Meet the Ascend Team

Rich Herbst, Partner
Rich Herbst is a pioneer in the concept of outsourcing marketing and sales support services. As Ascend’s Managing Partner, he provides the visionary leadership behind our unique approach to marketing services.

Rich Herbst began developing Ascend Marketing’s unique outsourcing model in 2004 after he recognized that contracting with multiple agencies for advertising, public relations, and so on only exacerbates the budget problem. Rich’s leadership is founded on more than 20 years of experience in marketing and sales support. The core of his background is in business-to-business services marketing and consumer packaged goods with firms such as Verizon Communications, ConAgra Frozen Foods, and James River Corp. He has solid expertise in the software, retail, restaurant, and real estate industries, where he has worked with small start-ups as well as large firms. Among his many successes, Rich orchestrated the turnarounds of four major consumer brands using integrated marketing and sales-oriented programming principles. You’ll recognize some of his former brands: Kid Cuisine, La Choy, Chun King, Patio Mexican Food, Pops-Rite Popcorn, Northern Tissue, and Brawny Towels. As the developer of Verizon’s B2B Internet Services business, Rich guided the division through its formative period to achieve more than $250 million in revenue. He also led Verizon/GTE Consumer marketing, and drove a major culture shifting, sales development initiative lifting Verizon/GTE’s call center selling performance by more than 30% in one year.

Rich is an active member of the American Marketing Association. He received his MBA from the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia and a BS in Education from the University of Maryland.