Ms. Rhonda Harper has 35-years of experience, 18 of them in litigation cases.
Ms. Rhonda Harper, MBA
Ms. Harper has:
- been retained by hundreds of law firms
- provided testimony more than one hundred times
- conducted thousands of research studies
- assisted in cases that garnered more than $100 million for clients in awards and settlements
- led Fortune 100 marketing departments
- taught college marketing and research as an adjunct professor
Experience
Expert Witness
Ms. Harper has been retained by hundreds of law firms, many of which has engaged her for multiple projects. She has provided courtroom testimony in cases involving trademark and trade dress infringement, misleading and false advertising, licensing, defamation, commercial reasonableness, breach of contract/performance, and marketing.
Ms. Harper has also provided testimony for both the prosecution and defense in criminal trials for offenses ranging from fraud to murder.
Ms. Harper has provided litigation consulting and research services in virtually every Federal Circuit, along with State Courts, JAMS, AAA, TTAB, and the FTC.
Fortune 500 Senior Executive
Ms. Harper is a former Walmart Officer and Chief Marketing Officer for Sam's Club where she notably launched the field of Shopper Marketing. Ms. Harper previously served as Chief Marketing Officer for VF Corp/Vanity Fair Intimates. In each of these positions she led global responsibility for corporate strategy, marketing, branding, research/insights, in-store merchandising, creative services, advertising, promotion, product innovation, trade marketing, and communications.
Ms. Harper is also the former Global Marketing Communications Director for UPS, where she launched UPS My Choice. She was also a General Manager and Senior Vice President for Ketchum public relations, responsible for the southern half of the United States.
Ms. Harper began her career with executive roles in brand management, marketing, strategy, and promotion with Nabisco Biscuit (e.g., Oreo, Ritz, Triscuit) and Warner-Lambert (e.g., Listerine, Lubriderm, Benadryl, Zantac).
Management and Marketing Consultant
Ms. Harper led RTM&J, an organic growth strategy boutique consultancy she founded, for nearly 10 years. Select projects include:
- Global Web Strategy, IBM
- Private Brand Strategy, The Home Depot
- Brand Repositioning, HSN
- Retail Strategy, The Coca-Cola Company
- Innovation/New Product Pipeline, Tyson Foods
- Cereal Platform, Kellogg's
- Multicultural Roadmap, Target
- Brand Positioning, Russell Athletic Company
- New Product Commercialization, SC Johnson
- Segmentation & Communication Strategies, Arby's
- Hispanic Marketing, Papa Johns
- User Experience, Washington Mutual / Chase
- Marketing Strategy, Cancer Treatment Centers of America
Serial Entrepreneur
Ms. Harper founded Penrose Check-In Services, the first company to visit seniors, assess their well-being, and report to families. Associates used the Penrose proprietary app to assess 150 items across 7 quality-of-life factors: well being, safety, comfort, cleanliness, maintenance, supplies, and caregiver observations.
Ms. Harper received many industry accolades for Penrose, including:
- Winner, North American Finalist 2017, Cartier Women's Initiative (a global business case competition co-sponsored by McKinsey & Co.)
- Winner, AARP Innovation@50+ 2016 Best Start-up for Seniors (national award)
- Winner, 2016 Dallas 100
- Winner, American Geriatrics Society Top 15 Start -Up Firms 2016 (national award)
Ms. Harper also co-founded Leadership Worth Following, a premier leadership identification and coaching firm in Dallas, Texas, and served on its Board of Directors for eight years.
Adjunct MBA Professor and Author
Ms. Harper earned an MBA from Emory University Goizueta Business School in 1988 and a BS in Education/Math Resource from Illinois State University in 1984.
Ms. Harper taught high school math as well as college and graduate school marketing and research at American University and Fairleigh Dickinson University. She was a frequent guest lecturer at the College of William and Mary and, for nearly 10 years, she served as an MBA Case Competition judge for Emory Goizueta Business School's annual program.
Ms. Harper has been a guest speaker at leading universities including Harvard Business School, Johns Hopkins, and Emory University. She has been a paid corporate speaker for many trade associations, including the American Marketing Association and the Institute of International Research, as well as leading companies such as Nielsen and Eli Lilly.
Ms. Harper has authored two books, Seeking Joy: The Real Truth About Work/Life Balance and Y Story: The Real Truth About Gen Y and What it Means for Marketers.
Affiliations
Ms. Harper has served as a member of the Boards of Directors of:
- Brand Activation Association
- Insights Association
- Emory University Goizueta Business School Alumni Association
- Leadership Worth Following
Ms. Harper is a member or former member of:
- Insights Association
- International Trademark Association
- Data & Marketing Association
- American Marketing Association
- Institute of International Research
- American Association for Public Opinion Research
- Public Relations Society of America
- American Bar Association
Note: During Ms. Harper's employment at Walmart Sam's Club and VF Corporation VFI the term "Chief Marketing Officer" did not exist. She was, however, a corporate officer for both corporations and held the corporations' top marketing posts.