Mason Tolman
A seasoned advertising and integrated marketing professional. He is a former senior vice president with Young and Rubicam (Y&R), one of the world's leading marketing communications companies.
During his 15-year career at Y&R’s flagship New York office, Mr. Tolman headed key account teams for the United States Postal Service and Philip Morris. For Philip Morris, he was the leader of an interdisciplinary team on new tobacco brand development and test marketing. His responsibilities also included the oversight of marketing programs for Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa. He developed strategies and executed campaigns that included advertising, direct mail, in-store and consumer promotions, package design and public relations.
Mr. Tolman was a member of the team that launched Advil over the counter and played key roles on many other packaged goods companies, including Kraft/General Foods, KFC, Dr. Pepper, Johnson & Johnson, American Home Products and Whitehall Laboratories. He is experienced in business-to-business categories working with AT&T, NYNEX, New York Telephone and Met Life.
He also was executive director of the Key West (FL) Innkeeper’s Association, where he increased association membership to record levels, developed marketing programs and worked with state and local government officials on issues related to the tourism industry.
In 2001, Mason returned home to the Capital Region, and since that time has successfully launched Sawchuk, Brown Associates’ marketing group, helped Zone 5, a graphics services company, become a truly full-service marketing communications company, and worked with Star Advertising and Promotion on sports and event marketing initiatives.
He has won Gold and Silver Effie awards, and Silver Anvil awards, for his marketing and public relations work for the U.S. Postal Service and its Olympic Sponsorship programs. Locally, he has won numerous local and national awards for his work on the Brighter Choice School Choice Project, the Regional Food Bank, and “We Are Tech Valley, We Are the Future,” on behalf of the Tech Valley Chamber Coalition and the Center for Economic Growth.
Mr. Tolman is a graduate of The Albany Academy (’78) and Kenyon College. He has served as vice president of public relations for the Capital Region Chapter of the American Marketing Association. He is a graduate of both the Capital Leadership and Leadership Monroe County (FL) programs. He also has served on the Albany Academy Trustee Marketing Committee and the board of directors of the Northeastern New York Chapter of the American Red Cross.
