President Pete Russo learned early to drive himself toward excellence and thus, fosters achievement throughout the organization. He successfully created and ran several businesses, developing talent, business savvy, and wisdom along the way. He eventually turned those abilities toward to leading corporate departments. Ultimately, he chose to work in the financial services industry, where he now presides over Insurance Marketing Solutions, a retirement planning firm. Pete is the embodiment of perpetual motion. “It’s a blessing and a curse,” he says. “I love challenge. I don’t get tired because I’m doing what I find fun.”

Raised in the melting pot of the Bronx, New York, Pete developed a skill for communicating with people from all backgrounds. He also learned to identify needs, then find ways to fill them. Early entrepreneurial successes helped him develop his overarching philosophy: “I put talented people in pivotal roles and allow them to thrive.” And even now, if an employee is struggling with something, he will jump in and help. This builds respect and admiration on both sides. A close look at the teams he has built shows how effective this dynamic is.

Pete holds a Business Degree from Iona University in New Rochelle, New York. He now lives in Tucson, Arizona, with his wife and three children. His hobbies include restoring classic cars and redesigning properties.

Rich Soto, Vice President of Sales at Insurance Marketing Solutions, is focused on cultivating top performance and the best in customer care from the organization’s Sales and Contact Center teams. Throughout his career, Rich has enhanced revenue streams through implementing growth and product strategies, process improvement, people management, program development, and the building of enterprise-level call centers. He prides himself on promoting cultures of excellence and innovation, and on empowering his team to reach their individual goals. Helping workers strive for personal targets of achievement not only empowers them, but drives the company further.

“You can rush failure, but you can’t rush success,” Rich says, pointing to his belief that timing is everything. His approach is to find balance—not too fast, nor too slow. He instills this concept in his team members. His analytical mind (over and above the fact that he is great with numbers) led him to call center management and sales leadership.

Rich’s hobbies include reading, hiking, fitness, and working. He was born in Biloxi, Mississippi and raised in Mobile, Alabama, where he earned a Political Science degree at the University of South Alabama. He relocated from the rainiest city to the sunniest city when he came to Tucson for his role at Insurance Marketing Solutions.

As Vice President of Operations for Insurance Marketing Solutions, Adriane Cuaron leverages her project and people management expertise to engender increased value across the company. Adriane enjoys embracing change. As a result, she is skilled at breaking down new concepts into project-sized pieces that make innovation more achievable. This builds an atmosphere of positivity and success, positioning her and her team to be poised and ready for whatever “next changes” inevitably arise.

Problem-solving acumen developed while she earned a degree in Bio Chemistry from University of Arizona brought her to a seemingly unlikely position at Madden Media. But there she progressed over the next 13 years, contributing to its advancement from a small company that only printed visitors’ guides to a full-fledged, multiplatform marketing firm that helps grow local economies throughout the country.

Adriane earned her digital certifications while also overseeing IT, Finance, HR, Project Management, and Business Analyst functions. “I am a big believer in ‘team,’” she says. “I love to be a leader and build people up, but I am also a proponent of taking on any task I would ask of them, rolling up my sleeves, and doing whatever it takes.”

A native Arizonan, Adriane is married and has two children. She enjoys all their sporting events and academic endeavors, as well as boating and spending time with family and friends.

Kyle Valencia is the firm’s Vice President of Finance and Growth. A graduate of Eller, the University of Arizona’s business college, with a degree in Business Administration and Management, Kyle has always gravitated towards businesses focusing on the insurance industry. He has held multiple positions within Insurance Marketing Solutions as well as with other publicly traded companies. Those experiences culminated in his assignment to his current position, in which he is responsible for financial oversight and stewardship of the firm. He has utilized all his capabilities to help build and outline the company’s marketing strategies and internal systems and processes, as well as shaping the current financial strategy.

Kyle is uniquely both left- and right-brained. While he generates creative business development and marketing solutions, he is also KPI-oriented and analytic in his approach to getting positive results. “I try to see any venture from all sides,” he says. “There are many facets to a successful business strategy.” Kyle works diligently to support and help grow those around him – a trait he attributes to working with his current management team.

He is at heart a family man, married to his sweetheart Kasandra, whom he has known since high school. They spend most of their time raising their two kids when he isn’t somewhere enjoying the outdoors.