Rick Handler
Owner & President
Handler Marketing, Inc.

Selected Professional Experience

  • Owner & Executive Producer of Entertainment Central Pittsburgh, one of Pittsburgh’s top entertainment sites. The site went live in 2012.
  • Since 1993, Founder, Owner & President of Handler Marketing, Inc., an award winning, well respected advertising, marketing and media firm.
  • Owner & Executive Producer of “Pittsburgh’s Happening!”, a popular television program which aired on stations Fox-53 and TV-22.
  • Television Account Executive, WTMV TV-32, Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Florida
  • Television Account Executive, WPTT TV-22, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
  • Account Executive and Writer, In Pittsburgh News and Entertainment Weekly
  • Founding Editor, the Shadyside Chamber of Commerce Newsletter.
  • Owned Nirvana Deli & Cafe.
  • General Manager of Humphrey’s, a very popular, upscale fern-and-brass night spot in Pittsburgh’s prestigious Shadyside community that his family owned.
  • General Manager of the Gazebo Restaurant: operated the family’s nationally known restaurant, bakery, deli located in Shadyside.

Education

Masters of Business Administration (M.B.A.) in Marketing, Minor in Economics, Katz Graduate School of Business, University of Pittsburgh 

  • Vice President of Marketing for Katz Graduate School of Business’ American Marketing Association (AMA) chapter.
  • Founding Editor, The Communi-K, newsletter for the Katz AMA chapter.

Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Marketing, Minor in Economics, Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP)

  • Founding member & officer of Alpha Tau Omega (ATO) national fraternity’s IUP chapter.
  • Vice President of Marketing for IUP’s American Marketing Association chapter.
  • IUP Rugby Team
  • IUP Big Indians Football Team (NCAA Division II)

Awards & Honors for Rick Handler and Handler Marketing

  • Matrix Award for brand identity package for “Pittsburgh’s Happening!” television program.
  • Outstanding Marketing Achievement Award to Rick Handler from the American Marketing Association, for his student achievements at the University of Pittsburgh’s Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business.
  • Proclamation of Thanks: Handler Marketing was honored with a proclamation by Pittsburgh City Council for pro bono marketing work done for the Be A Sport charity.
  • Certificate of Thanks awarded to Rick Handler from the Katz Graduate School of Business’ chapter of the AMA for serving as the chapter’s advisor.
  • Dale Carnegie Sales Presentation Award: Rick Handler won this award for a presentation at the Dale Carnegie Sales Training Center.
  • Certificate of Thanks awarded to Handler Marketing for ongoing pro bono marketing services, from the Southwest Pennsylvania chapter of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI).