Leadership Team
Joe Kubic, CEO
Joe is the CEO and co-founder of The Adcom Group of Companies, which is one of the largest marketing service organizations in Cleveland and the parent company of Adcom Communications, Optiem and Uppercut Motion + Sound. Joe has extensive experience in organizational planning, branding, broadcast production, social influence, traditional and online marketing. His client work includes strategic involvement with prominent organizations, such as Cleveland Clinic, the Cleveland Browns, The Kauffman Foundation, YMCA of the USA, Sherwin-Williams and STERIS. His professional recognitions include being named an Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year finalist, and receiving the SME Marketer of the Year Award and Kent State University Alumni of the Year Award. Joe joined the board of the American Red Cross Greater Cleveland Chapter in 2006, where he has been deeply involved in the Hero Awards and also co-founded the Red Cross Cup. Joe joined the board of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Cleveland, where he developed the Darnell Jackson Mentoring Challenge in 2010.
A native Clevelander who loves to show off his hometown, Joe joined the board of Positively Cleveland in 2011. Joe graduated in the 2006-2007 class of Leadership Cleveland. Joe holds his BA from Kent State University and MBA from Case Western Reserve University Weatherhead School of Management with a dual concentration in marketing and organizational behavior. Joe lives with his wife and three children in Cleveland Heights, where he coaches basketball, football and baseball.
Ray Murphy, Partner
Ray spent 20 years in the consumer products business helping build family-owned Murphy’s Oil Soap into the third-ranked household cleaner on the American market. After the brand was sold to Colgate, he continued as an owner-director of two other family companies, JTM Products (industrial lubricants), and ChemMasters (concrete coatings), until 2009. Since 2003, Ray has been minority owner and Vice President of the Lake County Captains (Class A affiliate of Cleveland Indians), and in 2007, joined as a partner in The Adcom Group. He is a trustee of the Murphy Family Foundation and the Althans Foundation, past chair of the boards of the Salvation Army and Boys Hope Girls Hope of Northeast Ohio, and current vice-chair of the board of the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland.
Tim Seiple, Chief Operating Officer
Seiple joined Adcom Communications as a partner in 1999. Previously Executive Vice President, Account Services at Haselow Marketing Communications, Seiple has directed the marketing efforts for a variety of client types from agriculture to greeting cards. He says one of the greatest challenges in his area of work is dealing with changes in client ownership or management. During his tenure servicing ISK Biosciences, his client went through six ownership changes in ten years. The fact that Seiple’s services were retained throughout all of the corporate turnovers is a testament to the kind of respect he earns. Another client of Seiple’s, Grinnell Fire Protection, was acquired three times while retaining his services. Seiple today directs the overall business operations and Account Services department at Adcom.
Mark Nuss, Chief Creative Officer & Co-Founder
Nuss co-founded Adcom Communications along with Joe Kubic in 1990. Previously, Nuss had worked as a graphic designer for IMG, the sports marketing firm that represents renowned athletes such as Tiger Woods and Arnold Palmer. There he art directed event promotions for international brands including Wimbledon, the Orange Bowl and Disney’s Stars On Ice. Nuss has built The Adcom Group's creative department into an award winning group, taking top honors in showcases, including the Addys, the Tellys, Healthcare Marketing Awards, Bank Marketing Awards, and the BMA Tower Awards. Nuss himself has produced successful designs for some of the world’s most discerning brands, including Disney and Coca-Cola Company.
Mike Derrick, Executive Vice President & Creative Director
Derrick’s career highlights include directing James Earl Jones, Bart Simpson and Scotty from Star Trek. He also takes pride in having named the Cleveland Indian’s mascot, “Slider.” Today, Derrick directs the creative strategy and copy for Adcom. His extensive broadcast experience has led to two Best of Show Addys in the categories of television and campaign development. Following his 11 years as copywriter at several retail/broadcast advertising agencies, Derrick was named creative director at Mills Hall Walborn Advertising, where he worked with brands such as Suzuki, Westinghouse, East Ohio Gas, Geauga Lake Theme Park and HoneyBaked Ham Co.
Judy Barabas, Vice President, Creative Services
Starting with a degree in ceramics from Allegheny College, it was an innate interest in advertising that drove this creative mind to work her way up from freelance production artist to creative director in little more than a decade. With award-winning campaigns for such diverse clients as Sherwin-Williams, Diebold, Modern International Graphics and GE Lighting in her portfolio, Judy came to Adcom in 2005 after 15 years as VP Creative at Stein & Company. At Adcom, she has reshaped the look of First National Bank of Pennsylvania’s brand and has recently stepped into the lead design role for Cleveland Clinic. After many years working in the B-to-B realm, Judy has enjoyed applying her design skills and marketing savvy to many of Adcom’s non-profit clients, including Invest in Children, the YMCA, American Red Cross of Greater Cleveland, Healthy Start and Recovery Resources.
Loren Chylla, Vice President, Media Services
Loren has nearly 20 years of marketing communications and media experience with proven success in brand building, consumer awareness campaigns, and online media strategy. Today, Loren is integral to providing tactical direction and crafting creative media solutions for clients in the healthcare, financial, non-profit and entertainment industries including Cleveland Clinic, KeyBank, First National Bank of Pennsylvania, Cleveland PlayHouse, American Red Cross of Greater Cleveland, The Lake County Captains, and many more. His deep knowledge of the local media landscape combined with extensive online marketing expertise allows him to integrate traditional media solutions with the latest digital tools available. He is a 2003 recipient of the SME Cleveland Distinguished Marketing and Sales Award and a member of the Cleveland Bridge Builders Class of 2005.