Advisory Board
Virginia K. Cargill
Virginia Cargill has more than 30 years of experience in the consumer packaged goods and in-store marketing industries, as a client, service provider and successful entrepreneur. She is now a Venture Partner with Alerion Partners in Rowayton, CT. Prior to joining Alerion Partners, Virginia was President & CEO of CBS Outernet, formerly SignStorey, Inc, a digital media company focused on the grocery industry that was acquired by CBS in October, 2007. At the time of acquisition, SignStorey’s network included 12 different retail banners, over 2,000 screens, had 23 different content channels and reached over 72 million consumers every month. During her term as President of CBS Outernet, the company added the GameStop TV network to its offerings and completed its 4,000 store installation in April, 2010. Prior to that, Virginia was President of Lamaze Publishing Company and the Newborn Channel, which became iVillage Parenting Group after the company’s sale to iVillage Inc. in 2001. Virginia has also held significant leadership roles with in-store communications provider ActMedia (now News America Marketing, a division of News Corp.), where for over 12 years she helped develop and manage some of the most successful in-store promotional products ever launched. Virginia began her career at General Mills and Proctor & Gamble after she received degrees from Wellesley College and the Northwestern Kellogg School of Management. Virginia is the President of the Board of Trustees at Fairfield Country Day School, Fairfield, CT. and is also a trustee of the Pomfret School, Pomfret, CT.
Jeffrey K. McElnea
A 35-year leader and “Lifetime Achiever” of the marketing communications industry (Brandweek), Jeff has received numerous awards, including his recent induction to the Promotion Marketing Hall of Fame by the MAA Worldwide. Jeff became president of Einson-Freeman, Inc. at age 29, following his purchase of the company from AMEX-listed EAC. As President he led the build-up of the firm into a global enterprise serving many Fortune 500 clients, then sold the top-ranked promotion agency to WPP Group in 1988. Jeff continued with Einson as Chairman/CEO for another 12 years while also heading two other WPP companies, Conquest USA and MGA Marketing. Among his clients were marketing giants such as Alcoa, Unilever, AT&T, Burger King, Kimberly-Clark, Gillette, Schering-Plough, Colgate, Amtrak, IBM, Pepsi-Cola, Kodak, Nestle, Kraft, CBS Television, Fiat, Audi and Weight Watchers. Following his 30 year agency career, Jeff became president of Satmark Media Group, a start-up new media firm that launched the first national ATM advertising network - now owned by Bank of America. His former Board memberships included PRN, Aspen Marketing Group and East-West Creative. Today his consultancy, The Jeffrey Group (NYC), advises multi-national clients, agencies and media enterprises on business development. He has managed or helped finance early stage marketing ventures in alternative media, and in-store communications. Jeff currently serves on the Board of Real Time Media, Gem Group and Hospital Broadcast Network. He is an advisor to TargetCast Networks, Enqii, Talbott Tea Co., Johns Hopkins School of Public Health as well as Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health. He was a cum laude graduate of Dartmouth College and a marketing major attending the Tuck School of Business. Jeff was recently appointed Trustee of Suffield Academy, the country’s third oldest, independent college prep school.
Bob Michaels
Bob has a strong background in fields of emerging technology and a career spanning more than 25 years in the International arena. He has spent the past several years in C level positions in the Pro AV and Signage sectors, first as President and CEO of Magenta Research and recently taking on the role as President of the Signage Division for Digital View, a pioneer in the field of Display Technology. He sits on the Advisory Board of the Digital Screenmedia Association and is President of ‘The Screen Forum USA’, an independent group dedicated to the ongoing development of the digital signage industry.
James Abdool
James joined ComQi after completing the sale of his family's digital out of home audio business of 33 years. Having joined TSC Music Systems Ltd in 1994 after completing his degree in Marketing, he was instrumental in growing the client base ten-fold through new market sector penetration and, more recently, internationally. Recurring revenue models have been at the forefront of the major client wins that James has secured in the retail, leisure and hospitality markets. Working with clients he has helped extend their in-store marketing solutions and drive sales through added-value models. Having taken the decision to expand out of the UK, several major retail clients chose TSC to provide the digital in-store audio solution for their global brand achieving rollouts in 17 countries within 2 years. As well as driving sales and spearheading all marketing activity, James has been involved in software development, licensing arrangements and most recently he managed the Company sale process to an industry Plc. In 2003 James embarked on a 3 year non-executive term with the NHS in Crawley where his involvement concentrated on corporate governance, strategic leadership, IM&T and patient and public involvement.
Outside of work, James enjoys travel with his young family, golf, cars and music.