Susan Bennett

Former Vice President | Experiential Marketing and Brand Activation Executive

Relationship to Tony: Former executive manager who supervised Tony Torres during national experiential marketing, promotional activation, and field marketing campaigns.

Worked Together On: Experiential marketing, brand activation, promotional events, field operations, street-team leadership, consumer engagement, nightlife activations, product launches, team management, operational problem-solving, and brand representation.

Professional Background: Susan Bennett is a former Vice President at FCB with experience leading experiential marketing and promotional activation campaigns for major national consumer brands. She managed Tony Torres during large-scale field marketing programs involving executive leadership, field teams, promotional staff, venues, retail locations, and consumers, giving her firsthand experience with his leadership, communication, operational judgment, and ability to execute under pressure.

Susan Bennett on Working With Tony Torres

I had the opportunity to manage Tony Torres while leading experiential marketing and promotional activation campaigns at FCB for brands including Activision’s Call of Duty franchise, Marlboro, and MillerCoors. Tony began as one of our street team leaders, but it quickly became clear that his value extended far beyond event staffing. He consistently demonstrated the judgment, leadership, and communication skills of someone capable of influencing the success of an entire campaign.

One of Tony’s greatest strengths is his ability to communicate effectively with people at every level of an organization. Whether he was speaking with executive leadership, field managers, promotional teams, venue staff, or consumers attending an activation, he instinctively understood how to adjust his language, tone, and approach without ever compromising the message. He has a remarkable ability to explain complicated operational challenges in a way that makes immediate sense, allowing everyone involved to make better decisions more quickly. That ability earned the trust of both leadership and frontline teams alike.

Tony also has an exceptional instinct for problem solving under pressure. During several midnight launch events for Call of Duty, many suburban GameStop locations throughout the northwest suburbs were forced to close before the official midnight release because of local ordinances. Most people would have accepted the reduced attendance and sent their promotional teams home early. Tony saw an opportunity instead.

He reorganized our street teams in real time, redeploying them from closing suburban locations into the city of Chicago, where stores remained open for true midnight launches. Rather than losing valuable promotional hours, our teams were positioned where the largest crowds were gathering. The result was a significantly stronger guest experience, greater brand visibility, higher engagement, and far more meaningful interactions between consumers and the brands we represented. It was a practical solution that required decisive leadership, clear communication, and the confidence to execute without creating unnecessary disruption.

That example perfectly illustrates how Tony approaches every challenge. He doesn’t simply identify problems; he develops solutions that fit naturally within existing systems while improving outcomes for everyone involved. Whenever our activation teams encountered obstacles in the field, Tony communicated those issues clearly and always came prepared with realistic recommendations that could actually be implemented. That made him an invaluable bridge between executive leadership and field operations.

Tony also excelled at creating environments where people could perform at their best. Our promotional models frequently commented on how safe, respected, and supported they felt working alongside him, particularly during nightlife activations, bar promotions, and high-energy entertainment venues where maintaining professionalism is especially important. He understood that taking care of his team directly translated into a better experience for our clients and their customers.

His energy is contagious, but it is balanced by professionalism, accountability, and genuine respect for the people around him. Tony has a unique ability to make guests feel welcomed, promotional teams feel valued, and clients feel confident that their brand is being represented exactly as intended. Those qualities cannot be taught; they come from authentic leadership.

If you need someone who can build trust with executives, motivate field teams, solve operational problems in real time, and represent a brand with professionalism and enthusiasm, Tony Torres is someone I recommend without hesitation. He wears multiple hats effortlessly, adapts to changing circumstances without losing momentum, and consistently improves the experience for clients, consumers, and colleagues alike.

I would gladly work with Tony again and would confidently recommend him to any organization looking for a leader who combines strategic thinking, exceptional communication, and flawless execution. He has always been someone I could trust to represent both my team and our clients with integrity, professionalism, and outstanding results.