Trier and Company

Trier and Company is a strategic communications consultancy working exclusively with technology companies. Our mission is to assist companies in gaining the visibility necessary to succeed in today's highly competitive market through strategic public relations and corporate communications programs.

Trier and Company was founded in February of 2001 by Beth Trier, a former journalist and a recognized public relations executive, to provide corporate communications services to a select group of leading technology and venture capital companies. The firm counsels private and public technology companies, both start-ups and established entities. We provide a small, select group of clients with highly personalized counsel that integrates measurable attitude transformation with significantly increased visibility on a consistent basis.

Trier and Company designs flexible PR programs to meet the needs of the client at each stage of their development. We can develop a full PR program or we can work on a project basis. Our areas of expertise focuses primarily on customer marketing and vertical marketing campaigns.

Trier and Company works with each client to determine the scope and activities associated with the specific PR goals and objectives.

Beth Trier
Managing Director

Beth Trier is Managing Director at Trier and Company, focusing on strategic positioning and new business development. With more than 20 years of experience in strategic communications, specifically dealing with technology clients, both start-ups and established enterprises. Her area of expertise within the technology sector includes: enterprise software, financial services, security, Web 2.0 and consumer.

Prior to Trier and Company, she was Vice President of Corporate Communications at North Systems, a software provider of Multi-Channel eBusiness solutions. As VP of Corporate Communications, her responsibilities included creating and executing external and internal communications strategies, product launches, analyst and press coverage, customer marketing programs, vertical markets programs development, and expanded corporate web site and external collateral materials.

On the agency side, prior to North Systems, Beth was Vice-President in the Technology Practice for Burson-Marsteller, the world's largest public relations agency. She was client leader for AltaVista, BEA Systems/Weblogic, Xerox (Document Software Group), DigitalThink, Documentum, Agilent, and Sun Microsystems International. At Burson, She played a lead role in developing the agency's new business initiatives in Silicon Valley, growing the Emerging Technology Group from 2 team members to a group of 13 and generating yearly revenues at 3.5M.

Before joining Burson, she was Senior Account Supervisor at Lois Paul & Partners, a leading public relations firm specializing solely in technology. Clients included such Fortune 100 companies as Sybase, Powersoft, Lotus, Hypercom Corporation, Shiva, Tivoli and SMART Technologies. She was responsible for driving the global corporate positioning and product launches for several start-ups including OMNIS Software, iChat Technologies and DASCOM. Additionally, she handled the opening and staffing of three new satellite offices for Lois Paul & Partners in Asia Pacific (Singapore) and Europe (London and Brussels).

Prior to working with public relations agencies, she spent several years as a media relations consultant to various technology and financial companies, responsible for products launches of such products as Apple's ‘Open Doc', ‘Claris' ‘E-Mailer' and Schwab's ‘Street Smart'.

From 1979-1987, Ms. Trier was an editor at the San Francisco Chronicle, covering the retail business market, both domestically and internationally.

David Baily
Investor Relations Consultant

Formerly a stockbroker with Merrily Lynch, David is a well-known investor relations professional exclusively for technology companies. His area of expertise is investor relations marketing, investor relations communications and crisis communications. With such clients as PeopleSoft, SAP and Logica, David brings a global approach to IR to Trier and Company. In the days of the dot com, when IPO's were as ordinary as a morning latte, he worked with emerging technology companies including Mediaplex, Digital Think, CMGI, Roadhouse and Mastermind. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Stanford and Masters of Business from UC Berkeley.

Valerie Beaudett
Director - Public Relations
Trier and Company

Valerie Beaudett has a experience that spans a broad spectrum of marketing functions including marketing communications, public relations, analyst relations, customer reference programs, channel marketing and product marketing for technology companies. Her broad spectrum of experience enables her to focus on strategic public relations with a clear understanding of her clients' business and strategic marketing. She has over 15-years of marketing communications and public relations experience working with high technology clients and non-profit organizations. Her focus has been primarily in enterprise software including business intelligence, security and networking, working with companies such as PeopleSoft, Hyperion, Movaris, McAfee, IronPort, Mirapoint, Network General, Riverbed, SonicWall and Synopsys.

Prior to joining Trier and Company, Valerie worked in the corporate communications group for Hyperion, a provider of Business Performance Management software. Her role at Hyperion was product public relations which encompassed product launches, media relations, writing and thought leadership platforms for Hyperion's technical executives. While at Hyperion, Valerie built solid media relationships and was able to significantly increase the product coverage. Prior to Hyperion, Valerie worked for Ingrian Networks, a provider of secure encryption technology where she was responsible for creating and executing strategic public relations programs. Valerie has worked in both enterprise and start-up environments and has experience in messaging, positioning and product launches in addition to her public relations experience.

Valerie holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communications and Pre-Law from San Francisco State University. She has also attended public relations courses at NYU online.

Sam Curley
Senior Director, Consumer Media
Trier and Company

Sam Curley has a passion for developing strategic and creative communications programs, and a track record for delivering stellar results. With nearly a decade of experience managing an array of multi-faceted programs, Sam's experience includes nearly 10 years of consumer public relations and marketing communications experience in corporate and agency environments.

With Trier and Company, Sam's current role focuses on consumer branding initiatives, where she works with technology clients to translate business goals into media opportunities. She has successfully booked features with highly coveted consumer-focused national outlets including The Today Show, Martha Stewart, InStyle, Men's Journal, PC Mag, NY Times, Family Circle, Wired, and a multitude of regional consumer publications.

Prior to working with Trier & Company, Sam worked with Weber Shandwick as an account supervisor, where she counseled clients on media strategy and set the direction for various programs by identifying new media targets and maintaining high-level media contacts in multiple industries for clients such as: Charles Schwab, Hitachi Home Electronics, Microsoft, Peet's Coffee & Tea, and Wild Oats Markets, among others.

Sam received a BS in Public Relations at Boston University. In 2001, her work on Peet's Coffee & Tea's IPO campaign was nominated for the gold S.A.B.R.E. award in the IPO category.

David Emanuel
Director - Brand Strategy
Trier and Company

David Emanuel excels in setting brand communications strategies that resonate with influential constituencies backed by a successful track record of program management with hands-on implementation. He successfully distinguishes brand and spokesperson messaging, has developed and launched consumer and enterprise products, media tours, executive changes, crisis anticipation and response with PR agencies, startup technologies, public and private companies, as well as international organizations such as Olympic Committees. He has traveled the world as Press Chief for the ATHENS 2004 Olympic Torch Relay, and previously directed PR and media operations for the Atlanta 1996 Olympic Torch Relay.

At AltaVista Company, a pioneer in search technology, David was global director of public relations and financial communications. His career in communications began at Ketchum Public Relations, working on behalf of clients, such as the California Raisins, Genentech and Galoob Toys. Most recently, he consulted for the Wells Fargo Consumer Credit Group for internal and external products and issues. He holds a BA degree in communications from California State University, Chico.

Pamela Herman
Account Director, Consumer and Vertical Media

Pamela Herman was most recently an account director at Reichert Communications in San Francisco. She placed client stories, bylines and case studies in business, trade, national and local press, as well as securing speaking opportunities at trade events. At Reichert Communications, she helped launch start-up companies such as Pivia Software, MetaLINCS and BackDRAFT into public realm. Other clients include Actuate Corporation, Accovia, Inc., Enterprise Ireland and Valista.

Prior to Reichert Communications, Pam was an account executive at Phase Two Strategies where she played a vital role on the PeopleSoft team and helped launch PeopleSoft 8. Other clients included Candle Corporation, iVendor and Matrix Semiconductor.

Pam began her PR career at i.e. communications, a public policy and media advocacy consulting firm working with Planned Parenthood, The California Wellness Foundation, United Airlines and California Proposition 10 (Children and Families Act of 1998).

Pam has completed extensive course work in Communications, Radio & Television Newswriting and Multimedia News. She holds a B.A. degree in Political Science from the University of Colorado at Boulder.

Lauren Karp
Senior Vice President
Trier and Company

Lauren Karp is passionate about communications. Her high-energy approach is a mix of strategy, creativity, leadership and business acumen that yields significant results toward meeting business objectives. Her background includes nearly 20 years of high-tech public relations and marketing communications experience in start-up, corporate and agency environments.

Prior to working with Trier and Company, Lauren ran a global corporate communications team for Roxio and was responsible for the company's industry-leading digital media software, as well as the launch of Napster as a legal digital music service. Prior to Roxio she led marketing and communications efforts at a variety of internet start-ups which focused on the nexus point of content, community and technology.

Her agency experience includes leadership and account management roles at Burson-Marsteller, Fleishman-Hillard and Bozell PR (now Weber-Shandwick), where she represented some of the worlds leading technology brands, including: Sun Microsystems, SGI, IBM, Hewlett-Packard and Pacific Bell.

Lauren holds a Bachelor of Arts degree with a dual major in Business and Communications from George Washington University.

Jessica Kersey
Market Development Consultant

Jessica is a public relations professional with more than 20 years of experience in the business.

When it comes to positioning your company in the right market space (the upper right quadroon), Jessica is the expert. With tenure at such companies as Novell, Acer America, Sun Microsystems, Macromedia and Mercury-Interactive and executive positions at some of the Big 5 public relations agencies including Burson-Marsteller and Fleishman-Hillard, Jessica is a valued member of Trier and Company's consulting staff. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the College of William and Mary.

Alicia Nieva-Woodgate
Senior Director
Media Relations

Alicia V. Nieva-Woodgate is the ultimate corporate communications professional. She was most recently director of corporate communications for Opsware Inc. (NASDAQ: OPSW), located in Silicon Valley. There she oversaw all aspects of the company's international public relations, media relations, analyst relations, and customer reference programs. She joined Opsware from Mediabolic, a digital home entertainment middleware provider, where she was acting director of corporate communications. Prior to Mediabolic she spent four years as a strategic communications consultant, and a freelance writer, published in Teen Magazine and Sports Illustrated for Women.

Nieva-Woodgate was a director for Phase Two Strategies' B2B services. There she headed up such accounts as PeopleSoft and Intraspect. She joined the agency from buzz Divine, a divine interVentures Company, where she was part of the media relations team and oversaw International PR.

Prior to joining Buzz divine, Nieva-Woodgate worked at Morgen-Walke Associates (MWA), where she headed up the Technology Press Group for MWA's San Francisco office. She joined from The Financial Relations Board where she worked on clients of varying industries, but found her niche with technology. She was transferred to the company's San Francisco office to establish and develop a media relations department.

Nieva-Woodgate began her PR career at Crosby Securities, Inc., New York City as Manager of Media Relations and Marketing. Before working in PR she spent six years at various other Wall Street firms, including Drexel, Burnham & Lambert; Kidder, Peabody & Co. and Banco de Investimento Garantia, now part of CSFB.

Nieva-Woodgate has a B.A. degree in History from Fordham University.

Aimee L. Quemuel
Director
Media Relations Strategy

Aimee Quemuel acts as both the strategist and executioner for clients. With 10 years of communications experience, she has a proven track record of not only establishing relationships with key analysts and journalists for her clients, but also successfully working with the executive team to develop PR strategies conducive to the company's overall business objectives.

Specializing in fast-growth technology companies often characterized by limited resources, Aimee is skilled at devising creative ways to achieve maximum results at a cost effective price point. A results driven practitioner, Aimee has facilitated dozens of key relationships for her clients with top-tier influencers resulting in hundreds of articles, analyst reports and speaking engagements.

Throughout her career, she has managed PR programs for numerous clients including: Accrue Software, Inc; Informix, Inc., Oracle Corp.; Nokia, Inc.; AlphaBlox Corp.; AuctionWatch, Inc.; @TheMoment, Inc.; BigMachines, Inc.; BigVine, Inc.; CenterBeam, Inc.; Entopia, Inc.; E-Stamp Corporation; North Solutions; Pilot Software; Synacor, Inc; SupportSoft; TopDown Consulting (a Hyperion software consulting partner); and WebEx Communications.

Prior to her career as a PR/marketing consultant, Aimee came from Cunningham Communication and Interactive Public Relations where she was responsible for the public relations strategy and execution for both established and start-up clients. Additional communication experience includes work for Global Sports, a sports marketing firm; KCSN radio, where she was awarded the coveted Golden Mike Award for excellence in reporting; and KADY Television.

She holds a BS degree in journalism and communication from California State University Northridge.

Amy Rosenthal
Division Director
Analyst Relations

Amy Rosenthal has over 15 years of product management and corporate communications experience in the technology, telecommunications and financial sectors. Her more recent focus has been working to build and maintain strong industry analyst relationships with all types and sizes of companies - particularly pre-revenue venture backed start-ups. She works to develop plans designed to help communicate corporate and product strategies to the industry analyst community, driving positive and insightful recommendations, as well as positive reports, research, sales leads and comments to the press.

Amy has experience in both the corporate and agency environment. Prior to joining Trier and Company, Amy worked for Lois Paul & Partners, a leading public relations firm specializing solely in technology, as an Account Supervisor. She worked primarily on Fortune 100 companies including the Sybase and Lotus accounts. She also worked for several start-ups on positioning and product launches. Her experience there included researching and developing public relations plans, managing editorial calendars and budgets, client and analyst tours; as well as writing press. Prior to this she was a Marketing Manager for Mysoftware Company, GTE, Continental Cablevision and Prudential Asset Management Company. This experience included all facets of the planning, development and tactical implementation of product and marketing communications programs.

Amy holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Southern California and a Bachelors degree in Industrial Psychology from San Diego State University.

John Sommerfield
Account Director
Trier and Company

For over fifteen years, John Summerfield has helped companies leverage strategic communications to achieve business objectives. John loves to fashion and tell interesting, newsy stories. His keen interest and in-depth understanding of technology and industry trends enable him to help companies articulate their relevance to both businesses and consumers.

John prides himself on partnering with team members and clients to deliver meaningful results and value for the customer. He has broad-based experience in all aspects of public relations and communications and has led communications teams on behalf of clients in the enterprise software, Internet, telecommunications, financial services, and healthcare industries.

In addition to coordinating product launches, facilitating corporate positioning and messaging, conducting media training, and creating and executing public relations plans and media relations strategy, he has managed strategic marketing and sales force training programs. John's writing experience spans all areas of marketing communications, from online collateral to white papers to speeches and web sites.

Prior to working with Trier and Company, John was director of Corporate Marketing for Embarcadero Technologies, Inc., responsible for outbound communications, customer marketing, marketing communications, and advertising. At Charles Schwab & Co., Inc., he served as director, Corporate Communications, where he spearheaded strategic communications for the Chief Information Officer and Schwab's online brokerage operations. He was also responsible for issues management and crisis communications. Mr. Sommerfield also ran the Business-to-Business E-Commerce division of Fleishman-Hillard San Francisco's technology practice. Clients have included BEA, Oracle, Vitria, Adobe, National Semiconductor, Nortel Networks, Pacific Bell, Secure Computing, among others.

John earned a Masters degree in International Policy Studies and a Bachelors degree in French Studies and International Relations from Stanford University.

Current Clients include:

NearbyNow

adap.tv

Accenture

Exponential

Tribal Fusion

TickerMine/ChannelCheckers

Vengroff, Williams & Associates

My Pet MD

Oslo Software

Anchiva Security

Three Dots

GameHouse

Sybase

IQ Backoffice

iWay