Overview

Company Summary

R&R Partners isn’t a noun, it’s a verb.  R&R is our name, and partners is the action we take.  R&R Partners is an independent team specializing in solving problems in audacious ways and going to absurd lengths to partner with our clients. In short, we do what’s necessary to help our partners achieve their goals, whatever they may be. We don’t shy away from taking on social issues and monumental tasks that transcend marketing because our people and our talents go beyond what you’d find at an ad agency.   We combine traditional agency services—strategy, creative, media, PR, social—with unique disciplines you might not expect—government affairs, community relations, activations and events, crisis consulting, connections planning and experience design systems. We start with the outcome and go to great lengths to surround our clients’ problems in a way no one else can.   Our independence and unique service offerings allow us to take on challenges others may avoid. From developing new tech and platforms through House of V (a wholly owned subsidiary of R&R Partners that operates on the cutting edge of AR/VR/MR technology and delivers immersive experiences designed to generate social commerce) to writing public statements for CEOs, bringing together company and community stakeholders and developing brand identities, transformational change is what we offer, and it often goes far beyond advertising—although we make great advertising too. As a result, we’ve helped launch some of the world’s most innovative companies, shaped public opinion, branded and rebranded companies to great proportions, literally moved professional sports teams, impacted pop culture (What happens here, stays here. Anyone?), and created literally billions of dollars in equity and value for our clients.   With a footprint in major markets across North America, yet a global span via our Worldwide Partners’ independent agency network, we never let location get in the way of producing the best work for our partners.    However, we are not an ad agency. We are agents of change for our partners. 50+ years strong. 

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Staff

Total Number of Employees

Office Employees: 201-500
Total US: 201-500
Total Worldwide: 201-500

Billy Vassiliadis
Chairman of the Board/Partner
Every CEO’s first call; Brand Marketer of the Year recipient; presidential campaign adviser; and die-hard Chicago Cubs, Bears, Hawks and Bulls fan. Eclectic consumer of news, music and entertainment. Listens to Usher and Bocelli. Watches crime thrillers, World War II movies and, of course, all sports. It’s good to be adult ADHD! Spontaneously creative and strategic, with the attention span of a 9-year-old. Loves research … the executive summary, strategic plans … in bullet points, and prefers one-pagers to essays. If you want a quick bottom line, call him!

Michon Martin
Chief Executive Officer /Partner
A sleek race car with only overdrive, a supersonic jet without flaps or a high-powered machine with no off switch. Michon’s entire existence is perpetual forward motion. Prosecuted sex offenders in San Francisco; became the right hand to the governor; helped establish Nevada’s same sex marriage laws; advised and helped organize F1 in Vegas; and became president of an ad agency? Fierce advocate, passionate defender, unbridled dreamer and a true force of nature. Her opening salvo to our team every morning? She doesn’t simply embrace the future – she charges into it. “Look out, y’all … I’m on fire!” Her answer to almost every question: “Of course we can do it!”

Matt Matzen
Chief Marketing Officer
Matt is dope, his most uttered accolade. You’d think someone of his background, managing director at OMD; responsible for $350 million in ad spend; or leading accounts like Hilton, Oakley and Activision, would be more of a traditional account guy. Or the leader of the lucrative and highly awarded Taco Bell account, and successfully leading the Pandora Music and Mattel pitches would be a “suit.” Instead, underneath his always slightly and ever present baseball cap, lies the brain of an atypical thinker and innovator. It takes an unconventional mind to propose that Las Vegas sponsor the entire WNBA Aces team. A city supporting these woefully underpaid athletes? In just one weekend, there were 2.4 billion impressions and a favorable response through the roof. Yup, it was dope.

Matt Mason
Chief Strategist/Partner
Strategic, focused and calm. Loves the serenity of camping and surfing on the Pacific Coast. This hyperactive team’s human stabilizer. The serene exterior belies a fierce competitor and an inspired entrepreneur. He co-founded a digital company cited by Fast Company as one of the fastest growing in the U.S. After joining R&R, Matt created V, a virtual, mixed and augmented reality shop that has secured top-tier relationships with Meta, Snapchat and TikTok, leading to work for Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, Starbucks and the NFL. But, he did it all … calmly.

Fletcher Whitwell
Chief Media & Publishing Officer
He really cares, just about everything and everybody … nonstop. Whether it’s traveling across the country to assuage a client’s concerns, going across town to help plan a fundraising effort for a charity, as our R&R Foundation board chair, or standing in blistering heat and wind to coach a Little League game … he’s there. From Starcom in Chicago to R&R in Vegas, Fletcher is a multiple award-winning media strategist, brand partnership builder and optimizer. He’s worked on brands ranging from Miller to Brand USA and, of course, Las Vegas. He builds extremely deep and valuable relationships with media outlets, platforms and channels for the agency, and most importantly for the clients. In fact, R&R was invited by Google, Meta, X, Pinterest and Pandora to engage in over 200 alpha and beta tests. How does he maintain the intensity to develop global integrated media strategy, launch an anti-bullying campaign and drive two kids to multiple after-school activities? Simple – he doesn’t sleep. Because he cares.

Amberlee Engle
Executive Vice President, Client Partnerships
Listen closely! She’s soft-spoken, but her words are powerful. As R&R’s leader of client servicing, she turned the word Partners in our name from a noun to a verb. While our major airline client was being torched on 60 Minutes, and the team was in damage control mode, she was focused beyond the moment. The very next week, our client broke its all-time record for single-day and single-week bookings. She was a key leader in bringing the Las Vegas Raiders, and soon to be Las Vegas A’s, to the city. And she led all the branding efforts igniting Puerto Rico’s miraculous comeback from hurricanes and COVID-19. So, whatever you do … Listen!

Arnie DiGeorge
Executive Vice President, Creative
A throwback and a futurist. Nostalgic and cutting edge. An expert in history and pop culture. A collector of shoes (hundreds), wine, books and memorabilia (junk). Brilliant creative writer, from slapstick to heart-tugging, tear-jerking prose. He has an innate ability to find, as he calls it, “the thing.” This enigmatic bundle led the legendary Las Vegas “What happens here, stays here.” brand creative. He wrote many of the award-winning executions and stayed true to the essence of “adult freedom.” He’s created for athletes such as Andre Agassi, and entertainers like Carrie Underwood. Call him for recommendations for the best new documentary; a new restaurant review; shoe trends; a moderately priced, but robust Cab; or better yet, if you’re looking for “the thing” for your brand.

Catherine Cole
Senior Vice President, Reputation Management & Corporate Communications
A human guard rail, an ultimate realist, yes, even a contrarian. Favorite question begins with “Did you consider?” That’s why she’s a master in crisis communication and reputation management. Catherine’s commitment to accuracy and verifiable truth ensures that a brand can contain damage and rebuild trust. Her objective professional approach is matched by her compassion and empathy, a balance that is required when protecting a business. She has been in the eye of many storms, leading real-time communication in the immediate aftermath of the 1 October mass shootings in Vegas. Managed COVID-19 outreach before and after, including shutdowns, testing, masking, vaxxing and reopening. She uses her incredible skill set across the brand development spectrum, from special events like Formula 1, to grand openings and new product introductions and brand launches.

Chuck Monn
Chief Creative Officer
Do not call Chuck and ask for an ad. Do call him if you need a problem solved or want to lean into an opportunity. Chuck convenes R&R’s best minds, from a crazy variety of backgrounds and asks, “What are we trying to solve here?” Whether it’s social, marcom, video or lobbying government, it will be smart and creative … and it will work. If the solution is advertising – no problem. Chuck worked for Lee Clow on famous work ranging from the International Olympic Committee to PlayStation. He moved on to Media Arts Lab, where he led global creative efforts for Apple iPad, iPhone and Mac. Awards? A few. Mac vs. PC, Adweek’s campaign of the decade; Cannes Grand Prix; One Shows … about 50 international creative awards. But, whatever you do – DO NOT call him and ask for an ad.

Michelle Mader
Executive Vice President, Business Operations
A jack-of-all-trades and a master of all. When determining the right seat on the bus, she just started driving the bus. An entire agency skill set rolled up into one very determined leader. She has overseen critical projects like the launch of the Las Vegas Raiders and the inaugural F1 race on the Vegas Strip. She can scope, launch and manage any client. Her work ethic is as unparalleled as her talents are diverse. The old lament that there aren’t enough hours in a day – for Michelle, there aren’t enough days in an hour. While leading agency operations, she spearheaded an effort to support women and people of color-owned businesses that work with R&R. The result? We were awarded the Rising Star Corporate Award and the Trailblazer of the Year Award by the Western Regional Minority Supplier Development Council. If that’s not enough, she can take on the room, drinking tequila shots in a Mexican cantina. Yes, there are witnesses. For much of the spring, she flies to the East Coast every weekend to watch her playoff-caliber daughter’s college softball team. But woe to the airline that doesn’t have Wi-Fi so she can work.

Richard Oldfield
Executive Vice President, Head of Strategic Planning
We were smitten with Richard immediately … he’s British, therefore sounds smart. And, of course, he is smart. He led Connections Planning for Wieden+Kennedy in Amsterdam, developing strategies for brands such as Heineken, Nike, EA Sports and Booking.com. Jumped across the pond joining Media Arts Lab as group strategy director. His collaborative and inclusive brand strategy approach led to remarkable work for the iPhone, Mac, iPad and the Apple TV launch. He not only has tremendous insight into cultural trends, consumer behavior and emotional connectivity, but he also distills it all into actionable plans. And, it sounds brilliant when he presents it because … he’s British.

Richard Oldfield
Executive Vice President, Head of Strategic Planning
We were smitten with Richard immediately … he’s British, therefore sounds smart. And, of course, he is smart. He led Connections Planning for Wieden+Kennedy in Amsterdam, developing strategies for brands such as Heineken, Nike, EA Sports and Booking.com. Jumped across the pond joining Media Arts Lab as group strategy director. His collaborative and inclusive brand strategy approach led to remarkable work for the iPhone, Mac, iPad and the Apple TV launch. He not only has tremendous insight into cultural trends, consumer behavior and emotional connectivity, but he also distills it all into actionable plans. And, it sounds brilliant when he presents it because … he’s British.

Kat Urban
Senior Vice President, Head of Production
Explorer. Discoverer. Wait!! You’ve heard these platitudes before. DO NOT stop reading! You HAVE NOT heard this story before. Kat, unaware, was whisked off by her parents from war torn Slovakia to Australia, by a family committed to a safe and better life for their children. First, to a refugee camp, then compelled to understand a new language, culture and, yes, life! And, she did.

Kat Urban
Senior Vice President, Head of Production
Explorer. Discoverer. Wait!! You’ve heard these platitudes before. DO NOT stop reading! You HAVE NOT heard this story before. Kat, unaware, was whisked off by her parents from war torn Slovakia to Australia, by a family committed to a safe and better life for their children. First, to a refugee camp, then compelled to understand a new language, culture and, yes, life! And, she did. Fascinated by the world of imagination and innovation, she sought the world of creativity in advertising. But, Kat, the daughter of an engineer, found herself in an industry of dreamers in conflict, with a world of realists. So … she decided to be the bridge. Again, migrating, this time to the USA, she sought and found the opportunity to translate very ethereal ideas to very imaginative execution. Only the heart of a creative and the mind of an engineer can become an award-winning producer. And, even now she explores and discovers. Yes, the platitudes do continue. Kat, her husband and dog seek untraveled paths and new wonders.

Mya Kelly
Vice President, People
Inclusive, fierce, passionate, judicious, confident, reserved, hip, inquisitive, maternal, irreverent, determined, open-minded, sensitive, determined, resolute, emphatic, understated, contemporary, nostalgic, focused, absorbing, discipline, innovative, sensitive, tolerant, strict, flexible, empowering, understanding, aspirational, realistic. Just a sample of the characteristics of the person R&R would trust to take care of our people. She can relate, accommodate, comfort and connect with the strange, diverse and assorted minds in her charge. Trust us, Mya has the professional bona fides, but most importantly, she gets us!

Justin Gilbert
Senior Vice President, Strategy & Insight
Poking around in people’s minds pleases Justin. A lot. And this soothsayer has an uncanny record of predicting the future for our clients’ success. With his own mind tuned to analytics, strategic planning and research, Justin forecasts trends in travel, tourism and hospitality, ensuring we’re always ahead of the curve. Before bringing his prophetic insights to R&R Partners, Justin honed his skills in the turbulent world of political campaigns. His foresight guided three election cycles to victory, including Barack Obama’s pivotal 2008 and 2012 presidential wins, and Senator Harry Reid’s legendary 2010 reelection. Now, Justin gazes into the future for our clients, guiding their strategic planning with a vision that’s as clear as it is accurate. From the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority to Anheuser-Busch, Norwegian Cruise Line and the Las Vegas Raiders, his predictions have been eerily on the money. So, we let him poke.

Nelson Araujo
Vice President, Community Affairs & Partnerships
“I’m a people person.” Not the most original answer to the question, Why do you want to be in our business? But Nelson actually is! He has an uncanny ability to connect an incredibly broad spectrum of people to a brand, a cause or an initiative. He builds, develops and grows communities in a common purpose and common interest. As a former state legislator, he created coalitions to pass laws. As a former chief of staff for a U.S. senator, Nelson managed constituencies from across the cultural, demographic and political spectrum. For R&R, he’s rallying diverse organizations to support the development of a new large-scale studio in Las Vegas, and building a communitywide coalition to welcome another major league sports team to Southern Nevada. In this era of remote work, virtual reality and artificial everything, connecting humans is the difference maker.

Lucky for us, and our clients … Nelson is a people person.

Nelson Araujo
Vice President, Community Affairs & Partnerships
“I’m a people person.” Not the most original answer to the question, Why do you want to be in our business?

But Nelson actually is! He has an uncanny ability to connect an incredibly broad spectrum of people to a brand, a cause or an initiative. He builds, develops and grows communities in a common purpose and common interest. As a former state legislator, he created coalitions to pass laws. As a former chief of staff for a U.S. senator, Nelson managed constituencies from across the cultural, demographic and political spectrum. For R&R, he’s rallying diverse organizations to support the development of a new large-scale studio in Las Vegas, and building a communitywide coalition to welcome another major league sports team to Southern Nevada.

In this era of remote work, virtual reality and artificial everything, connecting humans is the difference maker.

Lucky for us, and our clients … Nelson is a people person.

Mya Kelly
Vice President, People
Inclusive, fierce, passionate, judicious, confident, reserved, hip, inquisitive, maternal, irreverent, determined, open-minded, sensitive, determined, resolute, emphatic, understated, contemporary, nostalgic, focused, absorbing, discipline, innovative, sensitive, tolerant, strict, flexible, empowering, understanding, aspirational, realistic.

Just a sample of the characteristics of the person R&R would trust to take care of our people.

She can relate, accommodate, comfort and connect with the strange, diverse and assorted minds in her charge.

Trust us, Mya has the professional bona fides, but most importantly, she gets us!

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Clients and Brands

Client & Brands	Start Date
Allegiant Air Allegiant	01-01-2013
Boeing Boeing	01-01-2005
Las Vegas Raiders Raiders	01-01-2017
Discover Puerto Rico Discover Puerto Rico	01-01-2018
Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority (LVCVA) Las Vegas	07-01-1980

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Billings & Revenue

Billing / Revenue Ranges	Number of Clients
Billing < $1M and/or Agency Revenue < $200K	79
Billing > $1M and < $3M	15
Billing > $3M and < $5M	3
Billing > $5M and < $10M	1
Billing < $10M and < $25M	2
Billing < $25M and < $50M	1
Billing > $25M	1

Total Gross Media Placed by this Office
$301-500 Million

Allocation Percent of Media Placed by this Office
Local Broadcast: 18%
National Broadcast: 18%
Digital: 50%
Print: 2%
Out of Home: 12%

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Types of Services

Service Offering	Revenue
Advertising - General Market/ Traditional	15
Brand Consulting	10
Public Relations	8
Design	7
Business-to-Business	6
Media Planning	6
Media Buying	6
Social Media	5
Other	5
Marketing Data Analytics	5
Digital/Interactive | Blogging Discussion Forums, Community Building	5
Digital/Interactive | Website Development, Hosting, Monitoring	5
Multicultural | Hispanic/Latino	3
Corporate Communications	3
Digital/Interactive | Mobile and Wireless	3
Health Care	2
Event Marketing	2
Sports Marketing	2
Digital/Interactive | Search Engine Marketing	2

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Industry Experience

Retail
Aerospace
Technology | consumer electronics
Gambling | casinos
Non-profit, associations & public services
Financial services | Banking - Consumer
Public Relations
Education
Government | economic development
Food & Beverage | food
Telecommunications
Technology | communications
Financial services | insurance
Social Media
Travel | tourism
Travel | airlines
Healthcare | Hospitals, Healthcare Facilities, Medical Services
Travel | hotels & resorts
Media | broadcasting
Government | military & defense
Food & Beverage | soft drinks
Healthcare | managed care
Food & Beverage | alcoholic beverages
Entertainment & Culture | amusement parks
Restaurants
Technology | computer hardware & software
Government | political
Real Estate | buildings & construction

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