Lisa has 27 years of experience in Brand Development and Marketing. She founded Tollner Design Group in 1983, offering strategic identity services for large technology companies. Her goal was to address the needs of organizations seeking a partner with strategic expertise and integrated solutions to meet their marketing challenges. Prior to launching Cintara, she worked for several top Bay Area advertising agencies as creative director and marketing communications manager. She also experienced the client side as corporate communications manager, where she was responsible for the development and implementation of strategy and marketing communication.

In 1992, Lisa founded NameTrade, a professional naming company, which merged to form Cintara in 2000. Today, Cintara is a full-service branding agency offering the most essential marketing disciplines: Strategic Planning, Naming, Identity, Design, Interactive and Web, Advertising and Promotions, and Public Relations.

Lisa and her team have successfully launched over 100 new companies and products and have increased the brand power of many existing companies. Their client list includes Adobe, Logitech, HP, Microsoft, Iomega, Amtrak, Interop, BMI, SAC Capital, PeaceHealth, and municipal entities such the City of Sunnyvale, the City of Santa Clara, the San Jose Redevelopment Agency, and the San Jose Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Lisa is a member of American Advertising Association (AAA), American Institute of Graphics Arts (AIGA), Business Marketing Association (BMA), and Forum for Women Entrepreneurs (FWE), and is a presenter on strategy and branding.

Charlie has 30 years of experience as an advertising agency principal and EVP Creative Director. He has helped both national and international companies find and communicate their unique position and successfully communicate it across the entire spectrum of media from online to traditional media including TV, radio, print, collateral, and packaging. Major clients include Hewlett-Packard, Intel, IBM, Apple, GE, Sony, Radius, Adaptec, BNP Paribus, Bank of the West, United California Bank, BellSouth, Rocky Road Candy Bars, Standard Pacific Homes, Scotts Fertilizers, and The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.

He has also been an officer and board member of the Western Art Directors Club. AIGA has honored his work by placing it in their prestigious permanent collection in New York City. His work has garnered him more than 800 awards, placing him in an elite group of West Coast Creative Directors.

For over 25 years, Tom has created and implemented communications programs for many leading Silicon Valley companies. Client categories have included Internet communications, high technology, mass transportation, alternative energy, IT services, medical/health, and municipal power utilities. Tom’s diverse experience includes work as a TV sports director/anchor for a CBS affiliate, radio news anchor, and professional sports PR director. He was the co-founder and first executive editor of Soccer America magazine.

He has written, produced and directed films and video programs for technology, scientific, and government entities, and has won both Cindy and Joey awards for writing and excellence in film/video production.

Tom is a dedicated environmentalist and holds board positions on the non-profit League to Save Lake Tahoe (www.KeepTahoeBlue.org) which works to protect Lake Tahoe; the Tahoe Baikal Institute (www.TahoeBaikal.org), a 20-year-old scientific exchange program of graduate students between Russia, former USSR nations, and the United States; and the new Tahoe Fund, supporting projects associated with restoration, conservation and low-impact recreation in the Lake Tahoe Basin. Tom has been a presenter at San Jose State University and at U.S. and international conferences about environmental programs, organization and policy.

Michael Weissenfluh has more than 20 years in business and financial management, and understands the critical importance of marketing from a revenue-generating perspective, and the inherent importance of the branding as an integral element of a company’s overall market value. Prior to joining Cintara, he was a CPA for several successful entertainment organizations, as well as a Business Manager advising in negotiations, long-range planning, ROI analysis and promotional opportunities. He has taught college level accounting, finance, marketing, general business and computer applications both in the classroom and online. Michael has written numerous published articles and is currently writing “Rock Brand”, a book on the evolution and etymology of Rock Band Names and how they have (or have not) capitalized on their brand equity, and a textbook on Marketing Finance.

He has participated in over 300 branding projects and has managed successful campaigns for clients across the US and internationally. Michael has a BS in Business Administration, a MBA/TM (Technology Management) and is currently working on his Ph.D. in Marketing.

John Palacio has over 20 years in marketing management and business strategy. He supports Cintara clients with strategic brand consulting and account services, marketing and business consultation, and coordination with creative and strategic teams.

Prior to Cintara, John headed marketing departments for Mosaic Soft, a producer of knowledge management software for e-commerce, and Integrated Data Systems, a virtual reality software provider. John developed an International Marketing program for Mainland China under the auspices of the University of California. He has taught industrial, college and online courses in electronics, video engineering, virtual reality and sales and marketing. And as an expert in the convergence of computers and video products, John has been a consultant to such organizations as IBM, JPL, Pixar, SGI, and Walt Disney Company.