career objective                              

results-driven event and marketing executive eager to contribute superior public relations, strategic marketing, and sponsorship negotiation skills toward supporting the employer in optimizing revenue performance

 

profile                                                

ø  offer 14 years of progressive public relations experience with expertise in event planning and execution, value-added marketing and advertising, and brand promotion

ø  demonstrated record of increasing revenue, organizational membership and event attendance, and cash and in-kind sponsorships

ø  solid experience in targeting and managing wide variety of clientele/accounts; cultivate long-term community and national partnerships

ø  dynamic communication, presentation, negotiation, and relationship management skills

ø  sharp business acumen and experienced in managing broad scope of operations, including market research, media campaign development and management, internal team-building, and vendor relations

ø  proactively identify and capitalize on opportunities to penetrate and develop markets

 

professional experience                

group director of marketing and membership, american orchid society, delray beach, fl                  5/07 c present

         successfully supervise and lead four society directors and managers; steer national and regional marketing efforts; effectively manage overall annual budget of $850,000

         achieve significant ongoing organizational awareness, membership, and financial growth; increased new member acquisition by 30%, retail revenue by 31%, public garden admission revenue by 37%, and facility rental and special events by 74%

         develop and implement advertising, marketing, and identity branding strategies; establish year-round events and programs to continually increase activity

 

palm beach county marketing manager, south florida sun-sentinel, delray beach, fl                             6/04 c 5/07

         directly generated 62% increase in advertising revenue and 100% increase in partnerships; managed $400,000 budget for this major regional newspaper with a daily circulation of 250,000 daily and sunday circulation of 350,000

         collaborated with other departments to expand territory and market share while continuing to work with existing partners and retain established advertising and readership bases

         garnered more than 70 annual sponsorship contracts with non-profits, associations, and municipalities; identified and recommended charities for grants from the $3.1 million wb39/sun-sentinel children s fund

 

artigras fine arts festival director, north palm beach chamber of commerce, palm beach gardens, fl 7/99 c 6/04

         proficiently coordinated major annual fine arts festival with a budget of more than $550,000, attendance figures in excess of 150,000, approximately 1,200 production volunteers, 350 participating vendors, and drawing $7 million to the area

         attained 78% event revenue increase and 190% increase in sponsorship revenue; oversaw all event publicity and marketing campaigns

 

city of west palm beach mayor s office, west palm beach, fl                                                                    7/94 c 7/99

marketing and sponsorship coordinator  (3/98 c 7/99)

community events sponsorship coordinator (11/96 c 3/98)

community events specialist (7/94 c 10/96)

         directed marketing, logistics, and development efforts for diverse community events drawing between 1,000 c 100,000 people; managed budgets and secured sponsorships

 

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~ additional experience ~

member, florida festivals and events association                                                                                  1995 c present

         board member (2004 c present)

         executive committee board member, secretary, (2007 c present)

         annual conference chair, awards program (2005); annual conference chair, visual arts affinity group (2003, 2004); annual conference vice chair, visual arts affinity group (2002)

         speaker/presenter, ffea conference, art festival best practices (2001); developing a quality art festival, artists and audience (2002); best practices of top rated art festivals (2003)

board member, leadership palm beach county                                                                                          2006 c 2008

         leadership excellence awards committee (2008)

         marketing committee co-chair (2006, 2007)

board member, palm beach county cultural council                                                                                   2004 c 2007

         grant panel chair (2006, 2007)

         annual muse awards program committee member (2005)

member, palm beach county literacy coalition                                                                                          2004 c 2006

         love of literacy luncheon committee (2005, 2006)

         communications committee (2004, 2005)

appointed grant panel member, national endowment of the arts                                                                   june 2005

         represented southeastern united states, cultural arts and facilities grant

member, international festivals and events association                                                                                          1995 c 2004    

         speaker/presenter, annual conference, challenges of relocating an event, new site and new city (2002)

         certified festival executive accreditation (1999)                              

member, palm beach county convention and visitors bureau                                                                      1999 c 2004

         marketing committee (1999 c 2004) 

member, junior league of the palm beaches                                                                                              1995 c 2002

 

education                                           

bachelor of science in public relations, school of journalism, university of florida                                             1994