Leadership Team
Joe Kubic, CEO
As Adcom’s co-founder, Joe Kubic ages into his forties. People now ask what was this 25-year-old thinking by starting his own ad agency back in 1989? The answer is, he was thinking about a lot of things; like growing his company to $20 million in annual billings. Like having his company named in INC Magazine’s 500 fastest growing businesses in the nation. Like becoming a leading marketing strategist, trusted by companies the like of, Keycorp, Coca-Cola and Cleveland Clinic.
No doubt, Joe had his sights set high at a young age — for he has achieved all this and more, including winning the Kent State Student Leadership Award, being named an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year finalist and being named a Kent State University Young Alumni of the Year. Ten years ago, Joe launched Optiem – an e-marketing company specializing in e-mail marketing, search engine marketing, and web site design. In 2010, Joe opened Uppercut, a full service in-house video and motion graphics studio.
Among his many accomplishments, Kubic earned his undergrad from Kent State University with a major in marketing and served as a Member of Kent State’s College of Business Advisory Council. He then went on to earn his MBA from the Case Weatherhead School of Management, with a duel concentration, marketing and organizational behavior. A smart choice, figuring his Adcom would be growing into quite an organization.
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 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 along with Joe Kubic in 1989. Previously, Nuss had worked as a graphic designer for IMG, the sports marketing firm that represents renowned athletessuch 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 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.
Phil Yaeger, Executive Vice President
Phil is one of those rare individuals who over the course of his career has managed both BtoC and BtoB accounts, directed primary research, prepared public relations campaigns and acted as an interim media director. Yaeger brings over 25 years of experience in strategic planning, brand strategy and positioning and multi-media online and offline campaign management. Phil has directed the marketing activities for clients like McDonald’s Restaurants, Weyerhaeuser, Coca-Cola and Honda. Currently he works with First National Bank of Pennsylvania, Burr Ridge Hotels (Chicago), and a variety of non-profit clients including the Hunger Network of Greater Cleveland, Recovery Resources and The Cleveland Play House. Phil is a past recipient of the Advertising Federation of North Carolina’s Silver Medal Award and the SME Distinguished Sales and Marketing Award.