Iconic cultural news site OnMilwaukee.com and its LiFT Digital Solutions digital media agency subsidiary today announced the appointment of four local industry veterans to senior operational, sales and marketing positions.
They include:
- Glen Ponczak, Chief Marketing Officer
- Kellie Commons, Chief Operations Officer
- Natalie DiPietro, Vice President of Marketing & Development
- Stephanie Bennett, Senior Account Executive
Additionally, the company announced the promotion of Carolynn Buser to Chief Content Officer and Nick Barth, to Chief Technology Officer.
“Our talented team at OnMilwaukee allows us to continuously innovate and grow. We see more opportunities than ever before,” said OnMilwaukee President and Publisher Andy Tarnoff. “Stephanie, Natalie, Kellie and Glen bring valuable and deep new expertise to our company, broadening our capabilities and positioning us for exciting new levels of growth and success. We welcome them to the OnMilwaukee team.”
Glen Ponczak joins the company in the newly-created position of Chief Marketing Officer. He focuses on extending the OnMilwaukee brand and developing new revenue opportunities. He will also lead special projects that help the company achieve its strategic goals. Glen has made a financial investment in the company and as a partner will drive strategies to attract additional investment, accelerate expansion and generate profitable growth.
Glen spent 30 years with Johnson Controls and its spin-off company, the automotive interior supplier Adient, serving most recently as Vice President, Communication and Investor Relations. Earlier in his career, he worked as a journalist and in radio advertising sales.
Kellie Commons has been named to the newly created position of Chief Operations Officer, responsible for handling day-to-day business operations with a focus on streamlining internal operations and relationships to drive improved efficiency and profitability. She joins OnMilwaukee from Saz’s Hospitality Group, where she was Group Human Resources Manager.
Kellie brings 15 years of experience solving business problems across industries from manufacturing to non-profit to hospitality. She specializes in driving fundamental improvements at all levels, from the entire enterprise down to individual departments, projects or processes. Kellie was selected as one of Tempo Milwaukee's Emerging Women Leaders for 2020 and recognized by BizTimes Media as a Notable Woman in Human Resources for 2021. She earned an MBA from Mount Mary University and is a graduate of Purdue University.
Natalie DiPietro joins OnMilwaukee as Vice President of Marketing & Development, a newly created position at the company. In her role, she is the liaison between the editorial content team and the sales department. In addition, she manages sponsorships and events and develops community partnerships. Natalie was most recently the Integrated Marketing Sales Manager at iHeartMedia Milwaukee.
Natalie has more than 30 years of radio industry experience in branding, event marketing, inbound marketing and strategy. She is a graduate of Indiana University.
Stephanie Bennett joins the company as Senior Account Executive, providing consultation and services to help businesses achieve their marketing objectives. She brings extensive experience in media and automotive industries, serving previously as a media sales professional and as a marketing director. Her marketing and management experience includes successful rebranding campaigns and numerous advertising promotions.
Stephanie earned an MBA from Alverno College and is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. She is a part-time Adjunct Instructor with the business department at Carthage College. Stephanie holds a Digital Marketing Professional certification (CDMP) from the American Marketing Association and Digital Marketing Institute.
In addition to its web and social media platforms, OnMilwaukee operates Lift Digital Solutions, a digital-only media and agency solution with more than 20 years of experience. Lift Digital helps advertisers find their audience and connect them with audio, video and display advertising and other custom solutions, including, but not limited to advertising on OnMilwaukee.com.
Launched in 1998, OnMilwaukee is Milwaukee’s premier daily news, dining, entertainment and culture digital magazine. In 2020, OnMilwaukee won Editor and Publisher Magazine’s 2020 EPPY Award for “Best Entertainment Site” in the United States, the fourth time the company has been recognized with that honor (2012, 2015, 2017 and 2020). OnMilwaukee is committed to grow communities and businesses through engaging digital media.
