Rowland Hanson

Mr. Hanson is CEO of Hanson Maslen Group and Chairman of CRH & Associates. Mr. Hanson is known for the impact he made as Vice President of Corporate Communications at Microsoft, where he created and executed the company’s highly acclaimed branding strategy. Especially noteworthy is the market introduction of Microsoft’s most popular product, a graphical interface that Hanson insisted must be named "Windows". Several books published on the history of Microsoft credit his strategies with leading to the dominance of the Microsoft and Microsoft Windows© brands.

Prior to Microsoft, Mr. Hanson served as Vice President of Worldwide Marketing for Neutrogena Corporation, a skin-care and cosmetics company. After achieving phenomenal growth during his tenure through new product introductions and global joint ventures, the company was acquired by Johnson & Johnson for a significant premium, largely attributable to the value of the Neutrogena brand. It was Hanson’s success at Neutrogena that attracted the attention of Bill Gates, who personally recruited him with the expressed mission of developing and executing an equally effective brand strategy for Microsoft.

Mr. Hanson’s other achievements include the following:

Served as President, CEO, and Chairman of Amaze Inc., a multi-media software publisher with such popular products as The Far Side, Trivial Pursuit, Bloom County, and Berlitz theme computer calendars and screen savers

Negotiated the sale of Amaze to Delrina Corporation

Founded and served as CEO and Chairman of iTravel Corporation, an exclusive developer of multi-media travel guides for United Airlines, United Vacations, and the travel agency network

Negotiated the successful sale of iTravel to StarPress

Fulfilled roles of business development consultant, branding consultant, and board member of ColdHeat, where the company’s "instant heat, instant cold" proprietary material science led to the successful introduction of consumer small appliances

Served as business development consultant, branding consultant, and board member of The Nautilus Group, developer and marketer of such brands as Bowflex, Nautilus, Schwinn Fitness, and StairMaster

In January 2002 Mr. Hanson founded The b EQUAL Company. The company’s mission is to strengthen the bonds between children and parents by creating games that make learning a fun, interactive, family event. Its partners include A&E (The History Channel / Biography), National Geographic, DreamWorks and Discovery, to name a few. The company recently merged with Specialty Board Games of Toronto Canada. SBG partners include the popular TV show CSI, NASCAR, and the World Wrestling Entertainment. Together, SBG/bEQUAL, is now one of the leading companies in digital games designed specifically for the entire family.

Prior to launching his business career, Mr. Hanson earned a BBA from Loyola University and an MBA from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.