March 10, 2017

To Whom it May Concern,

I write this recommendation for Doug Klein with great joy. I have worked with, and known, Doug for close to twenty years as we both developed and honed our skills as brand builders and marketers through unfolding opportunities, entrepreneurial ventures and great work.

Today I run a brand building agency and am also a professor at Stanford University and, stated simply, I look to Doug as an inspiration and source for what is right, innovative, rigorous and imaginative in a world of marketing that shape shifts continuously.

Doug is someone blessed with deep intellect and emotion and brings to his view of the responsibilities of companies to their customers both an ability to litigate ideas and practice whilst engineering ideas into reality that are at their very core true customer centric solutions. He is a passionate believer in the role of data to enable the potential of creating differing depths of relationships and connection with both prospects and customers so that a classic definition of marketing as the acquisition, retention and management of marketing can be given a timeless and modern interpretation though a full arsenal of marketing strategic and tactical initiatives. He understands the intertwinement of brand experience with customer journey and user experience so that clients and partners are served through his viewpoint, which is always beautifully communicated, in a grounded, engaged and conscious manner. He is then able to turn things into action because he is a really professional project manager.

There are only a few like Doug Klein who navigate the world of marketing anchored to personal values and beliefs which sees the role of brand, commerce and business being that of the promise, delivery and measurement to do good, to do right, to do well and to always continuously look to the horizon to what is new, worthy and valid. Wherever Doug is business will flourish, people will be developed, goals will be met and opportunities will be discovered.

Yours faithfully,

Edward Leaman

March 9th, 2017

To Whom it May Concern,

I am writing this letter to serve as a reference and background on my experience working with Doug Klein.

I have been involved in a number of computer and bio-tech start up companies in Silicon Valley during my career. The last two companies were created from the ground up, in terms of the product which involved Artificial Intelligence being utilized to do diagnostic impressions for patients suffering from various ailments.

In both of these companies, we issued RFP’s to marketing and media agencies, to create the brand, strategy, logo, marketing plan and social media footprint. The RFP process and the responses we received, provided us vital input from multiple vendors. In both instances Doug Klein’s creative and innovative work stood out.

In every instance Doug helped us realize our goals. His background in high tech innovation of products and conveying that into a marketing campaign was crucial. This was extremely important from the creation of a logo, to branding and delivering on the marketing campaign.

Doug’s background in all these areas, helped us to create a professional company, website, image and product. Doug’s work and experience stood out way beyond the other provider’s RFPs.

His background in brand storytelling innovation of an idea into a digital strategy was instrumental in conveying a technical AI product to be relevant to potential patients.

Doug knows how to ask the right questions, and values understanding a customer/client’s needs. He is able to understand the high level of needs, but also implement the actual work.

Doug also understands how to uncover challenges a start up might have, and document them, and create an innovative creative plan of action to accomplish certain goals. He provided way more than marketing, and branding, his experience and communication skills, made him a joy to work with.

Kind Regards,

Angelina Neglia
CEO Engage4Life

9-Mar-2017

To Whom It May Concern:

It is with great delight that I am writing this letter of reference for Doug Klein.

Professionally, Doug has helped Conteneo focus and hone our core messaging through the application of innovative frameworks and processes. As a customer, I found that Doug easily alternated between the various postures that are needed for strategic insight. Sometimes he simply listened to our team as we grappled with key concepts. Sometimes he challenged our thinking, pointing out inconsistencies and fuzzy concepts. And sometimes he led us to new perspectives that created high impact results.

As a thought leader, Doug has gave a well-received keynote at one of Conteneo’s conferences, where helped others improve the effectiveness of their innovation processes.

Philanthropically, Doug has been a supporter of Every Voice Engaged Foundation, our 501(c)3 non-profit sister organization dedicated to using collaborative frameworks to increase civic engagement. A leader in the Participatory Budgeting and Deliberative Decision Making, we are thankful to the contributions that Doug has made to EVEF.

I believe that Doug brings a unique blend of capabilities and would a strong asset to any cross-functional innovation team.

Best Regards,

Luke Hohmann
Founder and CEO, Conteneo, Inc.
Co-Founder and Managing Director, Every Voice Engaged Foundation
Former Board Member, Agile Alliance
Producer of Collaboration at Scale, a joint webinar series with the Scrum Alliance

Author of:
• Journey of the Software Professional
• Beyond Software Architecture
• Innovation Games: Creating Breakthrough Products Through Collaborative Play
• How to Prioritize a Project Portfolio

March 8, 2017

To Whom It May Concern:

I am writing on behalf of Doug Klein. Doug has made a significant contribution to our University and to our College. At California Polytechnic State University at the Orfalea College of Business he has done faculty advising, he guided the Marketing Department in developing an Integrated Marketing Communications Minor Program, he is frequently a guest lecturer in a variety of classes, was an Executive in Residence, and is a personal mentor to a variety of students. In addition, he has made an incredible contribution to my student’s experiences in the classroom. He does all this on his own time without compensation. He is very much appreciated for his efforts.

As far as enhancing my student’s experience in the classroom, Doug has brought many of his agency’s clients to my class with their permission and let the students work on their projects for a school term. This brings our University’s mantra of Learn by Doing to life for the students. The student’s (both undergraduate and graduate) get real world experience working with an agency client thanks to Doug. He works with the students on meeting client objectives, getting the customer’s attention, interest, creating desire, and calling the customer to action with effective content and the necessary creative. He has amazing ideas and has the ability to bring out great ideas from the students. Doug has a great rapport with the students. He is very funny and speaks to them at their level and they love him. He has the ability to tell stories that engage his audience and instill his audience with confidence in what he is saying. He is a great storyteller. This is evident in both instructional situations and in creative situations.

I admire that Doug is a life long learner. He is always learning keeping up with the latest technologies, innovations, trends and new ideas. I really don’t know how he does it. This results in a very interesting individual who works very hard and would make a significant contribution to your organization.

If you would like any additional information regarding Doug please contact me at jlindsey@calpoly.edu or on my cell phone at 1-805-550-0134. It has been my pleasure to share my thoughts regarding Doug.

Sincerely,

Joan Lindsey-Mullikin
Professor of Marketing
Director of Research
Orfalea College of Business