CEO TRANSLATION CONSULTING AND BRAND IMAGING
Why he’s hot: Stephen Stoute understands the value of the celebrity sell. The former record executive has connected Beyoncé with Tommy Hilfiger, Jay-Z with Reebok, and Gwen Stefani with Hewlett-Packard. Moves such as these have put Stoute at the forefront of a new field called entertainment marketing. For Reebok, the celebrity sell was a good fit. The athletic shoe manufacturer launched the S. Carter Collection by Rbk in April 2003. The global introduction of the collection was met with strong consumer demand and became the fastest-selling shoe in Reebok’s history. Such successes have made Stoute’s company, Translation Consulting and Brand Imaging, one of the hottest firms to hit Madison Avenue. In the late 1990s, Stoute partnered with advertising exec Peter Arnell to launch marketing agency PASS, with a client roster including DaimlerChrysler, Reebok, Jose Cuervo, and McDonalds. When the venture was sold, Stoute got the idea for Translation: “How could Fortune 500 companies communicate with consumers in an authentic manner that didn’t rely on formatted media? That was the premise.” Hooking celebrities up with corporate giants takes more than a hot Rolodex. It requires an understanding of the market as well as excellent timing, instincts, and execution—and Stoute has proven he’s got what it takes. Among Stoute’s other accomplishments: assembling an all-star group that included Will Smith, Jada Pinkett Smith, and Jay-Z to invest a collective $10 million in Carol’s Daughter, a Brooklyn-based beauty, health, and haircare business. Stoute remains a partner in that business. AGE: 36
BRIAN PARKER, VP, Emerging Markets & New Business Development CHOICE HOTELS INTERNATIONAL
Why he’s hot: Brian Parker is the youngest and the first and only African American vice president at Choice Hotels International. In just two years, he has grown the number of African American and Hispanic-owned Choice hotel owners from one to 30. “African Americans spend $40 billion annually in the lodging industry but owned less than 1% of the hotels,” says Parker about the landscape of minority-owned hotels before he got involved. And before Parker became a force in minority business development, he created and ran the sports marketing division for Choice hotels, which currently generates more than $20 million annually. AGE: 30
DONALD M. REMY Senior VP & Deputy General Counsel FANNIE MAE
Why he’s hot: Donald Remy, a New Orleans native, was assigned the task of coordinating Fannie Mae’s response to the recent Gulf Coast disaster. While working with the company’s Housing and Community Development Division, “we developed a strategy to distribute retail-owned foreclosed properties through HUD and FEMA.” In 2002, Remy was appointed the first chief compliance officer. He has also served as a Pentagon lawyer and a captain in the U.S. Army, holding various positions, including special assistant to the deputy unders
ecretary of defense. AGE: 38
H. PHILIP SALMON, Vice President, Corporate Treasurer METLIFE
Why he’s hot: H. Philip Salmon is the man behind a legendary merger. This past July, he helped MetLife complete its purchase of Traveler’s Life & Annuity from Citigroup. By leveraging the power