Legendary conference immerses marketing pros in the latest in digital marketing
Duluth, MN
April 20, 2023

Joe is the Vice President of Strategic Communications & PR at Aimclear®. He manages reputations and creates profound brand presence and profitable exposure for a wide range of clients. With professional roots in broadcast journalism and strategic communications/PR, Joe brings to Aimclear a holistic storytelling background. From integrated PR to crisis communications, social media strategy/execution, omni-channel advertising and brand management, he has shaped reputations for clients across industries and continents.

Joe’s work has supported leading organizations in financial services, business technology, digital marketing software, HR & enterprise software, global customer relationship management, manufacturing, and labor relations to achieve measurable communications objectives.

Storytelling is in Joe’s DNA. He channels classic business values, rising above the noise in our fast-paced instant-publishing world to craft communication strategies that reflect the compelling value of brands.

His work has netted coverage in national and international print, broadcast and online media including the Wall Street Journal, Inc. Magazine, Bloomberg Television, CNET, BBC Television, and dozens of other forums.

Rob Karwath is the Vice President of Integrated Content and Public Relations at Aimclear®, directing the Communications Practice Group. Before coming to Aimclear®, he was founder, president and CEO of North Coast Communications, a Minnesota-based strategic communications firm with clients nationwide. He also served as a journalism professor and general manager of campus media at the University of Kansas.

Rob began his career as a reporter at the Chicago Tribune and rose through the ranks to become business editor, political editor, Sunday editor, general manager, product development director and innovation editor. As business editor, he led a team of reporters whose series on the downfall of the legendary Arthur Andersen accounting firm was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. In addition, Rob reported and created programming for WGN-TV and WGN-AM, both owned by Tribune Co.

Joe Warner serves as Chief Technology Officer for Aimclear®. With 25 years of deep industry experience and 12+ years at Aimclear®, Joe leads a team of top professionals to orchestrate powerful tech solutions to pressing business challenges.

Specializing in website & app development, eCommerce, web analytics, technical & semantic SEO, systems architecture, database management, and other critical aspects of IT, Joe leads from the forefront of technology. He and his team deploy game-changing technology to support extraordinary websites, powerful eCommerce engines, analytics protocols that provide deep insight, and reporting tools that give brands a competitive edge.

As a senior executive with Aimclear®, Joe also ensures collaboration and integration across marketing disciplines, aligned with client needs. He seamlessly aligns the agency’s expertise across marketing, content, PR, SEO, and project management to bring brands to their next level of business performance.

Joe works at the forefront of the most popular open source platforms and frameworks. His expertise incorporates the IT aspects of supply chain, CRM, conversion optimization, business intelligence, and enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems.

Amanda Farley is a marketer, performance strategist, and business success leader. She is the CMO at Aimclear®, a highly decorated, integrated marketing agency dominant in customer acquisition and winner of 27 US Search Awards including 7X most recent Best Integrated Agency. Aimclear®’s differentiator is the balance of holistic brand-builds, PR, data, and integrated performance marketing. Clients and colleagues describe Amanda as an “Expert in behavioral strategy,” always “Thinking ahead and looking out for blind spots,” has a “Genuine dedication to success of team,” a “Breath of fresh air,” “Student of the industry,” and demonstrates a “Well-rounded expertise.”

Aaron Weiche is the cofounder and CEO of Leadferno, a text messaging platform for businesses to close more leads faster. Aaron is an entrepreneur founding and leading multiple software companies and digital marketing agencies over the past 20 years. 
 
Prior to Leadferno he was CEO of GatherUp growing it to serving over 25,000 businesses and appearing in the INC 5000. Aaron lead GatherUp to an acquisition in 2019. Aaron speaks internationally on digital marketing, customer experience, conversion and messaging.

Brooke currently serves as the Leader of Digital Marketing at Smith Micro Software, with over 10 years of experience. She helps the business grow their digital strategies using tactics from paid search, social media, and programmatic marketing. With her experience and passion in analytics, strategic planning and everything digital, she helps create relevant customer experience strategies at every stage of the user funnel.
 
Brooke has been featured in the Journal of Digital & Social Media Marketing, spoken at several industry conferences and events including SMX, PubCon Pro and MnSearch, contributed to NordicClick’s 2018 US Search Award for “Best Use of Video in a Search Campaign”, shortlisted for her client strategy shortlisted for two 2019 US Search Awards, and most recently won the “Best Use Of Search – B2B” award in 2021 for her client strategy at a previous agency.
 
When not working, you can find her enjoying a round of golf, catching up on the latest episodes of Law & Order SVU or completing never-ending house renovations.

Maria Haun, DBA, CRP, is an award-winning marketing strategist, leadership development coach, and keynote speaker who delivers high-energy presentations that challenge audience perspectives and inspire ideas for personal and professional growth. With a background in corporate marketing, leadership, and education, her “career path has been marked by bringing fresh ideas that challenge traditional marketing. She brings high energy, high intellect, a passion, and drive”. With experience and knowledge that expands several different industries including agriculture, banking, education, construction, entertainment, healthcare, manufacturing, real estate, retail, and travel and tourism, among others, she understands the importance of creating a comprehensive strategy that increases business efficiency and creates customer awareness, brand loyalty, and the ability to win in the marketplace.

As the digital marketing director at the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center (DECC), Jane describes her job simply as, “getting people here so they can have fun” — and she views this as a distinct privilege.

Specializing in digital channels, Jane thrives in the social media universe. Social channels can engage audiences at a very personal level while offering the marketing professional in her a real-time view into what makes people respond or not.

She spends time carefully curating messages, images, and content to connect with people locally in Duluth, as well as those across the region and nationally. Jane leads a team of canny social media associates to continually dial in the DECC brand on their social channels, align marketing strategies, and help the organization reach its broader objectives.

Motoko started online work targeting the Japanese market in the mid 90’s and established AJPR in 1998. Since then, she has been providing SEO and PPC as well as other search marketing services to well known global big brands who are targeting the Japan and Asian market. She is a frequent speaker at search marketing conferences globally, and writes about SEO and digital marketing on industry websites and printed media.

Joe Shelerud is Co-Founder and CEO of Ad Advance, a digital advertising agency specializing in Amazon Sponsored Ads and Display advertising. Joe’s career in business and engineering quickly pivoted into the Amazon space after he started selling on Amazon back in 2014. Together with his team, he’s helped brands all over the globe grow and sell their brands. Joe is also the host of The Ad Project podcast, a show that helps eCommerce brands scale and push their advertising to the next level.

Kevin Mullett is the Director of Visibility and Social Media at MarketSnare, a SAAS solution that helps multi-location brands capture local opportunity via Search, Social, and Business Listings at scale. He has been discovering, testing, utilizing, and sharing trends in digital marketing and tools for developers, clients and popular conference audiences for over 20 years. His passion is photography.

Duane Forrester is a distinguished figure in the search industry, with a 25-year career that spans digital marketing, authorship, and leadership roles at prominent companies such as Microsoft Bing, Bruce Clay Inc. and Yext. His expertise in digital marketing is complemented by a strong understanding of AI and customer experience, making him a well-rounded and sought-after professional in the field.

During his tenure at Microsoft, Duane was instrumental in the development of Bing Webmaster Tools, focusing on the needs of webmasters and digital marketers. His profound knowledge of search engines and user behavior contributed to Bing’s growth and success. Duane also utilizes AI to enhance search results and improve customer experiences, solidifying his reputation as an industry leader.

Beyond his work at Microsoft and Bing, Duane has showcased his prowess as a prolific author in the digital marketing sphere. He has written for most industry publications and his two books, “How to Make Money with Your Blog” and “Turn Clicks into Customers,” have provided invaluable insights and guidance to numerous businesses navigating the competitive online landscape.

Today, as VP, Industry Insights at Yext, continues to share his extensive knowledge of digital marketing, AI, and customer experience, shaping the future of the search industry and empowering businesses to thrive in the digital era.

Marty is an entrepreneur, marketer, photographer, and speaker. He founded Aimclear®, a driven, integrated marketing agency dominant in customer acquisition, winner of 27 US Search Awards including 7X most recent Best Integrated Agency. Aimclear’s differentiator is the balance of integrated performance marketing, holistic brand-builds, PR, and data.

2023 Speaking appearances will include: SMX Paris, SMX Munich, Re:Signal Ecom/SEO, All Social Munich, Pubcon Austin, Engage PDX, Zenith Conference, SEOktoberfest, Barbados SEO, and others.

Entrepreneur Magazine wrote the reason for Marty’s success is a “Unique persona that is instantly recognizable.” He has been described as “not your typical agency type,” a “social media maverick,” “Foodie-review addict” and “more innovator than follower.”

Having helped Aimclear to Inc. 500/5000 status 6X (Fastest growing privately held US Firms), Marty supports Aimclear vision & creative-hands-on. Aimclear is a 4X top 100 workplace by Minnesota Business Magazine. Marty won 5 “Top 25 Most Influential PPC Experts” awards, Top 100 Twin Cities People To Know & claimed the coveted “US Search Personality Of The Year” tiara. He is a perennial judge and presenter at The EU & UK Search Awards.

Marty’s Wiley/Sybex books, “Killer Facebook Ads” and “The Complete Social Media Community Manager’s Guide: Essential Tools and Tactics for Business Success” are critically respected. He was cited & quoted in flagship publications including WSJ, NPR, Inc., Forbes, MediaPost & Adage.

Cindy Krum is the Founder & CEO of MobileMoxie. She has been bringing fresh and creative ideas about SEO & ASO to consulting clients and digital marketing stages around the world since 2005. She regularly speaks at national and international trade events and launched MobileMoxie in 2008 to address mobile-specific marketing needs within the traditional digital marketing specialty. Cindy’s leadership helped MobileMoxie launch the first mobile-focused SEO toolset, to help SEOs see what actual mobile search results & pages look like from anywhere and preview and analyze mobile landing pages from the perspective of a user and a bot; Now, free versions of both the Page-oscope and the SERPerator are also available to all digital marketers as two easy to use Chrome Extensions.

In 2022, Cindy was named one of the top 10 most influential SEOs by USA Today. She is an active member of the digital marketing & growth communities and has been quoted by many respected publications including PC World, Internet Retailer, TechWorld, Direct Magazine, and Search Marketing Standard. Cindy is also the author of Mobile Marketing: Finding Your Customers No Matter Where They Are, published by Que Publishing and also available in German, Italian, Korean, and Chinese.

Tim is an integrated digital marketer, key account lead, speaker, and marketing clinician.

He works at Aimclear®, an integrated marketing agency dominant in customer acquisition. In 2021, Tim was the principal architect behind three US Search Award wins, including “Best Use of Social in a Search Campaign”. His differentiator is a balance of paid social performance marketing, search integration, and creative expertise.

Tim’s client credits include PayPal, Venmo, Lands’ End, BBVA, Invitae, eBay & Sideshow to name a few. His decade-plus of experience spans portfolios of household brands, subscription models, travel, national retail chains, & his personal favorite – disruptive SaaS products.

An emergent leader on the digital marketing scene, Tim has delighted audiences, from London to LA, with appearances at Pubcon, Ungagged, Digital Summit, MnSearch, Zenith, Internet Summit, Hero Conference, The PPC Podcast, Optmyzr’s PPC Townhall, and Microsoft’s AI Creativity Series.

Away from the office, you’ll find Tim performing on Minneapolis improv comedy stages, participating in Toastmasters, traveling the globe seeking the perfect cup of coffee, or…more than likely re-watching any Michael Schur comedy. Tweet him @timmhalloran!

Search, ranking, and web accessibility are essentially baked into Lea Scudamore’s DNA. As the SEO Lead at Aimclear, Lea applies industry-leading knowledge and skills to drive extraordinary results for the clients she supports.

Intensive focus on search engine optimization (SEO), user experience (UX), web accessibility, and organic content strategies have placed Lea among the most sought-after experts on the international marketing conference circuit. Lea continually challenges SEOs to reimagine SEO holistically as an essential profit center for businesses.

Lea’s primary responsibilities at Aimclear include forming deep strategies for accounts, technical website optimization, reporting, and troubleshooting. Additionally, Lea is leading the charge in web accessibility, Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), and ADA website compliance for Aimclear’s clients.

Her work has been a cornerstone of multiple national and global award-winning case studies. With more than two decades of hands-on management experience in SEO, web design, and content development. Lea’s client credits span a range of business types from startups to iconic global brands.

Cari O’Brien is Founder & Chief Word Nerd at Custom Content Solutions (customcontentllc.com), a copywriting agency that helps businesses find their voices, connect with their ideal audiences and get hotter leads through their marketing efforts. She’s the creator of the Connection Copywriting Method and the online writing course, Write That SiteⓇ (writethatsite.com).

Cari’s also the President of MnSearch (mnsearch.org) and a frequent speaker on brand messaging and audience-driven content marketing. When she’s not working, Cari’s spending quality time with her son, reading yet another book, or traveling to Disney World and other enticing destinations.

Will Scott is a recognized leader in digital marketing, credited for coining the phrase “barnacle SEO” in 2008 and the original New Orleans SEO. A faculty member emeritus of Local U, Will is a contributor to some of the most popular online journals and is frequently invited to present at conferences hosted by marketing associations as well as those in other industries. His speaking engagements have included the Certified Contractors Network, Louisiana Dental Association, National Association of Senior Move Managers, PubCon, SMX, and others.

With a degree in Architecture from Tulane University, Will is a professionally trained problem solver whose eye is always on the bigger picture. Naturally curious, Will has yet to meet a business or a person whom he’s not interested in learning more about.

Since putting his first website online in 1994, Will has led teams responsible for creating thousands of websites for business, building hundreds of thousands of pages in online directories, and delivering millions of visits from searches. At Search Influence, Will directs the teams of dedicated professionals who optimize your potential!

Adam is a Partner & Co-Founder at NordicClick Interactive, a Digital Marketing agency in Minneapolis. He’s a 24 year digital marketing veteran who cut his teeth working for Digital River (a global e-commerce provider) in the late 90’s. He spent almost nine years there working on such clients as Symantec, Autodesk, Motorola, and most of the early big Apple utility software publishers like Connectix & Aladdin Systems.

Adam has spoken at numerous industry events including SMX, Pubcon, eMetrics, MN Search, Zenith Marketing Conference, Digital Summit, SES, OMS, and MDMA. He serves on the advisory board for the
Paid Search Association. He is also a past Advisory Board Member for University of South Florida Digital Marketing Certificate, a former Instructor at the Online Marketing Institute, Instant E-Learning, and the University of San Francisco.

When he’s not working, Adam loves spending quality time outdoors with his family (especially on the water), driving (and fixing) his ‘67 Mustang convertible, doing house projects, and reading.