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Home  Agenda   Loyalty360 Awards Finalist Presentations: Technology and Trends

Agenda & Speakers

Loyalty360 Awards Finalist Presentations: Technology and Trends

Thursday, June 6, 2024 - 9:50 AM - 10:50 AM
The finalists competing in the 2024 Loyalty360 Awards will share details of their programs and strategies in fast-paced presentations. These presentations give attendees a chance to hear first-hand from the brands that are delivering experiences that set them apart from the competition in creating loyal customers. 

As a part of the award process, all registered conference attendees are eligible to vote for platinum, gold, silver, bronze and honorable mention (if applicable) for each category. Winners will be announced during the Loyalty360 Awards ceremony. 

Category Description - Technology and Trends
Successful customer loyalty and engagement strategies rely on technology to better understand, connect with, and serve customers. This category recognizes brands and their supplier partners that have leveraged technologies and techniques (ex: CDP, machine learning, artificial intelligence, augmented reality, gamification) to develop a fresh approach to their loyalty strategy. Finalists in this category will have demonstrated exceptional innovation, leadership, and strategic vision in the implementation of technology-driven solutions to enhance customer loyalty.

Speakers

Carrie Cohen, Marketing Loyalty & Analytics Manager, Cinergy

Carrie Cohen has seven years of marketing experience, four of those with Cinergy Entertainment. Carrie’s responsibilities include leading loyalty marketing initiatives to optimize acquisition, retention, personalization, and promotional strategies. Carrie is also responsible for analyzing campaign performance, and growth of the loyalty program. Carrie is an MBA graduate of Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi.

Joe Mays, Director – Loyalty & CX Technology, Frontier Communications

Joe has spent the last 30 years dedicated to transforming the customer experience. He focuses on delivering this experience through exploration, fact-finding and the use of  technology to improve relationships and keep promises…with the ultimate goal of  happier, more loyal & engaged customers.

With Frontier, he leads multiple work streams responsible for growing the customer base and revenue, driving profitability higher, implementing cutting edge tools and technology and building Frontier and its culture into a competitive advantage that serves millions of streamers, gamers and communicators across the U.S.

Joe was formerly with Verizon’s Strategic Evolution team, responsible for helping implement $500M in process improvement ideas across the organization by converting those ideas into realistic and executable plans. Of the many tools, he primarily focuses on the customer journey to lead the viability of any program implementation. Remember Prepaid Phone Cards? Back in the day, Joe managed a $300M Retail, Wholesale & Promotional Card program, helping people connect worldwide.

He is certified in Customer Relationship Management Software through PegaSystems, Program & Project Management, as well as Agile Leadership & Six Sigma. Joe enjoys a wide variety of athletic pursuits, AFTER management of his ongoing ‘honey-do’ list.

Kirsten Starmer, Director of Marketing, Pieology

Kirsten Starmer is the Director of Marketing at Pieology Pizzeria, a fast-casual franchise pizzeria chain based out of Irvine, CA. She brings a data-driven approach to drive product innovation aligned with consumer insights and industry trends. She oversees all National Marketing Campaigns, Communications, Digital Strategy, and Loyalty Platform growth and innovation for the Brand.
 

Mirna Oropeza, Director Marketing/CX, Miniso Mexico

 

Per Jensen, Director - Loyalty, Stop & Shop

Per is the Loyalty Lead at Stop&Shop. Here he has transformed the impact and role of Loyalty through a customer centric approach. He built Catalina Marketing from the ground up in Germany and has extensive experience with in the Retail/CPG space. He has held high level roles across the spectrum covering business strategy, finance, operations, advanced analytics, consumer insights and new technologies to drive sales.
 
He is married and has three children. When the opportunity presents itself, he won’t shy away from bigger challenges: He climbed to the point on earth closest to the sun (Mount Chimborazo in Ecuador) and on weekends you may find him on his race bike doing rides between 100km to 300km.
 

Steve Bocska, CEO, PUG Interactive Inc.

Steve Bocska is a seasoned expert in gamification, loyalty, and engagement, with a robust background that spans over two decades in the interactive entertainment industry. As the CEO of PUG Interactive, Steve has leveraged his extensive experience to create innovative solutions that drive user engagement and loyalty. His work focuses on designing and implementing gamified systems that enhance customer experiences and foster long-term commitment.

Before founding PUG Interactive, Steve led major projects for industry giants such as Disney, Electronic Arts, Vivendi, Sega, and Ubisoft. His strategic insights and creative vision have consistently delivered high-impact results, making him a sought-after consultant and speaker in the fields of gamification and customer engagement.

Steve holds a BA and MA from the University of Windsor and an MBA from the University of Victoria. His academic background, combined with his hands-on experience, equips him with a unique perspective on how to blend theoretical principles with practical applications to create compelling and effective engagement strategies.
 

Walter Rodriguez, Vice President – Marketing and Operations, Frontier Communications

In his current role at Frontier Communications, Walter is charged with developing the strategic intent and business strategy for Frontier’s Consumer Organization. In addition to leading the Portfolio Management Office (PMO) and the Voice of the Customer team, he also leads the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) team, charged with driving customer loyalty and expanding Customer Lifetime Value.

Prior to joining Frontier Communications, Walter led the Integrated Marketing and PMO  for Audible, an Amazon company, where he also served as Chief of Staff for the Chief Marketing Officer. Prior to joining Amazon, he played a significant role as the Chief Operating Officer for Verizon’s in-house CX and Design Team which he helped build via acquisition and organic growth. Walter was integral in growing the team to over 250 designers located in NYC, New Jersey, Arkansas and India. Walter also played a key role in the formation of Verizon Enterprise Solutions where he was the Director of Business Operations and was responsible for organizational alignment, marketing effectiveness, resource planning, knowledge and preparedness of the Marketing organization.

Walter received his MBA from Centenary University in Parsippany New Jersey and has a minor in economics from Rutgers University in Newark New Jersey.  He is a member of Prospanica (FKA, National Society of Hispanic MBA), where he served on the board as the Executive Vice President and currently serves on the Board of Directors for HISPA (Hispanics Inspiring Student Performance and Achievement) where he chairs the strategy committee.