Bob Slattery, a trailblazing entrepreneur, has shaped advertising, media, and diverse industries through innovative ventures. In 1978, post-college, Slattery and his roommate Robert Wolfe acquired the Cincinnati Valpak® franchise, expanding it across Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, and Pennsylvania to become the largest independent Valpak franchisee in the United States. In 1983, they founded Reach® Magazine, a direct marketing publication, laying the foundation for Slatts Group, a dynamic portfolio of data-driven marketing, media, hospitality, technology, and real estate companies, driving business growth through creativity and resilience.
In 2017, Platinum Equity, a global investment firm with $36B under management, acquired Valpak from Cox Media Group, establishing it as a leading direct marketing service provider in the United States. On April 4, 2022, AmatoMartin, a privately held investment company, acquired The Clipper/Reach Magazine Network from Vericast. AmatoMartin then acquired Valpak from Platinum Equity on November 28, 2023, and merged it with The Clipper/Reach Magazine to form a direct marketing powerhouse. This merged entity, leveraging a state-of-the-art data and analytics platform, now reaches over 60 million households monthly through Valpak’s Blue Envelope mailers, Solo Mail Postcards, Clipp Magazine, Clipp.com, and Valpak.com, targeting more than 110 million consumers with innovative advertising solutions like Valpak Prime.
Post-merger, Valpak’s My Blue Insights platform integrates thousands of data points across billions of records from internal and external sources, analyzing purchase behavior, property details, income levels, creditworthiness, household size, demographics, and more. This robust system empowers brands to target specific audience segments across the Valpak and Clipper networks. Marketers can use Valpak’s self-service mailing list platform to build customized mailing lists, optimized for rankings, deliverability, and postal rates, reaching up to 250 million US households.
Slattery’s Slatts Group entity, which includes Valpak and Clipp, is an innovative, data-driven, omni-channel marketer for local and national advertisers that enhances how businesses reach consumers. Its products boost brand awareness and sales. As a media company offering print publications and services, Slatts Group helps businesses grow through tailored solutions. These include digital, social, search advertising, broadcast media placement, promotional print, and neighborhood marketing materials. Its niche editorial product Housetrends®, an upscale home and garden magazine, circulates in Greater Cincinnati and several other US markets.
Fueled by his entrepreneurial vision, Slattery founded Perimeter Technologies, Inc., a manufacturer, retailer, and installer of Pet Stop® electronic pet containment fencing systems. Pet Stop holds key patents, enabling expansion across the US with over 160 dealers. In 2019, Perimeter Technologies expanded its digital footprint with significant e-commerce investment under The Extreme Brand. Its pet containment and related products are now widely available online, with a strong presence on Amazon.
Slattery and his son Bobby entered the hospitality industry by launching Slatts Pub in Blue Ash, followed by 50 West Brewing Company, housed in Cincinnati’s meticulously restored Heritage Restaurant Building. 50 West quadrupled production in its first year by acquiring the former Hahana Beach space across the street, boosting output and distribution. Between 2018 and 2019, 50 West expanded its reach across Greater Cincinnati, Dayton, Kentucky, Southeastern Ohio, and West Virginia. Its brands are available at retailers like Kroger, UDF, Meijer, Speedway, and local stores. 50 West also partnered with Fleet Feet Cincinnati and Pedego Electric Bikes to create on-site retail spaces, hosting running, cycling, and lifestyle events.
Designed for scalability, Fifty West Burger Bar opened a satellite location on Route 50 in Chillicothe, Ohio, in October 2020. In 2024, Fifty West expanded as an anchor tenant in the newly opened District at Deerfield, a $150 million entertainment district in Warren County, alongside PINS Mechanical and acclaimed restaurants. Fifty West’s Burger Bar thrives, offering community-driven dining and activities across its locations.
In April 2019, Slattery acquired Shumrick and Leys Distillery, rebranding it Robert James Distillery, which features a bar, taproom, production facility, and advanced iStill Technology, located in Newtown. The distillery focuses on crafting small-batch spirits, including rum, vodka, bourbon, bourvin, gin, and agave. This acquisition coincided with the opening of its sister company, RJ Cinema, in Eastgate next to Jungle Jim’s, a unique first-run cinema, distillery, and taproom with an immersive outdoor entertainment zone. In summer 2023, RJ Cinema expanded into the former Jungle Jim’s Paradise Pavilion, creating an open-air venue for live music, private events, and seasonal programming. The RJ leadership team also collaborated with Union Township on a 2023 concert series, enhancing community engagement.
In the 2010s, The GrowlerStop® launched and partnered with Colonial Oil, Inc. to create a Marathon-branded station with a full-service bar. RJ WagsPark, a family-and-dog-friendly multi-acre beta concept, reopened in summer 2023, featuring a taproom with 22 taps offering Fifty West beers, RJ craft cocktails, and a rotating selection of local and regional beers and spirits. RJ Four Mile Pig provides award-winning BBQ across the campus. During warm weather, patrons enjoy an off-leash dog park, splash zone, covered outdoor bar, private event spaces with a large tent, expansive outdoor dining, a kids’ sandbox, RJ Distillery programming, and sports or movie content on a large digital board.
Slattery has served on Greater Cincinnati charities, including as president of Tennis For Charity, Inc. (2001–2004) and a board member for two decades, supporting the Cincinnati Open, which has raised over $7 million for Children’s Hospital Medical Center, inner-city youth tennis, and cancer research. His sports marketing and charitable expertise led to Buzz Eventz, LLC, which revived the AVP volleyball series in Cincinnati from 2005 to 2016, hosting events at the Lindner Family Tennis Center and Washington Park, culminating in the 2016 AVP FIVB Cincinnati Open, a Rio Olympics Qualifier. Buzz Eventz also collaborated with 50 West Brewing on community events like Fifty Fest and Punch Out from 2015 to 2018, showcasing Greater Cincinnati’s craft beer scene.
“Success is the result of perfection, hard work, learning from failure, loyalty, and persistence.” – Colin Powell