Jeffrey B. Hecktman, chairman and CEO of Hilco Trading, LLC, announced the appointment of Gary C. Epstein as chief marketing officer for the company. In this role, Epstein will be responsible for Hilco’s overall marketing strategy and execution, branding, market research and marketing communications. He will also guide Hilco’s various operating companies with their specific marketing initiatives.

Epstein succeeds Richard L. Kaye, who has held the CMO position for nearly ten years. Kaye will remain with Hilco as executive vice president until his retirement in January 2013 and could continue in a consulting capacity beyond.

“We’re thrilled to have Gary join Hilco,” said Hecktman. “His strong and diversified background in corporate and institutional marketing, his advertising agency experience and his collaborative work style will help us further build our organization on the solid marketing foundation put in place by Rick Kaye.”

Most recently, Epstein served as a CEO for Abundant Venture Partners, providing management leadership and oversight for one of its newest businesses, The Owned Agency, a digital content and media services company. Prior to this role, Epstein was the CEO of Reach MD LLC, a medical education and communication company with a multi-channel media network including a 24/7 Sirius-XM satellite radio station, several mobile apps on the iPhone, Blackberry and Android, etc. In November of 2011, Reach MD was sold to US Health Connect, a New Jersey-based medical education company. In 2004, Epstein served at the American Medical Association as chief marketing officer and a member of its Executive Committee. In this role he was responsible launching an extensive new branding program to help enhance the AMA’s reputation within both the physician and patient community. Prior to joining the AMA, Epstein’s marketing career was spent in the advertising agency space at some of the country’s top firms including Tatham Laird & Kudner, J Walter Thompson and Euro RSCG Worldwide.

At Euro RSCG, he served in several critical roles most notably as the CEO of the North American agency where he was responsible for one of the two largest integrated marketing units globally. In addition to his management responsibilities, Epstein also served agency clients such as Procter & Gamble, Kraft, Darden Restaurants, Walgreens, Air France and Intel. In 2000, the American Advertising Federation inducted Epstein into its “Hall of Achievement,” which recognizes the industry’s most outstanding marketing professionals. He was also named as one of Chicago’s “40 under 40” top business leaders by Crain’s Magazine in 1998.

Headquartered in Northbrook, IL, Hilco is a privately held, diversified financial and operational services firm whose principal competency is understanding and maximizing the value of business assets.