Karena Dillon possesses a distinguished retail marketing career in the personal skin care industry. As a brand manager for the GAP personal care division, Dillon played a key role in launching the new fragrance and body line at the GAP worldwide flagship store in San Francisco and directed educational and point‐of‐sales product marketing. She also directed distribution and retail sales for Clinique, a division of Esteé Lauder. Her marketing background includes skin care salon and restaurant development, food service management and business marketing consultation. Dillon is actively involved with all agency clients. Her strategic planning and trade show development have helped Agency clients earn numerous product recognitions and surpass sales goals. She is responsible for the development and implementation of plans, procedures and operational issues for Baker Dillon Group client projects. In addition to overseeing the entire client services department, she manages many of Agency’s key corporate clients. Dillon is president of the Consultants Association for the Natural Products Industry (CANI), a non‐profit group promoting vetted services and expertise to health and food manufacturers nationwide. A member of the Society of Cosmetic Chemists, Dillon holds a bachelor of arts degree in health sciences from California State University, Fresno.
 
Health E-Insights: What’s your role at the Baker Dillon Group?
Ms. Dillon: As principal and president of Baker Dillon Group, I personally work in partnership with our clients to develop functional and effective marketing strategies that will expand their market reach and sell their products and services. Our goal is to lend professional expertise and intellectual knowledge to support our clients in realizing their communications objectives. As a Total Involvement Marketing™ firm we develop personalized, multi-faceted brand marketing campaigns to enhance awareness and potentially increase revenue generation.

Health E-Insights: Tell us about Total Involvement Marketing.
Ms. Dillon: The added value of partnering with Baker Dillon Group is that the recommendations for brand marketing we create will have strategic underpinnings that go beyond deadlines and creative specifications. We work closely with our clients to determine objectives, positioning, key messages and expectations so that we can move forward together with clarity, trust and confidence. Baker Dillon Group offers personal and integrated plans that can enrich all aspects of the company, its products and services.
 
Health E-Insights: Is a there a project you’ve worked on that stands out in your mind?
Ms. Dillon: Creating a corporate presence and multiple ingredient brands including Cognizin® citicoline and Setria® glutathione for Kyowa Hakko USA, a company who had struggled to gain traction in their initial entry into the Industry and taking them on a journey that ultimately enhanced awareness and generated substantially increased revenue streams across the food, beverage, personal care and dietary supplement categories, was an exciting and challenging experience. The special relationship between client and agency provides the unique bond necessary to achieve success. And this is what we refer to as Total Involvement Marketing.
 
Health E-Insights: What words describe your agency’s brand?
Ms. Dillon: I would describe Baker Dillon Group brand as reliable, consistent, and creative. With the support of our experienced team we offer our clients a full realm of marketing services and expertise under one roof. As we enter into a client/agency relationship, our goal is to develop a long standing alliance that will sustain and support our endeavors on their behalf. We always have our client’s best interests at heart.
 
Health E-Insights: What is your greatest travel luxury?
Ms. Dillon: can be a challenge with so many unforeseen variables. I always allow a full day for the adventure and ensure my comfort by flying first class to create a better outcome.
 
Health E-Insights: What is your worst travel experience?
Ms. Dillon: During the flight home from an industry event in Albuquerque the toilets overflowed during take-off and flooded the entire floor of the plane. As is my habit I wear cowboy boots to protect my feet and legs from stray roller baggage and other unpredicted calamities. Thankfully I was able to crawl over seats and wade through the waste without too much exposure. And all was not for wont, the airline reimbursed the tickets, managed to re-direct the flight and also provided round trip ticket vouchers anywhere in the continental U.S. as compensation.
 
Sheldon Baker is well known for creating nutraceutical brand marketing and public relations campaigns. For Health E-Insights interview consideration, contact him at[email protected]. And follow him on Twitter @NutraInk.