Meet the team - GRI Marketing Group

Meet the team

Senior Management Team Brian Snider President and Founder At GRI: 32 years   As a direct & digital marketing leader,...

Senior Management Team

Brian Snider

Brian Snider
President and Founder
At GRI: 32 years

 

As a direct & digital marketing leader, Brian throughout his career has built his client’s businesses by integrating the best of new technology into marketing programs.

 

His constant drive to deliver results that outperform competitive programs has yielded an impressive client list that includes: Embrace Home Loans, FocusVision, MIT Technology Review, The Hartford, Time Consumer Marketing, Conde Nast, New York Life, Pitney Bowes, Premier Global Services, Outdoor Sports Group, Travelers Insurance, The Wall Street Journal, Johnson & Wales University and dozens more.

An avid sports and music fan, Brian is passionate about football, baseball, golf, tennis, and guitar.

 

He believes strongly in giving back and supports The Special Olympics of CT, Nephcure Foundation, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Yale New Haven Smilow Cancer Hospital, The CT Basket Brigade, the Bridgeport Rescue Mission and Paul Newman’s The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp. Brian enjoyed managing baseball teams at the Little League and Babe Ruth levels, and boys U12 ice hockey.

 

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:

  • Pioneered the marketing of electronic mail to Fortune 500 firm before internet existed with Western Union’s Easylink service and with a small start up email firm The Electronic Mail Corp. of America. Worked with major clients such as United Technologies, Union Carbide and Purdue Pharmaceutical.
  • Founded The GRI Marketing Group, Inc. in 1986 as a direct marketing Agency. Brought on digital capabilities including marketing automation, Inbound (Hubspot partner), Search, display, retargeting, etc. to morph GRI into an integrated direct & digital agency.
  • Board member for 6 years for the Direct Marketing Club of New York and in 1996 served as its president.
  • Brian has spoken at several industry functions including the DMA’s annual Exhibition copywriting and strategy roundtables, The Folio show, The Small Business Publishers’ Convention, and the DMCNY Evening Master Series Courses.
  • In 2007, he received the DMCNY’s Silver Apple award –recognizing over 25 years of outstanding contributions to the New York direct marketing community.
  • Served as a judge for the DMA’s Echo awards for 6 years.
    Brian holds a Bachelor’s of Science degree with honors in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing from Northeastern University.

Eileen Hilinski

Eileen Hilinski
Managing Director
At GRI: 18 years

Industry Experience: 33 years

 

A talented direct & digital marketing professional, Eileen’s expertise as a strategist, problem solver and her “hands-on” management approach helps GRI’s clients to achieve their goals.

 

Her broad range of experience working for mid-size and Fortune 500 companies includes production, account management, analytics, marketing automation platforms, social media, inbound and marketing communications.

Away from work, boating, golf, and traveling are Eileen’s favorite things to do as well as taking long walks with the family dog.

 

Career Highlights

  • Product Manager of Autovantage at CUC International Group (now Affinion) managing the creation, purchasing and inventory of membership and communication marketing efforts.
  • Eileen managed an annual marketing budget of $30 million as Marketing Manager of direct mail and telemarketing acquisition programs for the Pitney Bowes Small Office Division. She was also responsible for implementing the first automated customer retention and loyalty program.
  • At GRI, Eileen provides strategic and creative insights and manages the execution of all client programs. She enjoys bringing innovative technologies to GRI’s service portfolio and is responsible for the implementation of digital programs at the agency.
  • Eileen holds a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Business Administration with concentrations in Marketing and Economics from the State University of New York at Oswego.

Laura Farrell

Laura Farrell
Senior Art Director
At GRI: 20 years
Industry Experience: 26 years

 

Laura’s passion for graphic design and art has been an integral part of award-winning and record-breaking campaigns for clients including Sports Illustrated, Time Magazine, Columbia House, Marriot Hotels, Pitney Bowes, The Hartford, Travelers and many more.

 

She has a knack for tailoring the look and feel of a communication either online or offline that “speaks” to the intended audience and gets them to take the requested action.

 

Laura enjoys hiking and baking for family and friends.

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:

  • Art Director of Promotions at Cowles Business Media for 5 publications and numerous conferences.
  • Art Director of Space Age Printing & Graphics – managed the design requirements for all accounts including Marriot Hotels, Westfield Shopping Centers and MBI.
  • Joined GRI as Sr. Art Director in 1997 where she has directed all the agency’s print & digital campaigns.
  • Winner of 3 Folio awards: national award for excellence in audience development.
  • DMA Echo finalist for “The Wall Street Journal Holiday” promotion
    Laura graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelors Degree in Fine Arts from SUNY Purchase, NY.