Leadership Team
Al Croke, President and Chief Executive Officer
Al holds a diverse background in business management while spending his last 15 years specifically working with complex marketing technology solutions for Fortune 500 companies including John Deere, Walgreens, Disney, Johnson Controls, Morgan Stanley, Allstate, Discover, Health Net, TIAA-CREF, Agilent Technologies, Whirlpool, Eli Lilly, AT&T and Michelin.
Al joined the organization in 2008 and since, has worked to structurally finish the transformation of LMSG’s operating company, JGSullivan Interactive, from a traditional interactive advertising agency into to a streamlined technology company. In 2012, Al led a management buy-out of JGSullivan Interactive and formed the current Local Marketing Solutions Group, Inc. holding company structure.
Prior to LMSG, Al was with the Marketing Services division of DST Systems (DST-NYSE) for ten years in a leadership role that through his tenure led him to manage most departments and functions of the business, from Operations to Client Services and Technology to Business Development.
Al began his career with Arthur Young (now Ernst & Young) and passed the CPA exam on his first attempt. Al holds a B.S. degree in Accounting with a minor in jazz trumpet performance from DePaul University and has completed a majority of course work towards an MBA in operations from Loyola University.
Michael D. Mancini, Chief Revenue Officer
Mike has over three decades of general business experience and manages much of the business development activities, including direct prospect and client interaction along with the majority of the merger and acquisition activity.
He started his career in political and charitable fundraising with national organizations. For the past 25 years, Mike has served on executive teams involved extensively with a range of verticals including financial services, non-profit, retail and other consumer-directed services, providing marketing database development/management and marketing plan development and omni-channel execution.
He also founded and is President of The Mancini Butler Group, LLC, a business consulting group that has provided clients … ranging from established corporations to start-ups … a broad portfolio of sales and business development services. Prior to Mancini Butler, he was Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Rapid Solutions Group, a division of DST Systems, working with clients such a T. Rowe Price, TIAA-CREF and Merrill Lynch. Mike also played a key business development role in Experian’s Global Strategic Accounts Group working with clients such as JP Morgan Chase, Alliance Data and Capital One.
Lukasz Racon, Chief Technology Officer
Lukasz joined JGSullivan 2004 and serves as a technology expert responsible for leading the design, development, and deployment of solutions tailored to client needs. With his knowledge and experience he is able to quickly resolve even the most complex challenges.
Lukasz has over 16 years of experience in developing enterprise web-applications, e-commerce solutions, asset and content management systems, ad builders, and dealer channel programs. Throughout his career, he has worked with Fortune 500 companies such as John Deere, Michelin, AT&T, Johnson Controls, Whirlpool, and GE and with top advertising agencies like The Integer Group (Omnicom), BBDO (Omnicom), FCB (IPG), JWT/JWT Action (WPP), and Malone Advertising (WPP).
Lukasz holds M.Sc. in Computer Science and Sun Microsystems’ Enterprise Architect, Business Component Developer, Web Component Developer, and Developer certifications.
Drew Foerster, Chief Creative Officer
Drew has over two decades of advertising experience. He is responsible for a wide range of creative aspects in the company. As a Creative Director for Advertising he oversees the creation and development of all projects for various key relationships. His creative responsibilities also blend into film and video production where he co-writes, directs and produces short and long form videos for our clients such as ACUITY Insurance. He is also an optioned screenwriter and one of his comedy scripts is currently being developed by an LA producer.
Drew joined DuFour Advertising in 1995 as an art director and has developed ideas for clients such as Harley Davidson, Wigwam Socks, Sargento, Mercury Marine, KOHLER Company, and The Original Lava Lamp. He has won two National ADDY Awards and multiple international marketing and advertising awards. One project, the ACUITY Pop-Up Annual Report, is part of the permanent rare book collection at the Smithsonian in Washington D.C.
Prior to joining DuFour Advertising, Drew was an Art Director at Marks & Whetstone in Chicago, where he worked on projects for Glen Campbell and other Nashville recording artists, as well as several regional and national retail accounts.
Carl Bice, Chief Operating Officer
Carl is a highly accomplished executive with extensive client engagement and business unit leadership success. He has worked primarily in marketing operations and marketing technology serving large and small organizations in a broad range of government and private sector industries.
Carl joins Local Marketing Solutions Group (LMSG) from SupplyLogic, a leading third-party management company optimizing print and marketing communications supply chains for major national brands. Prior to SupplyLogic, Carl was a principle and director of web services for LMD, a Maryland based marketing agency, and was a Washington DC-based account director for Williams Lea Tag, a global leader in marketing and communications services.
Carl also held various leadership positions including VP/General Manager for a division of DST Systems. Carl holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the University of Notre Dame and earned a Master’s Degree in Physics from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterrey California. He served 11 years in the U.S. Navy as a Surface Warfare Officer.