Founder
Rick Platt
Rick has 30 years of retail, marketing, licensing and brand management experience in the apparel, home, accessory, sporting goods and fashion industries. Over the years, Rick has sourced and participated in the closing of several merger & acquisition transactions, including selling two companies to Iconix Brand Group.
Through his licensing career, Rick has been involved with the following brands:
The NFL, MLB, Sure Fit, Cannon, Royal Velvet, Fieldcrest, Charisma, Bugle Boy, Caribbean Joe, Ellen Tracy, Bombay, Linens N Things, Halston, Waverly, Bill Blass, DVS Action Sports, Heelys, William Rast, Carlos Falchi, Cloudveil, Clyde Mays, Revo, Emeril Lagasse and Field and Stream.
In the last 12 years, Rick has closed over 100 licensing deals involving over $1 Billion in sales with over 100 companies/brands.
Rick also has extensive international licensing experience, working with brands, distributors, international licensees and retailers such as Asda, House of Fraser, Sports Direct, asos.com, JD Sports, P&K, Coin, John Lewis, Sunglass Hut International, TRU, Manor, yoox.com and QVC Europe.
Prior to re-forming Brand Matter, Rick was a Division President of Sequential Brands Group (Nasdaq “SQBG”), President and founder of Brand Matter, (which was merged into Sequential Brands Group in 2013), President of the Waverly Division of NexCen Brands (sold to Iconix Brand Group: Nasdaq "Icon") and Managing Director/President of Pillowtex (sold to Iconix Brand Group). Prior to that, Rick was Senior Director of Retail Marketing at NFL Properties and Retail Marketing Director of MLB Properties. Rick started his career in retail, at the G. Fox Division of May Company and subsequently an executive at Ames Department Stores. Rick graduated from Johnson and Wales University with a B.S. in Business Administration and an A.S. in Marketing.
Fashion and luxury
Maura James
Maura comes to us with over 30 years of experience in retail merchandising, store management, marketing and managing large diverse teams of executives. Maura's career started as a buyer in Bloomingdales. From there, she went to May Company and held increasingly larger roles in Stores, starting as a General Manager of the flagship downtown store for G. Fox, progressing to the VP/GM role at the largest Mat Company branch store. G. Fox in West Hartford, Ct.
Maura then progressed to become Regional VP of stores for all of Connecticut and New York. In 2005, with the integration of May Company into Macy's, Maura became SVP Regional Manager for all of the New England and New York Macy's Home business.
In 2007 Maura was promoted to become SVP Merchandise Marketing at Macy's Home, managing all Home Marketing, as well as storewide and lease allocations. Maura retired from Macy's in 2011 and became worldwide President for the Carlos Falchi brand, working closely with Carlos on marketing, licensing and retail strategy. Maura joins Brand Matter with a focus on building strategic Marketing, Retail and Licensing initiatives for our luxury brand clients.
Marketing & Business Development
Lisa Schein
Ms. Schein has over a dozen years of experience as a brand strategy, licensing, and marketing professional, focusing on both established and emerging brands in fashion, accessories and the home retail space. Her areas of expertise include brand strategy & brand management, licensing, brand awareness and growth. She focuses on the creation of brand architecture, creating and implementing 360º marketing strategies, as well as conceptualizing and executing all necessary steps required to accurately lead a brand towards the commercial realization of its potential. As brand awareness relevant to niche markets lies at the core of Ms. Schein’s responsibilities, she has a strong understanding of the individual requirements needed for a brand to develop and expand successfully.
marketing
Liz Mandracchia
A multifaceted marketing/advertising professional with a thirty year proven record of impact spanning strategic branding initiatives, consumer research, integrated marketing, creative development and effective business development.
A strategic, consumer focused marketer with expertise delivering marketing direction and actionable business intelligence to a variety of brands in the home, fashion, retail, healthcare, education and consumer packaged goods industries.
As a strategic thought leader and insight generator, Liz had conducted numerous quantitative/qualitative research studies focused on the discovery of unique consumer learning to position brands for success.
Business Development
Brenda Palmer
Ms. Palmer is a business consultant specializing in brand development, business extensions and licensing. A market leader with accomplishments ranging from Luxury and Contemporary to Mass Markets, Ms. Palmer brings the unique combination of putting together deals and remaining with brands with the goal of maximizing the business. She is an expert negotiator and an evaluator of acquisitions. With a comprehensive background in product development she has a keen understanding of the marketplace and brand value. Her career began with a department store and eventually she moved to wholesale merchandising in accessories. After stints at Ralph Lauren, Liz Claiborne, Jordache and Coach she joined Nautica as VP of domestic and international licensing before becoming VP of Marketing, Licensing and International Distribution for Reebok’s Greg Norman division. Before starting her own consultancy Ms. Palmer was Vice President of Kellwood Company, a leading manufacturer with a diverse brand portfolio including Vince, Rebecca Taylor, David Meister, ADAM, XOXO, Sag Harbor and Baby Phat. Since 2012 Ms. Palmer has consulted on licensing, branding and business development with a variety of clients including John Varvatos, Capezio, Jessica Simpson, Jessica McClintock, Anne Klein, Milly, Alpha Industries. Ms. Palmer is a member of The Fashion Group International and since 2008 has served on the Regional Directors’ Conference Committee. Since 2011 she has been a judge of Senior Capstones Presentations at LIM College. Ms. Palmer has been on the NYC Gala committee for Foundation Fighting Blindness since 2012, co-chairing in 2016 and 2017.