Patrick Di Chiro/President and CEO –
Former Chief Communications Officer, E*TRADE Group, Inc. More
than 24 years of international marketing and communications
experience, including consumer/brand marketing, technology,
financial services and healthcare. Formerly VP of technology
marketing, VISA International; Partner, Ketchum Worldwide; Director
of International Marketing Communications, American Express
Company; VP Marketing-Client Services, Armando Testa Advertising,
Italy’s largest ad agency.
Thomas Edwards/President, Partner and Loyalty Services
– One of world’s foremost experts in strategic partnership/channel
marketing, with more than 20 years of experience. As Visa USA’s
head of partnership/ alliance marketing, he created billions
of dollars in incremental charge volume. Formerly VP Marketing
and Product Development for Citicorp Credit Services, and Director
of Travel and Lodging Industry Marketing for American Express
Company. John McClave/Executive Vice President, Creative Director
– More than 25 years of experience in advertising and integrated
marketing, including stints as Creative Director in the San
Francisco offices of Grey Advertising and Citigate Communications.
Numerous industry awards for outstanding creative work in a
variety of media. Major clients included Bank of America, CNF
Transportation, Seagrams Wines, GT Global Mutual Funds, Farmland
Foods and investment bankers Hambrecht & Quist.
Joseph Gutman, M.D./Senior Vice President, Medical Affairs
- Dr. Joseph Gutman is a leading healthcare industry expert,
with more than 20 years of international experience as a medical
doctor, educator, researcher, consultant and entrepreneur. Dr.
Gutman provides consulting and program executional support to
THUNDER FACTORY's growing roster of healthcare clients. As such,
he helps clients to effectively manage issues and optimize business
opportunities, while strengthening their critical relationships
with key stakeholder groups such as health providers, regulators,
patients, industry partners and associations. Dr. Gutman has
been a practicing M.D. for 20 years. He is a frequent lecturer
at major medical conferences, and has published numerous papers
covering a broad range of medical topics. Dr. Gutman has also
consulted with leading pharmaceutical companies and other healthcare
entities around the world. He is Co-Chairman of the National
Republican Congressional Committee on Healthcare Reform. On
the entrepreneurial front, he was the co-founder of Maxicare
one of the pioneering HMOs. A medical writer for "QUEPASA.COM,"
Dr. Gutman is fluent in spoken/written Spanish and French, as
well as English. He also speaks Italian. Dr. Gutman was born
in Colombia, where he earned his medical degree. He was also
educated in Paris and the United States. Dr. Gutman holds a
Post-Doctoral from Dartmouth College.
Origins of THUNDER FACTORY Name
People frequently ask us how we came up with our name, THUNDER
FACTORY. It was actually the nickname of the Republic Aviation Corporation,
the Long Island-based manufacturer of the legendary P-47 Thunderbolt,
the fighter-bomber that helped the U.S. win WW II. The Thunderbolt
was the first American fighter that had the range to provide protective
cover for the B-17 and B-24 bombers all the way to Germany from
their bases in Britain. The leading American fighter aces in Europe
also flew the P-47.
The Thunderbolt was renowned for its power and versatility, and
its ability to get its pilots safely back to base. Not as sleek
as the P-51 Mustang nor as fast as Britain's celebrated Spitfire,
the thousands of P-47s that rolled out of Republic's Thunder
Factory were known as true workhorses, the fighters that always
got the job done.
The name of our firm is a celebration of the values and attributes
of the P-47 Thunderbolt and the people who built and flew it. THUNDER
FACTORY takes a very business-like approach to helping our clients
close sales and drive revenues - i.e., getting the job done. We
are single-mindedly focused on developing powerful marketing strategies
and campaigns that enable our clients to compete more effectively,
and win the war for new customers and marketshare.
Thus, was born THUNDER FACTORY - the marketing firm!
