Susan Claus

About Susan Claus

I lead marketing as a commercial growth function: connecting brand, go-to-market strategy, and customer experience to measurable business outcomes.As Director of Marketing at GMi Companies, I serve on the Senior Leadership Team and partner closely with the President, CEO, COO, Sales, and Product to shape strategy, prioritize investments, and execute initiatives that drive growth across a $50MM B2B organization. I own brand strategy, go-to-market execution, demand generation, and a $1MM marketing budget, while leading a cross-functional team of internal marketers, sales support, and agency partners.A defining focus of my work is navigating complexity and turning it into clarity for the market. Highlights include:Consolidating three distinct brands into a single, unified market presenceLeading brand architecture and go-to-market strategy for a newly acquired business (Tablet & Ticket)Building and scaling a direct-to-consumer ecommerce channel alongside a traditional B2B sales modelDriving incremental revenue post-brand consolidation, with marketing influencing revenueI’m known for distilling diverse, cross-functional perspectives into clear, compelling narratives and for delivering on the brand promise well beyond launch. My strength sits at the intersection of strategy and execution, where brand, product, sales, and operations align to drive sustainable growth.Beyond my role, I serve on the Board of Directors for The Common Thread for the Cure and am a member of the NeoCon Advisory Council, invitations extended in recognition of my leadership and industry perspective. These roles reflect my belief that strong brands, and strong leaders, show up with purpose.I thrive in B2B environments where collaboration, thoughtful risk-taking, and customer-first thinking create lasting impact.

Experience

1. Director of Marketing

   Gmi Companies

   Nov 2020 — Present · Cincinnati, OH, US

   Promoted five times during tenure at GMi Companies, reflecting expanded scope, leadership, and enterprise impact.I lead marketing as a core commercial function for a $50MM B2B manufacturing organization, serving on the Senior Leadership Team and partnering closely with the President, CEO, COO, Sales, and Product to shape strategy and drive growth.Own enterprise brand strategy, go-to-market execution, demand generation, and a $1MM annual marketing budgetLead and develop a cross-functional team including marketers, sales support, interns, and a network of agency partners across brand, PR, and digitalSpearheaded the consolidation of three brands into a single, unified market presence, strengthening positioning and driving incremental revenue within the Waddell product lineLead brand architecture, positioning, and go-to-market strategy for Tablet & Ticket, a newly acquired business, supporting market expansion and long-term growthBuilt and scaled a direct-to-consumer ecommerce channel (shop.ghent.com) alongside a traditional B2B sales model, expanding reach and lead generationPartner closely with Sales and Product on pricing strategy, product positioning, and launch planning; heavily influence pricing decisions with anticipated future ownershipGuide annual strategic planning and budgeting, aligning marketing investments with enterprise priorities and long-range business goalsOversee marketing technology and digital ecosystem including ecommerce (WooCommerce), CRM and automation tools (HubSpot, Emma), and visualization platforms (build.ghent.com, specification tools)Oversee and execute events including year-round showroom activation, annual trade events, and building out a calendar to align events with prioritiesTranslate complex, cross-functional input into clear, compelling market narratives that deliver on the brand promise well beyond launch

Education

• Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber

  WE Lead Certification

• The Ohio State University

  Bachelor of Science (B.S.), Business Administration / Marketing

• The Ohio State University Fisher College of Business

  Bachelor of Science (BS), Marketing

  2002 — 2006