Category: PUBLIC-RELATIONS

         PRESIDENT       Executive Profile    Media relations pro with compelling pitching skills, delivering top tier media and publicity results for clients. Placed media stories in thousands of international venues across multiple continents, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, People, Sports Illustrated, USA Today, Time and Newsweek. Booked client appearances on NBC's Today show, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, David Letterman, Good Morning America, Oprah, and many more. Excellent written, verbal and interpersonal communicator, proficient in creating quality written material, with published articles and bylines in dozens of magazines and media outlets. Large-scale international special events management, positioning and publicity expert for Future Capitals World Summit & Expo (Abu Dhabi), the World Summit on Innovation & Entrepreneurship (WSIE, Dubai), the US-Arab Economic Forum with Colin Powell (USA), and more. Bi-culturally insightful strategist,  delivering marketing communications programs  that support growth in international markets, with experience in the Middle East & North Africa (MENA) regions, and in Central America. Innovative branding executive and savvy  problem-solver for regional, national and international clients across multiple industries, including  economic development, travel & tourism, government, energy, technology, education, financial, healthcare, and sports & entertainment. SKILLED MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS STRATEGIST AND PUBLIC RELATIONS EXECUTIVE with significant and progressive experience developing, managing and executing integrated marketing and PR campaigns for a broad range of regional, international and global clients, industries and events. Proven leader in brand development, project management, international media relations, multi-cultural marketing, special events, team building, and collateral development. Partial Client List Global Organizations Sports Marketing Healthcare PPD Clinical Research Facility, Pfizer, American Institute of Healthcare & Fitness, Medical College of Ohio, Environmental Health Perspectives Financial Capital Bank, Fifth Third Bank Government, Travel, and Tourism Environmental Health Perspectives magazine, Michigan Economic Areas of Expertise Marketing Communications Strategy Corporate Communications Brand Development & Auditing Brand Message & Image Development Multi-Cultural Marketing Special Events & Launches Project & Team Management Idea Generation Public Relations Campaigns Regional, National & Global PR Publicist & Company Spokesperson Press Conferences & Media Tours Media Training & Development Collateral Writing & Development Website Content Social Media Strategy & Content         Core Accomplishments      Directed all PR efforts, including organizing press conferences, managing special promotions, serving as media spokesperson, managing celebrity appearances and writing media releases, sponsorship, and grant proposals.  Managed media relations, sponsor relations, merchandising, co-op advertising, television syndication and sponsor fulfillment.  Successfully pitched and placed a remote feature on The Today Show, and won a Gold Award for the "Best Press Kit" from the International Festivals and Events Association (IFEA).        Professional Experience      President     Jan 2006   to   Current      Company Name   －   City  ,   State     An independent marketing & PR practice helping SMEs meet their business needs.  Conduct brand audits and develop results-driven business strategies to help clients define, manage and reach their business goals.  Develop and execute integrated marketing communications programs, special events and PR campaigns for multiple clients in various industries.  Provide creative oversight and development of key messaging, brand image, Web site content, and marketing collateral to effectively position clients among the media and their target audiences.         Vice President     Jan 2011   to   Jan 2012      Company Name   －   City  ,   State     A Startup company formed to capitalize on a constitutional amendment in Honduras that allowed the creation of new cities with semi-independent governance systems.  Developed strategic marketing communications campaign and multi-cultural messaging for key audiences and international media to facilitate cross-national communication and ensure global awareness of the project.  Created innovative community relations program and bi-lingual presentation to engage and nurture relationships with Honduran president and government officials, business leaders, and select media in Tegucigalpa.  Managed vendors and provided creative oversight for brand development, logo, Web site development and content, and PR partners in Central America.         Director of Brand     Jan 2004   to   Jan 2007      Company Name   －   City  ,   State     A full service marketing agency, offering public relations, advertising, and design.  Developed brand strategy and award-winning PR campaigns for the agency and its clients in the fields of healthcare, financial services, sports marketing and business to business services.  Managed the PR staff and budget, and worked closely with company president to position and launch their sports marketing division.  Improved company's market position by successfully introducing and managing the market planning and RFP processes for agency clients.  Continued.         Director of Public Relations & Agency Associate     Jan 2000   to   Jan 2004      Company Name   －   City  ,   State     Worked with president and chairman of an international chamber of commerce to enhance economic exchange and cultural understanding between public and private sectors in the US and Middle East & North Africa (MENA).  Helped company expand from vertical to horizontal markets by conducting a brand audit, brand and positioning refresh, identifying and developing profit centers, standardizing event and sponsorship structures, and favorably positioning the chamber in the international media.  LINK Led worldwide media relations efforts and facilitated network media interviews and press conferences resulting in nearly 40 million media impressions globally for The US-Arab Economic Forum's flagship event.  Worked with participating foreign ministries and government officials from the Middle East, and, the US state department and homeland security, as well as dozens of c-level executives of Fortune 500 companies including HP, Boeing, Microsoft, Cisco, OPEC, ConocoPhillips, ExxonMobile and others.  LINK Developed and executed a public relations campaign and grand opening event for professional sports venue and event stadium Ford Field in Detroit.  Created and executed a Tasting Event targeted at non-sports related conference and special event planners which generated a total of 400 leads, and resulted in nearly $5 million in revenue booked within the first six weeks after opening.  LINK Page 2 of 2 Professional Experience, cont.  A full service marketing agency, offering public relations, advertising, and design.  Developed effective communications strategies and PR campaigns for multiple events and clients in the government, economic development, travel and tourism and education sectors.  Grew the PR division and staff by managing department budget and goals, leading client presentations for new PR business pitches and RFP's, and developing a media training program.  Collaborated with multiple teams within the agency to integrate marketing efforts with PR, and was appointed to an Agency Associate team to assess and raise awareness of important interdepartmental issues and development initiatives to the senior partners.         Publicist & Director of Marketing     Jan 1996   to   Jan 2000      Company Name   －   City  ,   State     A private agent and lawyer representing the careers of select professional athletes.  Served as primary media contact, publicist and image strategist to shape and protect the brand images of World Figure Skating Champion Michelle Kwan and Olympic Gold Medal Gymnast Mary Lou Retton.  Managed all details of public and media appearances including TV appearances, book tours, photo shoots, press conferences, and commercials, and developed all marketing collateral, videos, media kits, book excerpts, scripts and speeches.  Successfully pitched Michelle Kwan for People magazine's "50 Most Beautiful" issue, and two issues of Sports Illustrated's exclusive Father's Day Issue.         Director of Public Relations     Jan 1992   to   Jan 1996      Company Name   －   City  ,   State     A special events company of 10 full-time employees and 1400 volunteers who producing Michigan's two largest civic events: America's Thanksgiving Parade and the International Freedom Festival & Fireworks, each attracting well over a million people.         Education      Master of Science  ,   Administration Business, Marketing    Central Michigan University   －   City  ,   State     Administration Business, Marketing       Bachelor of Applied Arts  ,   Journalism & Public Relations, Broadcasting   Journalism & Public Relations, Broadcasting       Skills    photo, advertising, Agency, book, brand strategy, brand development, budget, bi, business strategies, c, Cisco, community relations, conferences, client, clients, special events, financial, Fireworks, government, HP, image, logo, managing, market planning, marketing, market, marketing collateral, marketing communications, media relations, media training, messaging, exchange, network, positioning, presentations, press, PR, processes, producing, profit, public relations, publicist, RFP, scripts, speeches, strategist, strategic marketing, TV, Web site development and content, Web site content      Professional Affiliations    National Association of Women Business Owners Public Relations Society of America Adcraft Club Michigan Festivals & Events Association International Festivals & Events Association