Leadership team
We believe in thriving through change.
As life long owners and producers of live events, we wanted to build out an experience that resonated with us and others in the same phase of life.
We created Thriv as the event we wished existed and people like us would want to attend.
We’ve lived long enough to celebrate what we have achieved and now look forward to what is to come. Our generation has always forged ahead with passion, style, and our own unique visions. We take the initiative in inventing ourselves, how we want to live, and what we want to accomplish. That is why Thriv is organized around topics that are of interest to us all now. We address how to best manage your health, well-being, appearance and finances. We offer ideas for spending your time traveling, pursuing new hobbies, experiencing culture or even working in new roles. And relationships at this stage of life can be both complicated and rewarding. Dealing with adult children, aging parents or forming new bonds and making new friends are important to many of us.
We hope you will join us in our journey.
Martha Donato
As President of MAD, I have been producing large scale events and conferences for over 25 years. My experience includes large-scale pop culture events, including self-produced shows Long Beach Comic Con, Long Beach Comic Expo, New Jersey Comic Expo, C3: Comic Creator Conference and UAS Drones Disaster Response Conferences.
Most recently, my company produced Side Hustles & Opportunities Conference (SHO Con) and will launch the EV Exchange in the Summer of 2022. My skills include event planning, marketing, sales/sponsorship and operational expertise. I hold a Bachelor of Science degree from Marist College in communications.
Marty Glynn
I have 34 years in the event industry.
I hit all the rides in my 20s and am grateful to be alive. I was an entrepreneur in my 30s and worked my ass off in my 40s. I’ve had more failures than successes, but the failures were smaller than the successes, so it’s worked out okay.
I’m the son of Irish immigrants with a Catholic school education and the appropriate level of guilt. Now as an empty nester, I’m now 56 and am as confused about life as ever.
I want to give back and show up every day for those who count on me.
Kevin McLaughlin
I founded MAC Expos, LLC and have been producing trade shows throughout the US for more than 30 years.
I am planning my next chapter in live and in just few years, my wife and I will be empty nesters.
I look forward to eventually spending more time pursuing activities like hiking in the Adirondacks, surf fishing on NJ beaches, woodworking, skiing and surfing. Oops, almost forgot, I love making homemade pizza!
I hold a BS in Business from the University of Oregon.
Joe Cascio
A 27-year veteran of live events, I have deep-roots in the industry. I was general manager for a private ownership group, overseeing 200,000 square feet of exhibit space and 100+ events a year., I made a solid connection with organizers, suppliers, and my peers. I have served on the boards of many national event organizations including the IAEE Live Events Council.
I have gone back to school, working to obtain a Certification in Healthy Aging. Giving back has also been a passion. I serve on the boards of the YMCA and the Chamber of Commerce. A recent Adirondack 46er, when I am not at an event you can find me disconnecting on a trail looking to summit the next mountain.
Vic Nichols
I have over 30 years of proven success in strategic planning, marketing analysis, new business development, alliance partnership programs, relationship management, negotiation, consulting and more. I love creating and executing innovative programs to meet new market challenges and yield high returns.
What I love about my work is fostering exceptional relationships with leading companies and notable organizations across a wide spectrum of industries.
Larry Aaron
I am a seasoned creative director and brand, marketing, and sales strategist, with a focus on creating brand and marketing solutions that drive revenue, cause change and foster innovation.
My career spans 30 years building brand and marketing solutions for Fortune 500 and 100 companies such as Microsoft, AMD, Pfizer, Novartis, GSK, Palm Islands Dubai, IBM, Merck, Welchs, Nestlé, Hewlett Packard, and an extensive list of many others.
I bring a can-do, entrepreneurial spirt to our clients. I have launched several successful companies in multiple industries.