Christopher Ferraro has built a successful 30+ year career on his entrepreneurial abilities and marketing intuition and is a highly regarded industry pioneer in the event marketing and lifestyle branding space.

Ferraro is a former equity partner of Entertainment Marketing, Inc. (EMI), a Chicago-based entertainment and sports marketing agency. As Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, Ferraro played a key role in developing strategic brand marketing and activation programs for blue chip clients including Philip Morris USA, Anheuser-Busch, Brown-Foreman, Allied Domecq, and numerous others, helping to establish EMI as one of the top specialty marketing agencies in the nation. Ferraro also served as President of The Affinity Management Group, Inc. an affiliate company of EMI. With over 1,200 employees and ambassadors, The Affinity Management Group provided tactical, strategic and field logistic services to EMI and other agency clients, executing over 25,000 branded events annually throughout the US.

After EMI’s successful exit to a Chicago based Private Equity firm, Ferraro returned to his entrepreneurial roots. In 2007, Ferraro, along with NASCAR icon Dale Earnhardt, Jr. co-founded Voodoo Ride, a premium line of automotive surface care products, branded accessories, and licensed apparel. Serving as CEO, Ferraro led the rapid growth of the Voodoo Ride brand, establishing significant domestic and international distribution through retailers including AutoZone, Sears, K-Mart, Amazon.com, Walmart Canada, Walmart.com and other distributors in Europe, Australia, UK, Japan and the Caribbean. In late 2016, Ferraro led the sale of Voodoo Ride, LLC to Pilot, Inc., a premier automotive aftermarket supplier to largest retailers in the US. Leading the brand at Pilot over the next 3 years, Ferraro and the Pilot team established additional distribution at Pep Boys, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Advance Auto Parts, AutoZone Mexico, NAPA and many other WD’s and independent retailers.

Ferraro is also the co-founder and Managing Partner of Turquoise Harbor, LLC., an investment platform for creative start-ups specializing in lifestyle consumer products. Under Turquoise Harbor, Ferraro created “SquidCup” a line of patented non-tipping drinkware and beverage holders serving the boating, RV and outdoor enthusiast markets. Since its inception in 2019, SquidCup has grown 150% year-over-year and is recognized as a leading brand in its category.

Turquoise Harbor also provides strategic, operational, and marketing advisory services to small and early-stage businesses both domestically and internationally with clients in the US, Japan and South Africa.

Ferraro earned a B.A. from Wabash College and currently resides in Chicago, IL with his wife and daughter. Ferraro enjoys boating and cruising on Lake Michigan, holds a USCG 100 Ton Masters Captain’s License and is an FAA Licensed Private Pilot.