Advisor to CEO of the "Hot Growth Company" ranked #75 by Business Week. Ran daily media relations, influencer programs and speakers' bureau for Web 2.0 leaders: One of the largest digital advertising and Web design agencies in the world, a digital ad server, and a digital ad network.

Via mainstream and online reporters, bloggers and research analysts, educated marketers on leading trends and research in all types of Web / digital advertising and marketing, measurement, Web design, wikis, social networking and search.

Announced earnings and 6 acquisitions and various partnerships in the U.S., U.K., Australia, Germany and Japan.

(Departed for career hiatus: Cared for mother while I still had her. Now eager to resume spurring more successes.)

Promoted to revitalize PR for this $2 billion brand (retailer, international etailer and cataloger of apparel and home fashions), and to help protect company's culture. Mentored, cross-trained team of 7, building spirit, skills and effectiveness. Restructured landsend.com PR strategies, increasing national coverage to drive traffic. Spurred momentum of product publicity (fashion PR) and research analyst relations. Increased collaboration between Lands' End PR in the U.S., U.K., Germany and Japan. Executed 5 NY media events in 5 months. Managed issues including
manufacturing plant closings. (Departed after CEO / CMO changes.)

Ran sears.com PR (no staff). Rapidly executed e-commerce PR strategy that broke through dot-com news glut (1999) by differentiating Sears. Repositioned national retailer from "dinosaur" to "innovator" in eyes of Wall Street and research analysts by building reputation as leading multi-channel "bricks and clicks" retailer (a new concept). Worked closely with investor relations, attorneys, research analysts, business media and PR firm. Became first Sears PR manager to earn business leadership role: voting member of Sears Direct leadership team of vice presidents.

Recognized with Sears Chairman's Award for establishing unprecedented cross-company synergies in a culture of business silos. Client roster expanded in 2002 (Sears HQ downsizing). Asked by VP of Branding to resume PR leadership of Craftsman tools. Also became PR counsel for Product Repair Services (largest repair service provider in U.S.). Managed issues for Sears Automotive / DieHard batteries (most preferred auto batteries).

Spurred soft-launch e-commerce sales unexpected until end of ad campaigns, and sears.com profitability a year earlier than plan. Pioneered "buy online - pick up in store" (with no advertising); propelled niche segment from zero to 40% of sears.com volume.

Led 7 managers in optimizing communications for up to 320,000 employees (including 840 stores). Transformed order-takers to communications advisors. Strategic plans included intranet, emails, videos, meetings, brochures and newsletters. Rolled out diversity training. Set corporate benchmark for effective field communications: an education program overcame the concerns of commissioned salespeople at 840 stores to the e-commerce launch of major appliances. (After HQ layoffs, I requested sears.com role to make a difference in downsized Sears.)

Built and evolved PR for cornerstone brand. Programs consistently resonated despite frequent shoe-string budgets typically unexpected for iconic brands. Integrated PR with marketing strategies. "PR provided the highest ROI of any marketing tool," according to the Sears VP of Branding. Propelled $3.5 billion brand from #9 to #1 quality rankings (of any type of product or brand) by U.S. consumers. Fueled $175 million annual sales growth for Craftsman tools for 4 consecutive years via targeted strategy.
Introduced 75 new products per year. Launched Craftsman.com (1997). Launched first-ever truck series with NASCAR.

Assumed PR responsibility for Kenmore appliances ($4 billion brand), Contract Sales (B2B), Sears Hardware stores roll out, Sears Home Improvement Services and media relations for monthly financial reporting. Extensive issues management experience. Official Sears spokesperson. (When PR department reorganized, I asked for role to hone my employee communications skills.)

In a down market, recruited to turn around PR business. Hired 6, integrating PR strategies into marketing programs to differentiate agency from competitors. Catapulted PR department from red to 25% of ad agency's profit. Devised push-pull (B2B / B2C) PR strategies driving 80% sales increase (in 2 years with no ads) for a 100-year-old manufacturer of "reel" push lawn mowers. Built comprehensive integrated marketing programs that pushed duckling to food service and restaurants, and increased consumer demand to pull-through sales. Won / grew 12+ diverse, national, B2B / B2C clients (network computer equipment to an assay to detect myocardial infarctions).

Garnered national exposure for real estate entrepreneurs to attract investors: Secured publicity in The Wall Street Journal and Business Week. Ran PR for 8 commercial and residential properties. Managed ad agencies and team of 2.

"Here's a city that put all eggs in the PR basket; they turned to gold," according to the American Economic Development Council. Hired / coached team of 7 to spur economic development for city and state. Increased a city's convention bookings 218%, tourism requests 24%: Inspired relocation of 3,000+ firms to area (75,000 new jobs). Placements in virtually all top U.S. media (National Geographic, Smithsonian magazine, The Wall Street Journal, NBC's "Today"...). Advisor and official spokesperson for 10th Pan American Games (4,000 athletes from 38 countries), igniting sale for 947,469 tickets.