MCEI Seattle holds a dinner meeting each month with a distinguished marketing or communications presenter. Presenters bring a behind the scenes perspective and high-level industry marketing insights. Speakers share provocative stories, ideas, positions, and concepts, including controversial topics.

See below for our current upcoming program.

March 2025

wednesday, march 12, 5:30 p.m. at ivar’s salmon house

The Power of Storytelling: Building a Brand on Connection and Creativity

Every communicator knows that great storytelling is the basis for any successful marketing campaign or product launch. But it also can be the basis for building a successful brand as well, as we will learn at our March meeting.

Compendium is a Seattle-based company that is celebrating its 40th year in business this year. While Seattleites may not generally know the company name, many of them are familiar with many of their best-selling products, which sell at thousands of specialty and boutique stores nationwide, as well as in places like Target, Paper Source, and Barnes & Noble. It is a company built on story and connection, which has helped it evolve from is founding as a corporate-training company into the globally-distributed gift and book publishing company it is today.

Carin Moore, who heads up company sales, and Tammy Monday, who leads its marketing, will share the history of this creative company, and tell how its strong brand—focused on positive communications—has driven its approach to engagement with employees, the community, its sales team, its thousands of retailer partners, and the consumers who purchase, gift and use its products every day. They will describe how the company’s products serve as gifts—and storytelling tools—that connect people in meaningful ways.

Their presentation will be informative and highly interactive, and they will include our members within their “storytelling” framework and offer plenty of opportunities for members to win prizes (cool Compendium products) as part of the program.

Carin Moore has been at Compendium for a total of 13 years, and before that worked in sales and business development for several software companies, including Microsoft, and for a local technology consulting firm. She is an admired leader within the gift & home décor industry. She grew up on the Eastside and is a graduate of the University of Washington.

Tammy Monday has guided several innovative marketing and distribution programs during her tenure that have driven significant growth for Compendium in the book category. Prior to joining Compendium in her current role as Marketing Director in 2013, she worked with major retailers on fixturing and merchandising display programs, oversaw sales and marketing for a journal-publishing company, and managed the book category for Amazon. Tammy grew up and went to school in the Bay Area—but is definitely now a Northwesterner.

April 2025

wednesday, APRIL 9, 5:30 p.m. at ivar’s salmon house

The Importance of Personal Connections in Creating a Meaningful and Successful Career

Networking is often seen as a transactional exercise, but the most successful professionals know that authentic relationships are the key to long-term career growth. In today’s increasingly digital world, forging meaningful connections has never been more critical—or more challenging.

Join us for an engaging evening with Fortunato Vega, one of Seattle’s most respected connectors and business strategists. Fortunato has built a career on fostering relationships that create opportunity, drive impact, and shape communities. From Wall Street to international markets and back to Seattle, he has seamlessly blended business success with purpose-driven leadership.

In this discussion, Fortunato will share insights from his journey—from the University of Washington to global finance and back home to Seattle—illustrating how he has built a career centered on meaningful connections. He will discuss the importance of cultivating a strong professional network that is both mutually beneficial and grounded in authenticity, offering strategies for developing genuine relationships that foster long-term success.

Attendees will gain practical advice on how to maximize the value of events, whether as a participant or host, and explore the role of international connections in an increasingly globalized yet complex world. Additionally, Fortunato will offer perspective on engaging younger generations in the workplace, sharing strategies for integrating emerging professionals into teams in ways that enhance collaboration and innovation.

Fortunato Vega takes a sincere and authentic interest in meeting people and listening for ways he can be helpful. He is, among other roles, an Advisor on financial, business, and investment matters, Board Member, Foundation for International Understanding Through Students, and the Co-Founder & Chief Provocateur of The 601 Club: Seattle’s premier "un-networking" club for business, technology, and creating opportunities.  

His investments are in people and meaningful relationships. Technology, education, and financial advisory are the sandboxes in which he plays. Fortunato's purpose is helping good people achieve their vision of success, bridging networks, and building community. He enjoys sharing his process to assist others in advancing their careers. Fortunato enjoys taking a deep dive with his clients and mentees to ensure all bases are covered and aligned with their vision. He's learned people are happier and more productive when they know and understand where they are going. Part human Rolodex, his values include sharing, connecting, and guiding. Fortunato thrives when he is helping others to strategize for their next chapter. He brings bright minds together, listening for what’s unique, not what’s familiar.

May 2025

wednesday, may 14, 5:30 p.m. at ivar’s salmon house

Behavioral Insights for Impactful Communication Strategies

Anyone working in public relations, marketing, or corporate communications understands that words wield power. Behavioral scientists have long demonstrated that even subtle changes in phrasing can have a profound impact on people’s attitudes, judgments, and decision-making. Whether crafting persuasive messaging, shaping brand perception, or influencing consumer behavior, the strategic use of language is an essential tool for professionals across industries.

Join us for an insightful evening with Dr. Mathew Isaac, a distinguished behavioral scientist at Seattle University, as he explores how language shapes our decisions, how framing effects alter perception, and how marketers and communicators can leverage psychological insights to craft more compelling messages. Dr. Isaac will break down the science behind consumer judgment and decision-making, revealing how seemingly minor wording adjustments—such as positive vs. negative framing—can lead to dramatically different outcomes.

This session will provide attendees with a deeper understanding of how contextual and motivational factors influence persuasion, equipping them with actionable strategies to enhance their messaging effectiveness. Whether you’re crafting a brand campaign, pitching an idea, or refining your organization’s communication strategy, this discussion will offer fresh perspectives on the psychology of influence.

Mathew S. Isaac, Ph.D. is the Thomas F. Gleed Chair of Business Administration and Chairperson of the Marketing Department at the Albers School of Business and Economics at Seattle University. He teaches Introduction to Marketing, Sales Management, Brand Management, Integrated Marketing Communications, and Marketing Strategy to undergraduate and graduate students. 

Dr. Isaac’s research focuses primarily on consumer judgment and decision-making. He is particularly interested in understanding how individuals make inferences about communicators’ motives, and how numerical information affects consumer evaluations and decisions.  His work has been published in leading scientific journals, including Journal of Consumer Research (JCR), Journal of Marketing Research (JMR), and Journal of Marketing, Dr. Isaac serves as an Associate Editor for JCR and JMR and is on the Editorial Review Boards for five other journals. Dr. Isaac’s work has been widely featured in business and popular press, including Harvard Business Review, Financial Times, Time, Forbes, Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and The Atlantic. He writes a blog on numerical cognition for Psychology Today. He is also the Director of the Institute of Public Relations Behavioral Research Insights Center team.

Dr. Isaac received a bachelor's degree in Biology from the University of Chicago, an M.B.A. from the Booth School of Business at the University of Chicago, and a Ph.D. in Marketing from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. Prior to entering academia, he advised media, healthcare, and private equity clients as a Consultant and Manager for Bain & Company and ZS Associates.

June 2025

wednesday, june 11, 5:30 p.m. at ivar’s salmon house

The Future of SEO: How AI is Transforming Search

Search engine optimization (SEO) has always been an evolving field, but artificial intelligence is now reshaping how businesses optimize their digital presence. From content analysis to user intent prediction, AI is enhancing search algorithms, streamlining keyword research, and changing the way marketers approach SEO strategy. As search engines like Google continue integrating AI-driven tools such as RankBrain and BERT, it’s more important than ever for professionals to understand how to leverage these advancements to improve search rankings and online visibility.

Join us for an exclusive discussion with Sean Van Guilder, Director of SEO at Fujisan Marketing, as he breaks down the intersection of AI and SEO. Sean will explore how AI is revolutionizing search, providing insights into natural language processing (NLP), AI-driven content optimization, and the impact of voice and visual search. He’ll also dive into tools for long-tail keyword research, discuss strategies for balancing AI automation with human editing, and provide a forward-looking perspective on the future of AI in marketing and search algorithms.

This session will equip attendees with practical knowledge on how AI can be leveraged to improve rankings while avoiding algorithm penalties, helping marketers and businesses stay ahead in the competitive search landscape. If you're looking to stay ahead of the curve in SEO and digital marketing, this is a session you won’t want to miss.

Sean Van Guilder is a seasoned digital marketing professional with over 20 years of experience helping businesses thrive online. With a strategic perspective and a deep understanding of SEO's role as a key business driver, Sean brings clarity and actionable insights to digital marketing. As the leader of the SEO Program at Fujisan Marketing, a premier digital marketing agency based in Seattle, Sean continues to guide brands toward achieving measurable success in an ever-evolving online landscape.