Executives in Residence

Mario Mercurio is senior vice president and general manager of the Franchise Business Unit (FBU) of Pepsi-Cola North America Beverages (PCNAB), PepsiCo's refreshment beverage division in the United States and Canada. Based in Somers, New York, he has direct accountability for delivering brand and marketplace goals and driving mutually profitable growth with the company's diverse network of independent bottlers. He reports to Al Carey, chief executive officer of PepsiCo Beverages Americas. A 30-year PepsiCo veteran, Mr. Mercurio is an experienced, accomplished and passionate sales leader with intimate knowledge of the bottling business, including both account coverage and marketplace development. The quintessential “people person,” he loves relationship-building, problem-solving and the dynamic, multidimensional aspects of his job, which allow him to learn something new almost everyday. Before assuming his expanded leadership post, Mr. Mercurio served as senior vice president of independent bottler relations for PCNAB's FBU. Instilling a spirit of partnership among both company-owned and independent bottlers, he has stressed more cohesive communications while focusing resources and simplifying go-to-market processes. He maintains those responsibilities today. Previously he was division vice president of sales for PCNAB, overseeing sales and marketing of Pepsi-Cola brands to retail trade customers in the eastern United States. He also has held several field positions, including business unit general manager for the Pepsi Bottling Group in both Southern California and Michigan. In 1999 he moved to corporate headquarters as vice president of national sales for PCNAB. Mr. Mercurio worked for Mobil Oil Corporation before joining PepsiCo in 1981. He earned a BS degree in business administration from the State University of New York at Oswego. He and his wife Susan, who is a graduate of Pace University, now live in Brewster, New York, with their daughter Alexandra. Their son Gregory lives and works in the Tucson area.

Bart is CEO of GroupM Business Science, North America. GroupM Business Science is the strategic unit of the company charged with developing a clear understanding of clients' businesses, defining their marketing challenges and creating a go-to-market strategy. His mission is to drive innovations in analytical techniques to help clients navigate the rapidly evolving media landscape and succeed through the use of key insights on the marketplaces in which they compete. Bart's expertise lies in helping business partners and clients understand how best to deploy their marketing, media and retail trade budgets to optimize sales and profit. He has long been a pioneer in the evolution of market research, championing a focus on actionable recommendations that drive measurable ROI. Prior to joining GroupM in 2007, Bart spent 10 years at PepsiCo, first working on the Tropicana business, then as head of the company's Analytic Best Practice Area, and finally running Pepsi's Strategy & Analytics Group. A catalyst in changing the role of market research in consumer product companies, he has been recognized for his forward thinking on the function of marketing in the retail environment. Twice in five years he was awarded the prestigious PepsiCo Chairman's Award, which honors and rewards individuals who have distinguished themselves as truly extraordinary and serve as an inspiration to others. Before joining PepsiCo, Bart worked in marketing research for Cadbury, where he had the opportunity to hone his consumer marketing skills and retail knowledge expertise. His first job with Kraft Foods in 1991 exposed him to the consumer retail marketing and merchandising business while working on some of the world's most recognized food and beverage brands. Bart is a graduate of the University of Connecticut.

As leader of the county's largest and fastest-growing business organization, Marsha Gordon brings more than 25 years of community, commerce and leadership experience to the Business Council. Since taking the helm in 2001, she and her team have increased the organization's membership from 500 to close to 1,000, many of whom credit Gordon's skill at forging intra-membership relationships for helping their businesses grow. A sought-after speaker, panelist and media expert, Gordon is widely considered the authority on economic development and business climate in Westchester. In 2010, she founded the Westchester Coalition for Business Development to focus on retention and attraction of jobs in the county. Recognized as a regional and statewide business leader, Marsha was asked in 2011 by Governor Cuomo to serve on his Mid-Hudson Regional Council – an initiative that brought $38 million dollars home to Westchester. She has spoken on legislative and regulatory issues at events throughout the Hudson Valley and meets frequently with legislators in Westchester, Albany and Washington. Marsha is the Westchester Chair of the Tappan Zee Bridge/I287 Futures Task Force, serves on the board of The Business Council of New York State, the Committee to Save New York, and the Workforce Investment Board, where she chairs the One-Stop committee.

Maria Fiorini Ramirez is president and chief executive officer of Maria Fiorini Ramirez, Inc. (MFR), the global economic consulting firm formed by Mrs. Ramirez in 1992 as the successor firm to Maria Ramirez Capital Consultants, Inc. (MRCC). The firm offers global economic consulting and investment advisory services to domestic and international clients, and through its securities subsidiary, manages three global open-end mutual funds in addition to investment portfolios for corporate clients. MFR's views and commentary on the world's financial markets, based on a unique blend of economic expertise and market intelligence, are closely followed in the U.S. and abroad. Mrs. Ramirez's assessment of the interaction between economic policy and political trends, and their effect on investments has led to worldwide recognition of the firm in financial, banking and economic circles. She is a sought after speaker at U.S. and international forums, a frequent guest on business-related television and radio programs, and a regular contributor to U.S. and foreign business publications. Mrs. Ramirez began her career in 1968 with American Express International Banking Corporation. She subsequently served as vice president and senior money market economist for Merrill Lynch, senior vice president and money market economist at Becker Paribas, and managing director and money market economist for Drexel Burnham Lambert before founding her own consulting firm in 1990. A member of many professional organizations including the Economic Club of New York, Mrs. Ramirez is a past president of the Money Marketers Club of New York. She is and has been on the Board of Directors of various institutions including Arlington Capital, London since 1991 and Statewide Financial Corporation in New Jersey since 1989. She serves on the Board of Regents at Saint Peter's College and is a member of the New York Futures Exchange and the Investment Policy Committee of Edward Jones in St. Louis. Mrs. Ramirez holds a BA in Business Administration and Economics from Pace University, where she also pursued post-graduate studies.

A panel discussion on race and diversity in corporate America. The discussion will focus on the past history of these issues, centered on the innovations made by Peps in the 1940s, as well as the current issues and challenges in 21st-century business. The Real Pepsi Challenge by Stephanie Capparell, senior special writer at The Wall Street Journal, documents the history of one of the first all-black sales team in corporate U.S. history that specifically marketed to black consumers. Capparell will be on the panel, as well as Julian Nicholas, who is one of the original members of the sales team. Nicholas has a special connection to Pace, as he was an undergraduate student in the 1940s and was president of the marketing club. Our third panelist will be Richard Zannino, CEO, Dow Jones, and our fourth panelist is Maurice Cox, Vice President of Corporate Development and Diversity at Pepsi-Cola Company. The Today Show's Al Roker will moderate the panel. Pepsi is celebrating the 60th Anniversary of the formation of this sales team, and this event will be the kickoff to the celebration.