor, leader, and chief motivational officer for the Kern staff. A tireless worker who believes that there's nothing that can't be improved, Russell has created an agency where doing the impossible is all in a day's work.

"I've always loved seeing the results of new ideas and hard work.  It's so easy to forget everything involved in bringing a new campaign to market.  But the excitement of seeing responses and subsequent sales is something that thrills me on a daily basis.  Brainstorming ideas, bringing solutions that work, and flawlessly executing on behalf of clients never loses its appeal."

When David's at home in Hollywood, he enjoys hiking in Runyon Canyon with his Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, Bindi and Sammi.  When he can get away, he heads for Palm Springs, where he relaxes by the pool, and occasionally, at the wine bar.

Although you wouldn't know it to look at him, David has over eighteen years of direct marketing agency experience.  He's worked with leading B2B, B2C, and B2G clients, including DIRECTV, Microsoft, SAP, Symantec, Iron Mountain, and Clearwire.  A native of Chicago, David received his MBA from George Washington University.

David oversees strategic planning and implementation for all our clients.  He also manages the account service department, works with the other departments to perfect our processes, and plays a major role in our business development.  Whew.  Given that job description, you'd think he'd be too busy to do much else.  But he actually spends most of his time working directly with our clients to create solutions that will move their businesses forward.

"What I love most about this business is that you're constantly learning new things. Especially now.  The landscape is changing on a daily basis and just trying to stay current is a full-time job.  It's a very exciting time to be in marketing because there are so many new ways to interact with people."

Food, travel, and languages are Virginia's off-the-clock preoccupations. If you're looking for the best pisaladiere in Provence, the crispiest pizza in Naples, or the most fattening poutine in Quebec City, she's your girl. She prides herself on being able to ask "Are you sure this is chicken?" in five languages.

Virginia has more than twenty years of experience in direct response, brand, and online marketing.  She began her career as a copywriter at Seattle creative boutique Herring/Newman.  Before joining The Kern Organization in 2004, she was a creative director and writer at Catalyst Direct, Publicis Boise, and FCB Seattle.  Her client list includes HP, Qantas, Royal Caribbean Cruises, US Bank, Citi, Sony, Xerox, DIRECTV, SAP, and Clear.

If you asked Virginia what her job description is, she'd probably say "herding kittens," which is a pretty apt metaphor for running the creative department. In addition to supervising, inspiring, and running interference for the agency's copywriters, art directors, and digital designers, she works with the other department heads to ensure that our creative is spot on – and delivered on time and onbudget.

"If we strive for perfection, we will achieve excellence.  It is incumbent on all of us to deliver the very best to our clients."

After driving his beautiful Porsche Cayman back home, Zeke enjoys spending time with his family, traveling to sunny climes, and cheering on his beloved Bruins.

Zeke has over twenty years of combined experience as a CFO and COO. His proven record in full profit and loss responsibilities, growth strategies, mergers and acquisitions, and executive management has resulted in solid accomplishments for both Fortune 500 and mid-size companies. Zeke has a BA in Economics and Accounting from UCLA and an MBA from Loyola Marymount University.

As Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer, Zeke has more than his share of responsibilities, including overseeing Kern's financial operations and the agency's day-to-day activities. Zeke works with Russell and the Senior Management Team to maintain the clarity and focus required to ensure that our organizational goals are met. His implementation of "Lean Six Sigma" principles has strengthened our internal processes and enabled us to enhance customer service, quality, cost, and delivery times.

"My team and I love to become a seamless extension of our client's marketing team.  Because we're completely invested in the success of their business, everything we do is grounded in optimizing the performance of each program – from creative, database strategy, production efficiencies, tracking, and analytics.   "No" and "can't" just aren't in our vocabulary."

Consumed with never-ending gardening projects, Judy also enjoys watching movie and documentaries with her director husband, and recreational shopping around L.A. or around the world (when possible).

Judy has more than twenty years of experience in direct marketing with special expertise in customer acquisition. Before joining Kern, she ran the customer acquisition programs for Avon, Cartier, and McKesson Waters. A graduate of the University of Illinois, she earned her MBA at the University of San Francisco.

An 11-year veteran of Kern, Judy manages strategic planning, database, implementation, analytics, acquisition and CRM programs for our telecommunications clients. A hands-on account director, she's is deeply involved in her programs from initial strategy to post-campaign results analysis.