Rick L Allen

Senior Product Marketing Manager

US arm of Phison, a NAND flash controller and storage solutions company expanding into AI infrastructure and local AI.

Product marketing for AI memory products, sold to PC OEMs, system integrators, and enterprises.

• Lead product marketing for aiDAPTIV, which extends AI memory across GPU memory, system DRAM, and flash so local systems and servers can run larger AI models.
• Translate engineering work on LLM inference (vLLM, llama.cpp, Ollama, MoE expert offload, KV cache reuse, fine-tuning) into sales decks, web content, and whitepapers on MoE, fine-tuning, and KV cache.
• Help steer ISV work for the Intel AI PC collaboration with local AI software partners.

GTM & Product Advisor (advisory engagement)

AI-powered marketing automation platform for e-commerce.

• Led repositioning from a chat-based shopping assistant to an AI-native marketing automation platform, based on competitive analysis and market research that found an underserved direct-to-merchant segment.
• Wrote the PRD, functional specs, and an 18-month roadmap that moved engineering focus to the core GenAI features needed for investor demos, including multi-channel campaign creation and automated optimization.
• Defined LLM-powered workflows for automated ad generation and prompt orchestration with ML engineers.
• Developed the investor pitch deck and coached the CEO on positioning and delivery.

Director of Marketing, AI Infrastructure

GPU cloud and AI/ML computing infrastructure provider.

$3M annual marketing budget. Hired and mentored Lambda's first product marketing manager, who was leading projects independently within three months.

• Built Lambda's first GTM strategy and framework across product-led growth and enterprise segments.
• Interviewed 10+ ML engineers and students, found setup friction was the main pain point, and repositioned Tensorbook against Google Colab around pre-configured systems.
• Mentored the PMM leading the Tensorbook laptop launch, and drove its PR and influencer work with PR teams and design agencies. The launch grew web traffic 20% and earned coverage in Digital Trends, TechRepublic, NotebookCheck, and AI/ML media.
• Managed a $3M annual marketing budget across Google Ads, LinkedIn, content, and influencer partnerships, running campaigns hands-on and building a lead pipeline larger than hardware production capacity.
• Started Lambda's first creator program, including a Lex Fridman podcast sponsorship and Jeff Geerling video collaborations.
• Created datasheets, case studies, whitepapers, and sales enablement for enterprise customers with solutions engineering and ML teams, coordinating across 8+ departments.
• Adapted event strategy for SuperComputing and DoDIIS to virtual and hybrid formats during COVID-19.

Mobile Software Engineer, iOS/Android

VC-funded mobile wellness app startup backed by August Capital.

• Developed an iOS/Android wellness app with Flutter/Dart and Firebase through beta testing, including refactored navigation and Rive animations integrated through a major version migration with the Rive team.
• Built back-end services with Firebase authentication and Cloud Firestore.

Head of Product Marketing, HALO Autonomous Vehicle SDK

Startup building a software framework and runtime for AI/ML workloads and autonomous vehicles.

• Developed and launched an SDK with API documentation and runtime tools, supporting OEM pilots with partners including Mercedes and Bosch.
• Supported business development with automotive partners on technical requirements and platform positioning.
• Created product messaging, license agreements, proposals, and technical presentations for enterprise customers.

Product and Marketing Strategy Consultant

Product marketing and business development consulting for PC hardware companies.

• Managed 33 product SKUs across 6 categories (cases, power supplies, keyboards, mice, headsets, fans) using competitive matrices and messaging templates.
• Generated 120+ articles and 30+ product reviews through PR and creator outreach.
• Developed manufacturing partnerships in China and coordinated Computex participation, reducing production costs by 20%+.
• Repaired pre-production RGB lighting demos overnight at Computex, saving 30+ press meetings.

Director of Marketing, PR, Influencer Marketing, and Demand Generation

Maker of high-end PC gaming hardware, components, and peripherals.

Led 5 direct reports and 9 regional coordinators. Managed PR and advertising agencies.

• Moved review samples from traditional PC media to YouTube creators through a data-driven pilot, making YouTube the main demand driver.
• Started creator programs with Linus Tech Tips and Hardware Canucks, growing per-video views from 50K to 600K+ within 18 months and contributing to double-digit annual revenue growth.
• Ran a review program that sent 1,700+ samples worldwide, winning 547 awards with 91% positive ratings in 2013.
• Built marketing programs that contributed to Corsair outselling competing PC enthusiast power supply and case brands, and gaining share in keyboards.
• Built GTM frameworks and a launch tracker that became the single source of truth for 70+ launches, with weekly cross-functional launch meetings across PM, sales, operations, engineering, PR, and marketing.
• Managed a $623K+ online ad budget across 40+ tech publications, plus influencer and print advertising.
• Won multiple Best of Computex awards, including Tom's Hardware for Neutron SSDs and AX1200i power supplies (2012) and Vengeance K70/K95 RGB keyboards (2014).

Product PR Manager, Strategic Partners and Graphics/Video

Graphics processing and AI computing company.

Global product PR and branding for notebook GPUs, HD video, and strategic partners including HP, Dell, Intel, and top software developers.

• Created a partner value-exchange program (benchmark labs, reviewer guides, and support in return for branding compliance and samples). Won quick buy-in from Dell and HP, then extended it to Toshiba, Sony, and Gateway, increasing adoption of NVIDIA messaging and brand elements in partner marketing.
• Developed consumer product messaging and branding for PC OEM partners' marketing programs.
• Created PR campaign strategies and assets, and drove programs worldwide with regional teams, agencies, and partners, including Europe and Latin America with materials in 5+ languages.
• Created product messaging and presentations with GMs, and managed press and analyst relationships for press tours.
• Coordinated positioning and launch assets for major OEM design wins.

Marketing Director, Consumer PC Hardware

One of the largest makers of PC hardware components and consumer electronics. North American division.

Led the North American marketing team of 4 marketing managers and a designer, across product marketing, marketing communications, PR, web, sales channel, and advertising for consumers, SMBs, distributors, resellers, and system builders. Main partner contact for Intel, AMD, and NVIDIA.

• Created and ran the LEAP channel partner program for resellers, system builders, and distributors, including multi-day partner summits. Increased partner promotion drove 20% sales revenue gains.
• Paired Intel, NVIDIA, and AMD market development funds for co-funded campaigns, with each covering 50%.
• Launched a white-box notebook program for the system integrator channel, including a dedicated website and marketing materials.
• Spoke at PAX, MML, AMD graphics launches, and the Intel Channel Conference.
• Led crisis communications for challenging press situations.

Director of Product Management and Development, Online Music

One of the first internet music startups, pioneering playlist discovery, recommendation, sharing, and community features.

Managed UX architects, graphic designers, and customer support staff.

• Built a playlist-based music discovery platform with a 3-panel browsing interface and early AJAX features.
• Led user interface designs that resulted in patent applications.
• Drove new approaches to music discovery, recommendation, programming, and community building through user-generated playlists.
• Supported business development with major music labels on technical requirements and platform positioning.
• Developed the corporate websites, and contributed HTML/CSS and JavaScript code to the consumer music web app.

Senior Product Marketing Manager, 3D Audio

Spun out of Media Vision. Maker of A3D positional sound technology and the Vortex line of sound cards and semiconductors.

• Defined and launched over $10M of audio board, modem board, and standalone software products for the system integrator, PC OEM, and consumer retail markets.
• Repositioned the product line based on competitive analysis, driving a 10% revenue increase, and armed sales with data to sell against competitors.
• Negotiated contracts and license fees for third-party music applications, entertainment software, and audio technology, cutting software BOM cost by 25%.
• Led the white-box audio card strategy that took the #1 position in the system builder channel.
• Defined marketing requirements and led product management for Silo, an internet music software product.

Senior Product Marketing Manager, 3D Graphics and Video

At the time, the leading maker of 3D and 2D graphics accelerators.

Led product management of ViRGE/GX2, the first graphics chip with TV output.

• Managed market development of the $25M ViRGE/GX2 program, developed jointly across two business units, and built positioning that set the chip apart at launch.
• Led the crisis response when first-silicon yields fell short. A risk-production decision resolved the yield crisis and kept customer samples on schedule for PC OEM vendor selection.
• Led joint validation of the Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP) initiative between Intel and S3 teams, resulting in early verification of S3's AGP implementation.
• Led a multi-company task force to design a common chip pinout across three business units, giving customers a migration path between all S3 graphics products.
• Built a multi-product roadshow for top PC OEM customers, including Dell, HP, Intel, and Toshiba, covering S3 graphics, audio, and core-logic products and driving a 25% sales increase.

Senior Product Marketing Manager, 3D/2D Graphics and Video

Leading maker of 2D and video accelerators for graphics cards.

Led marketing for the newly formed 3D graphics processor team. Managed an associate product manager and two field applications engineers.

• Researched the 3D graphics market to plan and manage Trident's first consumer 3D graphics processors, driving a 15% revenue increase.
• Led product teams across marketing, sales, operations, and engineering that delivered over $50M of products per year.
• Supported design wins with PC OEMs: built technical presentations, met OEM engineering and product teams, gathered integration feedback, and managed design-in phases.
• Implemented a six-phase stage-gate development process for $50M/year semiconductor programs. It kept programs on requirements and schedule, and laid the foundation for the ISO certification PC OEMs were starting to require.
• Built relationships with Microsoft, Intel, software vendors, and standards organizations to shape emerging 3D software standards.
• Served on the 3D Game Consortium steering committee, and spoke on the 3D graphics panel at Microprocessor Report's 1996 PC Tech Forum.

Product Marketing Manager, PC/Mac Audio and Graphics Hardware and Software

The first dedicated multimedia PC company, making PC and Mac sound and graphics cards.

• Chaired the VESA VBE/AI workgroup to create a software audio standard for future Media Vision audio technologies.
• Spoke at technology panels, user groups, industry analyst conferences, and sales training seminars.
• Worked with advertising, market research, and package design firms on product positioning, packaging, and targeted advertising.
• Negotiated licenses for bundled game software, and renegotiated driver licenses to cut software driver costs by over 70%.

Web Developer / Software Engineer

Independent development work.

• Designed and developed websites with HTML/CSS and JavaScript.
• Developed installation, configuration, and diagnostic software for PC hardware in C and x86 assembly.