HALL
OF FAME

Industry Experience and Career Accomplishments:

Bernadette Grecki is an advertising professional with over 40 years of experience. Her career highlights include: in 1983 while at Decker, Guertin & Cheyne, she bought the lowest cost TV spot in the final episode of MASH in the Hartford/New Haven market which remains the most-watched scripted TV show finale. While Director of Advertising & Marketing Communications at The Travelers in 1996-98, she developed the concept for a national advertising campaign that highlighted Travelers involvement in major events in history. The ads featured Travelers writing the commercial insurance for the lunar landing in 1969, Travelers Bond writing the coverage for the restoration of the Statue of Liberty in 1986, and Travelers personal lines writing the first automobile insurance policy in 1897. On this campaign she worked with Connecticut agency Bradford Associates, and the campaign won a Gold Award in the Advertising Club of CT’s 1999 Awards Show. During that same period, with her strong interest in brand management, she managed its iconic trademark, the Travelers red umbrella.

At an earlier time at Travelers as media specialist in 1981, another career highlight was her strategy of introducing the roll-out of Travelers new computer system for agents, at the 85 th Annual Convention of Independent Insurance Agents of America in Honolulu, with a ten-minute videotape aired continuously on closed-circuit television in every room attendees stayed in at five Sheraton hotels. A tent card was placed in all attendees’ rooms with the time the program was airing, and with an attached business reply card for more information on the new computer system. The Journal of Commerce covered the story on 9/24/1981 and stated, “The next day the Travelers show was the talk of the convention.”

More recently, her work with Eversource on a marketing concept during Covid was awarded a Gold Award in the Utility Communicators International Awards Competition.

Involvement in the AD CLUB of CT:

Bernadette has been involved with the AD CLUB of CT since 1983. She joined the Board in 1986. In 1987, she served as the Co-Chair of the Awards Competition & Presentation. In 1991, she organized a fundraising effort and produced a commemorative limited edition print that depicted the history of advertising in the Greater Hartford market.

She went on to serve as Second Vice President and Vice President and served as President in 1993-94. While president, she served as the Editor of the organization’s newsletter, Club Chronicle. In 1994, the organization celebrated its 80th Anniversary under her presidency.

She served again as president in 2016-17, when the organization was experiencing challenges. She stepped up to lead a team to reorganize and reinvent the organization. She recruited a high-level Executive Committee and the Board of Directors to position the organization for success. She served as the Board Liaison to the Executive Committee from 2017-2019.

Grecki is deeply invested in the well-being of the AD CLUB of CT and her Connecticut community. While president in 2016, the organization collaborated with The Governor’s Prevention Partnership to raise awareness of the opioid addiction crisis through its Out-of-Home Competition that was sponsored by Wilkins at the Pond House. All the outdoor companies worked together to post the winning creative on high-visibility billboard locations throughout the state.

After COVID-19 impacted the country and changed the business landscape, Grecki stepped in again in January 2025 to begin the relaunch of the organization. She single-handedly recruited a new Board with representation from many of the major advertising agencies in the CT market.

She has been serving as Executive Director since January, overseeing all financial operations and committees. Her work also includes securing new sponsors. At a sold-out fun event at the New Britain Museum of American Art on June 5, the AD CLUB of CT was officially relaunched! An events calendar was quickly put in place for the balance of the year and into 2026. Grecki is also leading a branding effort for the organization, including an online store with AD CLUB of CT merchandise with a new promotional tagline.

When the history of advertising in Connecticut is written, the year 1973 will mark a significant milestone. That was the year that Richard W. Keiler, known to one and all as “Dick,” launched what would become one of the state’s major business-to-business advertising agencies, Keiler Advertising, in his basement, with nothing more than a typewriter and an idea.

To set the scene, in 1973, what was then called Industrial Advertising was generally black-and-white and dull all over. Dick questioned that notion. Why, he wondered, couldn’t advertising in the industrial sector be colorful, engaging, and concept-based? Why couldn’t it excite the senses as well as provide facts and figures? Why couldn’t it inspire and not just inform?

With that in mind, Dick went to work. Within a few years, he had built a one-man shop into an award-winning agency with a roster of clients that ranged from machine tools to insurance to aviation and aerospace. Whereas most of the agencies at that time served local or regional clients, the Keiler agency served international clients as well. And his example helped transform industrial advertising into Business-to-Business advertising, a change that greatly expanded possibilities for agencies in our state.

One thing about Dick that should be noted was his appreciation of the fact that his success was not his alone, that it rested on the shoulders of the creative, motivated people who populated the employee roster.  For many  of its alumni, “the agency” was a kind of training ground where junior employees learned the business, refined their craft and went on to  enjoy “big-time” careers or start their own businesses.  And when it came time for Dick to retire to the home in Tucson he shares with his wife Tommilee Phillips (herself a legend in the field of media), he chose to hand over the reins to the people who he felt had created his legacy rather than to the highest bidder.

Dick Keiler deserves a place of honor in the Ad Club of Connecticut for his contribution to the advertising community writ large and the people who walked the halls of 304 Main Street and whose lives and careers he championed.

For more than five decades, Charlie has been a transformative figure in Connecticut’s advertising and marketing communications industry. As the longtime CEO of Mason, Inc., he has built one of the state’s most respected and enduring agencies, guiding brands to success with a blend of strategic insight, creative excellence, and unwavering integrity.

Charlie’s career began in the mid-1960s, progressing through early leadership roles at GEICO, General Electric, and W.B. Doner, where he managed one of the firm’s largest accounts in Baltimore. In 1975, he took the helm of Mason & Madison, which evolved into Mason, Inc., a digitally integrated advertising and PR agency serving healthcare, insurance/financial, sports, dining, and B2B clients. Under his leadership, the agency has thrived for more than 70 years, maintaining relevance and growth through seismic shifts in media, technology, and consumer behavior. He has continually evolved the agency to keep pace with the latest trends and innovations in the industry, ensuring that Mason remains at the forefront of modern marketing and communications.

Charlie is known for his ability to help clients uncover their true differentiators, articulate compelling brand platforms, and deliver those messages consistently across every channel, from web and social media to broadcast, print, and live events. His approach is rooted in deep customer motivation insights, breaking down barriers to engagement and purchase.

Throughout his career, Charlie has served blue-chip brands and regional leaders alike, applying the same commitment to excellence regardless of size or industry. His client experience includes SAS Airlines, Yale New Haven Health, Connecticut Lottery, Saab, Yale School of Medicine, Avangrid, Black & Decker, General Motors and the list goes on. A testament to his creativity and impact is his role in helping the team develop the now-standard expiration date on Duracell batteries, an innovation that shaped consumer expectations worldwide.

In terms of public service, Charlie has served as Board Chair for the United Way of CT/2-1-1, United Way of Greater New Haven, and the VNA of South Central Connecticut. He has also served on the Advisory Council of Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic, and advised LifeBridge Community Services, L.E.A.P., Autism Spectrum Resource Center (ASRC), Clifford Beers Clinic, the New Haven Symphony, and Liberty Community Services with respect to strategic issues.

Charlie holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing from American University. He also attended Cornell University in their Chemical Engineering program and Johns Hopkins University in their Masters of Administrative Science program.

For his visionary leadership, pioneering contributions, deep community engagement, and lifetime of achievement, we are proud to nominate Charlie Mason for induction into the Advertising Club of Connecticut Hall of Fame.

Phil was never one to hold down a job for long. He began his writing career at Aetna, became PR Director for Saab, joined Travelers and then various advertising agencies including Creamer, Oneal & Prelle (where he created the lottery line, “You can’t win if you don’t play”), and Naftzger & Kuhe before starting his own shop.

He worked for such companies as Ct. Chevy and Oldsmobile dealers up and down the east coast, hospitals, banks, fast food, OTB, Bernie’s, Mohegan Sun, Pepsi, Outthink, NBC-TV, Hartford Image Project, the Harford, travel and tourism companies, and created the “Hello, Aiello” campaign.

He’s run an oil company, spent two years as Marketing Director for an Internet start-up in San Francisco, written children’s television and train documentaries in Australia, unproduced screenplays and currently counts his lucky stars that he has begun his 10 th year with Daniels Energy.

A long-time member of the Ad Club of CT and a past president of CADC, he has made significant contributions to our community. He has given his time and his talents over the years.

He was part of the rebuilding committee for the Ad Club of CT in 2016 and served as emcee for two of our awards events. He has won many awards over the years including Ad Club awards, CADC “One” awards, Hatch and Clio Awards. He’s survived donating 21 gallons of blood to the Red Cross (not all at once) and 54 years of marriage.

Ron has been overseeing the financial health of Mintz + Hoke for 30 years. He has nurtured and developed the digital offerings while adhering to best practices from a security and development point of view. Ron has played many roles, from IT guru to CFO to COO and finally CEO. His in-depth knowledge of all aspects of the agency allows him to provide the best possible guidance when managing the outcome of projects. The knowledge and insight that Ron has gleaned from his BOD experiences and constant interaction with other CEOs in the industry plays a major role in all initiatives.

Ron has touched, in some way, shape or form, every client engagement that the agency has been lucky enough to work on over the past 30 years. In his current role, Ron serves as Managing Principal + CEO of Mintz + Hoke, as well as the lead legal and financial advisor. He is ultimately accountable for the overall success of the agency and plays a key role in the digital offerings. Ron’s expertise and knowledge of many content management systems (CMS), ranging from WordPress to Sitecore, provides guidance when deciding on the purchase and integration of the CMS. Ron has implemented many enterprise systems and is keenly aware of the intricacies of making disparate systems speak to each other.

Ron’s exceptional leadership and compassion continue to inspire the agency’s Immersively Different philosophy and empower the Mintz + Hoke team to be their best, collaborate freely and make an impactful contribution every day. Perine is also a tireless advocate for expanding DEIB at the agency, in the Connecticut ad industry, and in the community. To advance inclusive employment at Mintz + Hoke, Ron created a role at the agency in 2019 for an individual with an intellectual and developmental disability. He also sits as chairman of the board for the Connecticut Creative Academy (CCA), a tuition-free portfolio school, with a goal to eliminate barriers of entry into the creative industry.

As a media and marketing specialist, Donna Collins has focused on creating partnerships and strategic collaborations with businesses, government and the nonprofit sector. Throughout her career, she has broken new ground in media. Whether the focus is business news, children's programming, UConn Women's Basketball, or documentary and feature films.

Collins began her career with Post-Newsweek at WFSB/CBS, where she held several executive positions including National Sales Manager. As Director of Station Projects, she and her team developed For Kids Sake, a multi-media car safety program and the first sponsored PSA campaign. For Kids Sake and its sponsor won the Ad Club CT Best of Show.

As Vice President of Corporate Sponsorships at CT Public, she raised critical start-up funding for the national launch of Barney & Friends on PBS, and the broadcast launch of UConn Women's Basketball on CPTV. She was the recipient of the first PBS Innovation Award.

As the former Associate Publisher at the Hartford Business Journal, she created highly successful special publications showcasing Hartford and Connecticut as thriving centers of business and innovation, education, research, arts and culture.

As Executive Producer of The Featherweight, a feature film about Hartford Boxing Legend and hometown hero Willie Pep, Donna developed a collaborative partnership with the CT Office of Film-Television-Digital Media, the City of Hartford, CT Public, local business and community stakeholders and philanthropists to fund and produce this film in Hartford. The Featherweight had its international premiere at the Venice Film Festival (2023). To bring Hartford to the world stage was truly a lifetime experience.

As founder of Donna Collins Consulting, she and her team work to advance projects that make a difference in the areas of media, film, the Arts, education and children's literacy.

Donna has been a longtime member and champion of the advertising and broadcast industries in CT.  She is a past President of the Ad Club, chaired the 80th anniversary Gala, and is a former Chair of the CT Broadcasters Association — first woman elected.

An award-winning copywriter/creative director who finds compelling drama in what you’re selling, no matter what it may be.

In his years as a copywriter/creative director, his work has made nuns cry, helped change the course of mighty aircraft companies, broke all-time readership records and nailed down measurable results in industries from senior living to health care to finance to food service. He is a seasoned hand in broadcast, print and interactive.

As a partner and Creative Director at Mintz & Hoke, he helped build one of the region’s most respected creative departments and grow M&H from a five-person shop to the fifth largest agency in New England.

Haddad has worked on national accounts such as Olympic Stain, the world’s number one selling stain, Ames (which was the nation’s fourth largest chain of discount stores at that time), the International Special Olympics, TCI Cable, and Loctite Adhesives. Plus regional clients: tourism, phone companies, HMOs, hospitals, banks, and supermarkets. (Wait, there’s more!)

Dik has won the major awards including CLIO's and New York Art Directors. ADWEEK honored one of his campaigns as one of the best seven of the decade. Ad Age voted his AIDS awareness TV spot one of the top commercials of the year.

Currently, he writes all forms of print and broadcast copy, direct and produce TV and Radio commercials and help clients with overall strategic direction and branding.

Brian Magee has made many significant contributions to the Ad Club of CT as well as the advertising and marketing industry. He has had many roles – agency principal, client, colleague, and mentor.

Brian has been involved with the Ad Club of CT for over 25 years, serving as President from 1988-1989. His most significant contribution to the Club is that while he was President, the State introduced an Ad Tax bill which would have required agencies and media to charge a sales tax on their services.

Brian took the lead role and identified the group needed to fight this legislation. He raised over $40,000, allowing the organization to hire a lobbying group, Sullivan & Leshane, and tirelessly fought against this legislation. He was successful in defeating this bill.

Allied Printing is a leader in our industry, staying up with the latest technology to enable our industry to deliver high quality products. Allied has always been supportive of the Ad Club of CT, by having employees serve on our board, printing countless awards books, and even underwriting our commemorative wine glasses for our 80 th anniversary celebration. We have worked with three generations of the Sommers family and their commitment has always been strong.

Joe helps clients win in the toughest competitive arenas.

1. Brand positioning strategies. Get this right and you’re on your way to winning.

2. Presentation coaching. Avoid the seven most common presentation failures. This alone can give you a competitive edge.

3. Creative consulting. Out-create your competition. Beats trying to outspend them.

Some wins:

Co-founded Mintz & Hoke Advertising in Hartford CT. Won clients in virtually every category of B2B and consumer advertising. Mintz & Hoke became Connecticut’s largest agency.

After twenty-six years I sold it to the employees and co-founded Lawson & Hoke, a communications consulting firm.

Loretta Berry, born in Hartford in 1952, graduate from Noah Webster School in 1966, Mount ST Joseph Academy in 1970 then off to Colleges. Floundering through her college years and not having been known as a bright Scholar, she began her career in advertising with a few small ad agencies in Hartford area.

Berry landed a sales position with Griese Companies Inc, the outdoor advertising provider in Hartford, New London and Fairfield Counties CT and Westchester New York.

In 1981, Griese Companies sold properties in their various markets, when Loretta became an employee for 10 days with Patrick Media Group. Knowing it wasn’t a perfect fit, Berry “jumped in the entrepreneurial pool” and started her own firm, New England Outdoor Advertising, Inc. The start-up represented 13 New England based Outdoor Advertising companies. Her client base expanded, creating the need to establish relationships with Out-of-Home companies globally. The firm rebranded itself, becoming Out Of Home America, Inc. in the mid 80’s.

Throughout those 30+ years at the helm, Berry was the recipient of The 2003 Association of Entrepreneurial Woman of the Year, the 12 th Annual Connecticut Chapter Matrix Award for her outstanding contribution to the advancement of women in the communications field, The 2003 National Association of Women Business Owners Women of the Year along with being inducted into Inaugural Class of 2013 Advertising Club of Connecticut Hall of Fame.

In 1994, having spent 30 years in the Outdoor Advertising Industry, Berry was recruited to join the “elite” The New York Dinosaur Society, a group of the “Oldest” Outdoor Advertising owners throughout the United States — a club she’s still active with today.

Loretta sold her firm, Out of Home America, Inc in 2012. She now resides in Essex CT, summers on Block Island, RI and winters in St John, USVI. She has owned 5 Dalmatians over a 44-year span and is currently living with her 4-year-old Dal Freckles.

A results-oriented project manager/designer whose expertise in management, marketing, advertising, design, strategic planning, and relationship building has provided the ability to view creative projects not only from an emotional perspective but analytically as well.

Strengths in the areas of day-to-day operations and satisfying business requirements have enhanced a successful career. Consistently exceeding expectations while producing high quality results within compliance of project guidelines, budgetary parameters and restrictive deadlines. Management skills are based on sound performance and a background which stresses comprehension, motivation, organization and teamwork.

Specialties: Account & Project Management, Event Production & Management, Strategic Thinking & Planning, Team Building, Copywriting & Editing, Graphic Design.

As a leading marketing recruiter in Connecticut and Western Massachusetts for nearly four decades, including over 25 years as Founder and Chief Client Advocate of All the best PEOPLE® Inc., Diane worked closely with the area’s largest employers and marketing agencies to place hundreds of clients in careers in marketing, advertising, graphic arts, digital media, public relations, printing and publishing.

An original "Mad Man," Howard worked in NYC at Grey Advertising as a Creative Director and eventually came to work at Wilson Haight and Welch in Hartford CT. After a few years he opened his own advertising agency, Hirsch Advertising. Over the course of his career, Howard received numerous awards for television, radio and print advertising, including Advertising Man of the Year 1995-1996 by the Advertising Club of Connecticut.

Bill founded the agency back in 1988 in a Simsbury, Connecticut attic studio with gorgeous orange shag carpeting. A living example of the power of visualization, Bill posted a picture above his tiny drawing table of the diner he dreamed would one day serve as the centerpiece of his agency... an agency full of talented, like-minded people. Fast forward 25 years and the reality has even surpassed his vision. In recognition of those achievements, he was inducted into the Advertising Club of Connecticut Hall of Fame. 

Bill began his career as an art director for leading advertising agencies (including BBDO) and corporations (like The Hartford). He has an incurable sense of curiosity and loves delving into all kinds of businesses from healthcare to financial services to consumer brands. His biggest thrill is seeing his team turn an understanding of a client’s business into creative work that gets people to sit up and take action.

Irene Makiaris founded Makiaris Media in 1987. She has been in the communications industry for over 38 years, having specialized in media during service with several prominent Connecticut agencies. Irene has been awarded four EFFIE’S from the American Marketing Association for development of strategic media plans that generated results for its clients. Over the years, she has developed an exceptional portfolio of clients with local, regional and national marketing areas.

Lynette is an Agency Principal, Broadcast Buying, focused on broadcast campaign activation and negotiation, bringing success to clients while adding value well beyond their budget.

Lynette has been purchasing media for 47 years with Mintz + Hoke as well as for Media Only, partnering with outside creative agencies for media buying throughout New England, New York and beyond. With the broadcast buying experience in many major markets, Lynette builds respect with the media while negotiating the most cost efficient, quality programming and unique promotions for her clients.

She was inducted into the Inaugural Advertising Club of CT Hall of Fame Class of 2013 in recognition of her dedication and commitment to advertising.

Jeff Sobiech owns Richard Daley Photography, originally based in Hartford and now in New Britain. Jeff served as one of the Ad Club’s “official” photographers.

Founded in 1764, the Courant is the nation’s oldest continuously published newspaper in America and the state’s largest daily. Their mission is to deliver the truth every day, bringing you the stories that matter most to you, written without bias, so you can make informed decisions. The Courant’s Pulitzer Prize-winning journalism works to protect your interests; help you navigate your daily life and tell the stories that connect you with the communities where you live and work.