Cyrk's New Chapter Cyrk-Simon Worldwide in a sense closed the book on the first volume of what it hopes will be a long-running business saga with the departure at year's end of founder Greg Shlopak.

Shlopak's move to an investment banking concern after 25 years at the Gloucester, MA-based agency was punctuated last month by the departure of Laurel Rossi, who ends five years as director of marketing and president of the Integrated Marketing Solutions division.

"This was the final chapter of our reorganization," says Patrick Brady, new ceo and president of Cyrk-Simon, which was named promo Agency of the Year last June.

Brady was referring to the firm's year-long effort to recover from the loss of the Pepsi stuff account and build revenues through new programs such as the Beanie Babies Club.

"When I joined Cyrk in 1989 it was a $15 million company. We put together quite a wonderful run with the help of a lot of people," said Brady. "It was always the intention that Greg would move on. Greg knew after 10 years I could drive the bus myself." Allan Brown serves as ceo of Cyrk's Simon Marketing division.

Brady said that Shlopak's departure provides management clarity. "We concluded at the end of the year it was best to start 1999 with a new ceo. This is succession planning a lot of companies don't go through," says Brady.

Shlopak joins Cyrk board member Louis Marx in an investment company based in New York City. He remains on the agency's board and still holds Cyrk stock, says Brady.

Boasting an investment banking background that included a stint at Bank of Boston, Brady joined Cyrk in 1989 in a strategic role that evolved into an operational one, he says. He owned about one-half of the company before it went public, and is still the largest shareholder.

Cyrk is known for big premium and corporate identity programs. The Century City, CA-based Simon Marketing unit handles McDonald's Happy Meals, and Cyrk focuses on continuity programs such as Marlboro Miles for Philip Morris and the Beany Babies Club for Ty, Inc. It also continues to grow its corporate ID business, run by its CPG Group. "We are adding major names to that side of the business monthly," says Brady.

Brady characterizes Rossi's move to Hill Holliday Direct as a decision to expand into a new area of marketing. Building on Cyrk's experience with the Marlboro continuity program, Rossi was key in developing the loyalty marketing practice that won the Pepsi business in 1995 and led to Pepsi Stuff.

As executive vp and director of client services at Hill Holliday, she will be responsible for the agency's growing marketing presence in New York City and for establishing a strategic promotion and marketing practice at parent Hill Holliday Connors Cosmopulos, Inc., Boston.

"Laurel made a decision about what part of the marketing puzzle she wanted to concentrate on. I expect she will be working with us when Hill Holliday clients require our special expertise," says Brady. N

New President for Einson Freeman Carl Nichols will assume day-to-day management as the new president of Einson Freeman, freeing Jeff McElnea to focus on building the Einson brand and developing new business. McElnea, who was president, retains the titles of chairman and ceo.

Einson, part of WPP Group plc, is "taking stock of where we are" as part of a strategic planning process, says Nichols, 43. Before joining the company, Nichols was managing partner of FCA, a London-based integrated communications agency. "I've grown companies from the ground up and helped integrate a broad range of communications," he says.

McElnea cited Nichols's "wealth of integrated communications expertise. He's a global thinker, and a successful manager of a multiple-office network."

Einson maintains offices in Los Angeles, Chicago, and Mexico City in addition to its Paramus, NJ, headquarters.

"Working closely with our senior partner group, we expect Carl's leadership to help enormously in achieving our quantum growth objectives," McElnea added.

Before his FCA stint, Nichols worked at DMB&B, where he progressed from account supervisor to regional president, managing growth at eight European offices. His background includes stops at Ted Bates Advertising and Grey Advertising. n

Vitale Forces Industry consolidator Aspen Marketing named Neal Vitale its new president and ceo. The 45-year-old publishing company veteran succeeds Neil Cannon, 42, who remains chairman.

Aspen is shooting to become a $1 billion dollar company and should hit the quarter-billion mark this year through organic growth and new purchases, says Cannon.

"We bought four businesses last year and we expect to buy at least four this year," he says. "Our strategy is to continue to acquire the best businesses in the promotion industry."

Vitale took the posts at the Evergreen, CO, promo agency and premium supplier February 15.

"I am delighted to be joining Aspen at this exciting point in its development," said Vitale. "The core businesses - promotional product distribution, direct marketing, and promotion management - form a great platform on which to build a broad-based, multi-discipline marketing services company. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to take what Neil and his team have built, and move it to the next level of achievement."

Vitale most recently was president and chief operating officer of the Petersen Companies, Inc., a magazine publisher and integrated marketing services provider. He was part of a team that acquired Petersen from its founder in late 1996 for $465 million. Petersen went public in fall 1997, but in January 1999 was bought by UK-based publisher EMAP plc.

"Our intent was to recruit an extraordinary executive. We wanted a corporate leader whose management skills, operations skills, and financial acumen would take Aspen to the next level," says Cannon. "Vitale represents a key addition to the Aspen team and our industry."

Aspen earned the 18th position in the promo 100 ranking of agencies last year.

Diamond Deja Vu Andrew Cohen, a former principal with the Diamond Promotion Group (now a division of Lowe and Partners SMS) has formed a new promotion marketing agency called the A-Team.

The agency will reside at 53 West 23rd Street in New York City and aim for a wide range of clients in industries including food, beverages, and automotive. Diamond vets on both the account and creative sides will join the A-Team. "It will be the same people, with the same talent, in a new agency," says Cohen.

Cohen cannot recruit current Diamond employees per an agreement he signed when he left the agency in March 1998.

"This is not a start-up, but a reunion. Many former colleagues that worked as a unit are coming back together. We've built brands and won awards, and we think we can do it even better as the A-Team."

A full-service creative shop, Diamond ranks 76th in the promo 100, reporting $2.5 million in 1997 net revenue.

Cohen says he expects to be announcing the signing of clients who "have worked with us in the past and are interested in working with us again." N

Big Shoulders to Fill Rodney Mason, most recently senior vp-creative services at Simon Marketing's Chicago office, has been named vp-general manager for The Zipatoni Co.'s new Windy City unit. Mason was with Simon, a division of Cyrk-Simon Worldwide, for eight months. Before that he spent seven years at The Marketing Continuum in Dallas.

Mason's first charge will be the recruitment of senior creative and account management executives for an office that will focus on new business for the St. Louis-based Zipatoni.

"Chicago is more of a magnet for creative talent," says Mason. As an outstanding retail environment, the city provides opportunity for growing Zipatoni's retail store design business. The agency operates sales promotion and product development niches as well.

"Rodney brings a potent mixture of creative aptitude and account service expertise," says Zipatoni president Jim Holbrook, who projects the new office will have 20 staffers by year's end.

In St. Louis, the agency has started Zipatoni Digital, hiring Schwa Design principals for electronic content work.

Question: How serious is the scandal surrounding the Olympics and will it tarnish the games as a brand or property?

I don't think it will tarnish the Olympic brand whatsoever. It will not interfere with the competition, which is what everyone is interested in.

Chuck Nardizzi, ceo, Ben Marketing Group, Stamford, CT.

The scandal will have little or no effect on the Olympic property. When consumers purchase a product or service from a company that is a sponsor of the Olympics, they think they are supporting the athletes and the cause, not the Olympic committee.

Randle Grossman, president, GWP, Inc., Bridgewater, NJ.

The current scandal undermines the Olympic brand and diminishes the worth of sponsorships. Unless there is a total cleansing of the corruption starting with Mr. Samaranch, the Olympic movement is in trouble. However, the current scandal has enlightened us Atlantans as to why Mr. Samaranch refused to say the 1996 Games were the best ever - we obviously didn't give him enough gifts.

Daniel Dodson, Jr., president, Mastermind Marketing, Atlanta.