Julie Smolyansky has been the Director of Sales and Marketing for Lifeway Foods since September 1997. However, because she is also the daughter of Lifeway founder Michael Smolyansky, one could say Julie has actually been with this successful Chicago company from the very start. She has vivid memories of being an early "guinea pig," sampling new flavors and formulations, and traveling to food shows across the country to help her dad as he built his business into the only U.S. company ever taken public by a Russian immigrant.
Working with her father to build on his successes and take Lifeway into the next generation is now Julie's focus. In her official position at Lifeway, Julie has begun working toward her ultimate goal to take Lifeway's kefir products from niche to mainstream with a new marketing, advertising, and public relations campaign that has been directly responsible for the growth of Lifeway Foods in the last 3 years. Under Julie's marketing plan, Lifeway has seen an increase in sales of over 4 million dollars, or approximately 70%.
Most recently, Julie helped to develop the new Lifeway Organic line of kefir products. The organic line, to be introduced in the spring and summer of 2001, offers yet another kefir alternative for health conscious consumers and rounds out Lifeway's product offerings to include choices for people of every lifestyle and taste.
Her success is the result of good genes and solid training right here in Illinois. Julie is a graduate of the University of Illinois (B.A., 1996), where she studied effects of advertising and cultural influences. She has presented research at the American Psychological Association's Annual Meeting, and has spoken at Nutracon's annual anti-Aging Nutraceutical conference.
Julie Smolyansky has been the Director of Sales and Marketing for Lifeway Foods since September 1997. However, because she is also the daughter of Lifeway founder Michael Smolyansky, one could say Julie has actually been with this successful Chicago company from the very start. She has vivid memories of being an early "guinea pig," sampling new flavors and formulations, and traveling to food shows across the country to help her dad as he built his business into the only U.S. company ever taken public by a Russian immigrant.
Working with her father to build on his successes and take Lifeway into the next generation is now Julie's focus. In her official position at Lifeway, Julie has begun working toward her ultimate goal to take Lifeway's kefir products from niche to mainstream with a new marketing, advertising, and public relations campaign that has been directly responsible for the growth of Lifeway Foods in the last 3 years. Under Julie's marketing plan, Lifeway has seen an increase in sales of over 4 million dollars, or approximately 70%.
Most recently, Julie helped to develop the new Lifeway Organic line of kefir products. The organic line, to be introduced in the spring and summer of 2001, offers yet another kefir alternative for health conscious consumers and rounds out Lifeway's product offerings to include choices for people of every lifestyle and taste. Her success is the result of good genes and solid training right here in Illinois. Julie is a graduate of the University of Illinois (B.A., 1996), where she studied effects of advertising and cultural influences. She has presented research at the American Psychological Association's Annual Meeting, and has spoken at Nutracon's annual anti-Aging Nutraceutical conference. |