DAVID J. DE PINTO, PARTNER

DAVE DE PINTO is a founding partner of De Pinto Morales Communications, Inc. (DMCI), a firm specializing in brand and consumer marketing, corporate communications, business-to-business media relations, public affairs, and ethnic/community marketing. Dave is most notably a senior marketing and corporate communications strategist, with extensive experience in strategic marketing for large corporations, entrepreneurial companies, government agencies, political campaigns, and complex land use and real estate development projects. A sample of clients currently or recently served by DMCI includes Waste Management for marketing, public relations and complex land-use and issues management; AT&T Wireless for marketing and local government relations; Plains Exploration and Production Company (PXP) for crisis communications and government and community relations; Kohl’s and Clearman’s Restaurants for market development, community relations and government relations; Options for Youth (OFY) and Opportunities for Learning (OFL) Charter Schools for corporate communications; the City of Alhambra for branding, marketing, public relations and economic development; the University of Southern California for crisis communications, and the San Diego County Water Authority for strategic planning and government relations.

Prior to founding his own firm in June 2001 along with long-time business colleague Bob Morales, Dave was President and Chief Executive Officer for San Diego-based Stoorza Communications, a leading independent public relations consulting company in California. Dave was a member of the firm’s board of directors. He directed the management, staff and operations of the company’s consumer, public affairs, marketing, technology, healthcare and real estate practices, as well as its offices in San Diego, Los Angeles, Sacramento, Riverside and Fresno. The firm had annual revenue in excess of $10 million during his tenure, with nearly 100 employees. Dave’s principal consulting responsibilities during this period included clients City National Bank, Gateway, ideaEDGE Ventures, and Waste Management.

Dave’s professional experience encompasses the corporate, entrepreneurial, consulting, governmental and political worlds. His specialty is leadership of comprehensive marketing and issue management campaigns on behalf of clients in the following industries: food and beverage, retail, hospitality, entertainment, technology, healthcare and environmental services. Dave possesses extensive executive counseling and strategic planning experience in special corporate situations such as mergers, acquisitions, company and product launches, branding, restructuring and crises.

From 1994-1999, Dave was a global partner for Ketchum and directed the company’s Los Angeles and Sacramento offices. His major clients included Packard Bell, NEC, Vivendi/US Filter, Fluor Corporation, Mattel/Barbie, Knotts Berry Farm, the Olympic Torch Relay, the New Los Angeles Marketing Partnership, Acura Automobiles and Raging Waters Theme Park. Dave also served as executive vice president of Pacific/West Communications Group, a Los Angeles-based issues management and public relations firm. While there, he spearheaded marketing, public relations and issues management campaigns for clients such as Food 4 Less Supermarkets, McDonalds, the City of Los Angeles, Metrolink and Waste Management, and also built the firm’s highly regarded public education and environmental affairs business unit.

Dave’s corporate background includes serving as director of marketing, public relations and public affairs for Coca-Cola Bottling Company of Los Angeles (CCLA), formerly the nation’s largest soft drink bottler. During Dave’s tenure, CCLA was acquired by Beatrice Foods/Hunt-Wesson, and Dave worked closely with marketing and public relations personnel at both companies on numerous international food brands. He achieved a distinguished record of marketing innovation, sales growth and community leadership in both general and ethnic markets for Coca-Cola. Dave was instrumental in the launches of new products such as Cherry Coke, New Coke, Fanta and Minute Maid soft drinks. Dave also was integrally involved with Coca-Cola’s sponsorship of the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles, and directed Coca-Cola’s marketing partnerships with theme parks, sports and entertainment venues, professional sports franchises, major sporting events, and major universities throughout southern California.

Prior to beginning his corporate and consulting career, Dave worked in numerous national and statewide political campaigns in his home state of New Jersey. He later worked in key staff positions for the state’s Governor, Attorney General, Deputy Commissioner of Labor and Industry, and Commissioner of Education.

Through his corporate, political and philanthropic activities, Dave has developed a community service specialty in the areas of early childhood development, education and youth employment. Dave is a recipient of the City of Los Angeles “Mayor’s Apple Award”, given to businesspersons making significant contributions to youth and education in Los Angeles. Of note, Dave consulted to the City of Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Unified School District and the Community Redevelopment Agency of Los Angeles in the formation of the LA’s BEST after-school enrichment program, and developed the name and identity for the program. As a board member of the Los Angeles Education Partnership, Dave recently completed a pro bono branding and identity program for the non-profit organization whose programs target urban schools and the neediest students. The project led to the successful re-branding and re-positioning of the foundation as the Urban Education Partnership.

Dave has received numerous professional awards and recognition, including two Public Relations Society of America’s (PRSA) prestigious Silver Anvil Awards for public relations campaigns on behalf of his clients, the 1996 Olympic Games Torch Relay and Knotts Berry Farm Theme Park. Dave received his M.B.A. from the University of Southern California in 1984, with concentrations in marketing and entrepreneurship. He obtained his B.A. degree from Brown University in 1977, majoring in Political Science. While at Brown, Dave competed on four Ivy League champion soccer teams, including two teams that reached the NCAA semi-final championship game.

Dave is a member of and serves on a variety of civic and community boards of directors, including the Urban Education Partnership, the Los Angeles Unified School District Adopt-A-School Council, Town Hall Los Angeles, the Shadow Hills Property Owners’ Association, the St. Francis High School Booster Club, and the Crescenta Youth Sports Association.

Dave’s hobbies include outdoor athletics such as running, skiing and golf, and he manages several elite amateur baseball teams for youth aged 9-15 throughout Southern California. Dave and his wife Beatrice have two sons, Joseph and Vincent, and live in Los Angeles, California.