Firm DNA

Luxcore’s strong Firm DNA: The accumulated talents, experience and insights of our principals, affiliates and partners that we deploy for our clients - the individuals and teams that are the fiber of Luxcore.

Corporate Principals
• Jerrold S. Seeman, Esq.
• Paul J. Levine, Esq.
• Andrew Komendantov

Jerrold S. Seeman, Esq. President and Chief Executive Officer of Luxcore, Ltd., the business development agency that has represented the Luxembourg Trade & Investment Office for over twenty years, among many other clients. A corporate and securities attorney and corporate relations/public affairs counselor, he advises senior management and government officials and executes positioning strategy for international economic development, business expansion, mergers and acquisitions, investor relations, financial transactions, control contests, community and labor relations.

He has provided communications and investor relations counseling to new technology IPOs and managed global marketing campaigns for e-commerce clients. He serves as a corporate spokesman and directs media relations.

He is a specialist in developing and implementing comprehensive investor and communications programs for international companies undergoing transition and forming a new identity as a result of a merger, acquisition or divestiture. In this capacity, he has counseled Roche Holding in its acquisition of American biotechnology company Genentech; Rhone Poulenc in its acquisition of Rorer Group; Accor in its acquisition of the Motel 6 hotel chain; and Unilever in its acquisition of the Calvin Klein and Elizabeth Arden brands.

He has devised and conducted communications to shareholders, employees, the international, national, financial and trade media, customers, suppliers and regulators. He also possesses extensive experience in media training, as well as training for governmental and shareholder meetings.

An investor relations practitioner, he has conducted programming and execution for companies initiating an IPO, and seeking to access the American capital markets from overseas, also executing investor relations for foreign companies listing equities in the U.S.

A graduate of Georgetown University Law Center, he pursued graduate and undergraduate studies in psychology at New York University. Past President and Member of the Board of the Georgetown Club of Metropolitan New York, he is also a member of The University Club in New York.

Paul J. Levine, Esq. is Managing Director of Luxcore, Ltd. Corporate and Public Affairs

Paul is a results-oriented, high-energy leader with broad global experience driving profitable growth across fast-paced markets, formulating startup and turnaround strategies, and instilling collaboration driven change management. He is a digital, mobile and convergent media expert, with a long track record of successfully bridging divides between traditional and new media businesses.

His special expertise:

• Media, Entertainment, Digital, Mobile and Tech Landscapes
• General Management / P&L / Strategic Planning / Operations
• Multi-platform Content / Product Distribution & Monetization
• Integrated Product and Platform Strategy & Development
• New Business Development, Licensing, JVs and M&A
• Revenue / Market Growth & Profit Improvement
• Startup & Turnaround Reorganizations / Change Management

Andrew Komendantov, Executive Vice President, is the co-founder of Rockland Technical Services (RTS). His professional experience includes more than a decade leading Hill and Knowlton’s Financial Relations/Healthcare Practice and Senior Counselor positions in the Corporate/Financial practices of Manning Selvage & Lee and the Dilenschneider Group.

He brings to our clients more than 25 years of counseling and management expertise in all aspects of corporate communications and marketing, with a strong emphasis on financial, medical/healthcare, scientific, and technical issues. He also specializes in corporate positioning, marketing, crisis communications, and disclosure issues.

He has provided strategic counsel on corporate communications and positioning, advertising, and pre- and post-IPO disclosure issues to all levels of senior management. In the course of his work, he has developed crisis preparedness programs and product marketing plans, and planned and executed investor relations programs for newly public companies.

Fluent in Russian, he has translated a wide range of materials published in major European languages, for use by medical researchers, academics, attorneys and the business community.

He received his academic training in marine biology at the City College (CCNY) and The City University of New York (CUNY) and is a member of the American Chemical Society (ACS).

Affiliates

• Independent Public Relations Associates

Independent Public Relations Associates [IPRA] was founded by Richard Davies to provide large multinational and emerging technology companies with cost-effective and targeted marketing communications programs. IPRA brings together experienced communications professionals with knowledge of and success in the business and electronics trade media. Members of IPRA deploy the optimal communications team to a public relations or related communications program, identifying key industry influencers, organizing complete programs or targeted projects, and delivering cost-effective results on time and within budget.

Clients of IPRA have included Fujitsu Microelectronics, Inc.; (memory, ASIC, processor and wireless telecommunications devices) Intel’s Level One Communications division (xDSL and networking chips); the 1394 Trade Association, a 175-member group led by Sony, Philips, Texas Instruments, Matsushita, Yamaha and IBM that has developed and marketed the IEEE-1394 multimedia bus standard; and Elantec, Inc. (analog and mixed signal devices).

Luxcore Alliance Partners

• Customericity
• Rosner Associates
• Play Collective
• Down South Innovation
• i-Latina
• Associated-Asia
• Bioplan Associates
• Aurora Advisors
• e-Rainmaker

Luxcore Expert Team

Experts who bring sophisticated knowledge and experience in diverse disciplines to our client engagements:

• Lisabeth Blair Simmons
• Michael Ziedalski
• Bill Rosner
• Kathy Palokoff
• Wanda Zygmuntowicz
• Sharon Jachim
• Miguel Sebastia
• Carey Horwitz
• Susan Webber
• Eric S. Langer
• Albert H. Crane

Lisabeth Blair Simmons Luxcore’s Director of Market Research and Strategic Planning. She has a proven track record of identifying and quantifying key market insights and opportunities in an array of product/service categories including healthcare, foods (fast moving consumer package goods) and service industries (including hospitality and retail). Her target audiences include consumer, business-to-business and professional sectors. Lisabeth's success has been built upon expertise in the design of innovative, actionable strategic market research programs. Her expertise was developed in consumer healthcare for Pfizer Consumer Healthcare, and market research and market planning for Unilever and global strategic market research.

Highlights of Lisabeth's achievements include: providing consumer and trade marketing direction in the successful launch of Listerine PocketPaks; leveraging research skills, strategic planning skills and contributing to management approval of a successful plan to help the Benadryl brand defend its market share despite threats of competitor direct-to-consumer advertising. She provided consumer insights and strategic direction for the successful launch of Lipton “Ready to Drink” Tea and the re-launch of the brand. Lisabeth managed the Specialist (modeling group) at Research International, providing business-building solutions for a variety of clients including: Hilton Hotels, Taco Bell, James River Paper and Sears (joint engagement with McKinsey). 

Lisabeth is expert in the application of volumetric forecasting, market structure, quantitative assessment of brand equity. Lisabeth has been called upon by Bristol Myers/Squibb, Dial Corporation and Scott Towel. Additionally, she has extensive model development experience (including her work on NPD’s Rx-to-OTC switch model) which was used in opportunity assessment by Sandoz. At Research International’s Specialist model group, Lisabeth was responsible for growing the U.S. Division from $400,000 to $4 million in sales. She provided market research and strategic insights to develop the Pfizer global oral care 5-year strategic plan and new product roadmap (including Listerine), an upper respiratory relationship marketing program. Finally, as part of developing Market Research Best Practices for Pfizer's Consumer Healthcare Division, Lisabeth worked with different business teams to improve the new product innovation process.

Lisabeth earned a B.A. in Psychology with High Honors from Wheaton College, Norton, Massachusetts, and a Masters in Business Administration from Emory University.

Michael Ziedalski, Luxcore, Ltd. Data Scientist in Residence. Michael possesses a Master of Science in Quantitative Finance [MSQF] degree from the Gabelli School of Business of Fordham University; he specializes in utilizing advanced machine learning and probabilistic models in financial analyses. 

He has applied Support Vector Machines (SVCs), Gaussian Processes, and Neural Nets in analyzing housing prices, as well as to classical machine learning problems, including image classification. While studying, Michael served as the Vice President of Events for the Fordham FinTech Network, one of the only graduate organizations in New York City that focuses on educating professionals and students alike on the evolving FinTech industry. He managed relationships with leading-edge, industry category-dominant firms, including JP Morgan Chase and ConsenSys, and organized events in collaboration with the Enterprise Ethereum Alliance.

Michael is a core member of Luxcore's Research and Analytics Capabilities Team. 

Bill Rosner Founder of Rosner Associates, who develop brand identity and communications programs that make a direct contribution to clients’ success. They create work that is striking, functional and, most important, designed to support client business strategy and positioning objectives. They don’t view design and content as an end product, but as a means to an end – tools that help you manage perceptions of your company, tools that help you sell, raise investment capital, and attract the best employees and strategic partners.

Over the last twenty-five years, the principals of Rosner Associates have worked with large and small companies in almost every sector of the economy, from heavy industry to high tech. They have developed brand identity strategies, names and nomenclature systems, visual identity systems, and print and Web-based communications, crafting these elements to help clients achieve their business and positioning objectives.

Kathy Palokoff is the CEO and Founder of CUSTOMERicity™, a women-owned company that helps businesses and non-profits gain and retain customers. Though marketing, business ideation, community building and content development, her collaborative helps increase revenue, build brands, and retain customer, employee, and investor loyalty. CUSTOMERicity also serves as an incubator for new companies, investing expertise, experience and energy in great ideas that make a difference in the world.

Among the company’s many accomplishments are helping launch a multi-billion dollar safety and protection business; bringing a ground-breaking breast cancer diagnostic tool to market, taking a wireless company public; creating a new ice cream brand specifically marketed to women; building awareness among consumers and businesses about how to best settle insurance claims after major disasters; and establishing a turn-key leadership program for high-level executives to gain them heightened presence as thought-leaders.

Kathy holds a Bachelor of Science in Journalism from West Virginia University; a Master in Public Administration from the State University of New York at Brockport; and has completed all doctoral coursework in Technical Communications and Rhetoric from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, the nation's oldest technological university.

Wanda Zygmuntowicz Managing Partner and Chief Operating Officer of CUSTOMERicity with a passion for creating new, actionable, customer-based insights. Her experience and knowledge has increased sales worldwide for a wide range of products and services for firms such as Alcatel, Corning, DuPont, Hilton Hotels, Hollister Medical, Kodak, Quaker Oats, Prudential and Schwinn. Through writing copy for Allstate, or directing all North American marketing communications activities for Marine Midland Bank (now HSBC Bank USA), or serving in management at blue chip agencies like J. Walter Thompson and Saatchi & Saatchi, she has developed a deep understanding of marketing, customer relationship management, brand communications, research, technology and training.

Sharon Jachim is an executive with an extensive professional background with leadership roles in multi-million dollar insurance organizations and an internationally respected and recognized market research and consulting firm: Acadia Insurance (Berkley Group), Zogby International and Utica National Insurance Group.

Sharon has years of experience and expertise in business disciplines including operations management, developing and orchestrating initiatives for efficient workflow and optimal productivity, developing and executing customer service delivery, sales and marketing, business development and client cultivation, strategic planning, project management, product development, Internet and technology initiatives, and employee development. She is skilled at working with employees and management in all levels within an organization, customers and prospects, and third party distribution channels, including Trade Associations, technology/business vendors, consultants and strategic business partners.

She is experienced in conducting professional training, seminars and workshops as well as serving as Adjunct Instructor at Mohawk Valley Community College.

Miguel Sebastia President of i-Latina, part of a new generation of boutique advertising agencies and marketing communications firms that take a comprehensive approach to better serve and partner with its clients. Capitalizing on the experience of recognized leading professionals in the fields of creative advertising, corporate design and marketing, i-Latina uses traditional advertising formats combined with new media technology to deliver effective and high-impact fresh i-deas to the global Latin marketplace around the world. i-Latina develops the most creative and effective communication and promotion strategies for clients and successfully builds their brands, predominantly in these US-Hispanic and Latin American Markets. It offers clients innovative marketing strategies and corporate alliances to penetrate the US-Hispanic markets, and to enhance long-term brand equity, while meeting client short-term goals.

Carey Horwitz has helped guide organizational response to change and align communication strategies with enterprise objectives. As a senior vice president with Hill and Knowlton, the public relations/public affairs firm, he supervised major communication activities undertaken on behalf of clients, including strategic and tactical planning, organizational and labor-management communications, corporate-identity and advocacy advertising, crisis response and conflict resolution, merger-and-acquisition communications, marketing program planning, and media-response training. As a principal and head of marketing publications for William M. Mercer, Incorporated, the human resource consulting firm, he supervised the production of materials for the firm’s major national and worldwide practices, counseled on communication strategies, and helped develop and implement national marketing and advertising initiatives. He has also worked with IBM, helping the company plan and execute a series of bylined articles and op-eds addressing critical issues in the development and use of information technology.

Susan Webber Founder of Aurora Advisors Incorporated, a management consulting firm based in New York and Sydney, Australia, specializing in transaction advisory and financial services. She is a senior management consultant and corporate finance advisor with over 20 years experience in financial services and major corporate transactions (mergers, joint ventures and minority investments), with a proven track record of creating significant economic value for clients. She is recognized for devising practical solutions to complex, difficult problems and leading first-phase implementation. A prolific author, she possesses extensive international experience, particularly Pacific Rim, having served as head of Mergers and Acquisitions of The Sumitomo Bank, Ltd.

Eric S. Langer Co-Founder and Managing Partner at BioPlan Associates, Inc. a biotechnology and life sciences marketing company that has been providing market strategy and analysis to biotechnology and healthcare organizations since 1989. He has over 19 years experience in biotechnology and life sciences marketing management and market assessment. He is an experienced medical and biotechnology market practitioner, strategist, researcher, and science writer. He has held senior management and marketing positions at biopharmaceutical supply companies. He teaches Biotechnology Marketing, Marketing Management, Services Marketing, Advertising Strategy, and Bioscience Communication at Johns Hopkins University, American University, and lectures extensively on pricing and channel management topics. He has a degree in Chemistry and Masters in International Business. He has launched marketing programs for product lines ranging from $5 million to $500 million. He works with both large and small clients in commercial biotechs, non-profit organizations, and governments in assessing and evaluating markets, and marketing strategies and tactics. He has written and consulted for companies involved in: large scale biopharmaceutical manufacturing, cell culture, media, sera, tissue engineering, stem cells, diagnostic products, blood products, genetics, DNA/PCR purification, blood components, and many other areas.

Albert H. Crane President and CEO of Crane Media Services (CMS). His firm focuses on new media opportunities including Audio Streaming, Out-of-Home Television and Electronic Billboard opportunities. Mr. Crane has held senior Internet management positions at the CEO and COO levels, as well as the position of Vice President of Sales for major outlets in Network TV (CBS Television Network), Cable (Travel Channel, VISN-ACTS (now Hallmark), and MEU (the Military Channel and NBC Sat. He has directed syndication and Internet (with Salon.com, Cursormate.com, and Lawstreet.com). He has a record of successful experience in the fields of Internet Radio, Internet start-up management and funding, Internet strategic planning, sales management, marketing, competitive intelligence, distribution channels. His firm possesses deep relationships with a large network of financial executives, investment bankers, clients, advertising agencies and media services companies.