After five months with the company, I was promoted from Internal Communications Strategist to Vice President of Brand Marketing and Corporate Communications. I then created a MarComm department and established our team’s mission: To transform Swift Transportation from a ubiquitous logo on the sides of trucks to a respected brand that people admire, are eager to hire and desire to work for. This was accomplished through:

• I was responsible for department goals and budgeting, annual conferences, corporate announcements, crisis communications, management and placement of Swift’s mark, publicity, advertising, event management, media buying, photography and video production, sales support, content marketing, lead gen, websites and SEO, recruitment marketing, internal communications and portals, mobile applications, rewards and recognition, surveys and award submissions.

• I wrote all corporate positioning statements, including the President’s letters for annual and quarterly reports, as well as the Chairman’s messages on 10-Ks and in announcements about the Founder’s retirement and Company sale. I also managed our President’s AskRichard e-mail account, his LinkedIn page and monthly Company-wide messages, several ghostwritten industry articles and many strategic memos.

• Throughout the sale of the company, I wrote all internal and external communications, then personally managed the distribution of all audience-specific documents through relevant channels.

Reporting to the CEO, I was responsible for building and protecting Johnny Rockets’ reputation, globally, and heightening positive brand awareness – through Corporate Social Responsibility and targeted, impactful events - to increase goodwill, consideration, loyalty and market share among consumers, franchise owners, investors and the communities in which Johnny Rockets operates.

• As a member of the Franchise Leadership Council and Senior Leadership Team, I helped determine priorities and direction for the brand, including product selection and augmentation; graphics and design packages; operational tactics; global marketing direction and new owner criteria. I also managed all Company-wide communications and those to our Franchisees.

• Appealing to a variety of lifestyles and demographic segments, I developed positioning statements to fit each venue category and have reformulated the Company’s key messages and vocabulary to more effectively describe its new classic, timeless and relevant image.

• As arbiter of the brand’s voice and reputation, I oversaw the content of all outgoing consumer advertising, point-of-sale materials, Web content and franchise sales tools. Likewise, I headed crisis management, social media, internal communications, retail sales, corporate giving, celebrity seeding, product placements, trade show representation and executive presentations.

• To position Company executives as thought leaders within each of their respective fields, I placed them on panels and roundtables as well as managed their keynote presentations, blogs, bylined business articles, strategic partner meetings and online presence, overall.

• As the head of internal communications, I orchestrated and implemented three global conferences for the brand, creating all executive presentations and breakout session contents.

• Dubbed “The Closer,” I worked closely with the domestic and international Franchise Sales teams to create and present impactful and compelling sales tools that included: domestic and international brand books, advertisements, trade show booths, brochures, videos and PowerPoint presentations.

Reporting to the CEO and BOD, I directed all internal and external communication efforts during transition of new Executive Team following sale by the founders to ACI Capital/MidOcean Partners. Then, worked closely with the new owners and Executive Team to create and proliferate new messaging platforms, which resulted in Company valuation from $63m to $600m within 3 years and their ultimate sale to Nestle.

• I coordinated all communications during sale process, public announcement and transition to Nestlé. Then, worked closely with Swiss communications team to create a unified voice within their international multi-company Nutrition division.

• I served as liaison with regulatory agencies and as a board member for significant industry organizations. I also media trained all potential spokespeople and worked closely with both QA and Legal to minimize coverage of possible crisis situations while monitoring industry news and trends and summarizing findings for owners, advisory board members and senior management.

• I created campaigns to launch new products, menus, services and efficacy studies, including testimonial campaigns with weight loss clients Kirstie Alley, Valerie Bertinelli, Joy Behar, Kimberley Locke and many other celebrity and non-celebrity success stories.

In addition to annual budget for 2002, I was allotted an additional $900K to create awareness campaigns for the lagging CD Mavica line and newly-introduced Cyber-shot U product line.

• I worked closely with industry analysts to ensure accurate, timely division performance results in financial reports and overviews.

• I launched new digital imaging products to business, technical, photo and consumer press, as well as at international electronics events, contributing to #1 market share and ASP positions.

• I directed all communications for imaging division, including management of internal and external staffs, product loan program, proactive publicity campaigns and day-to-day media relations.

• I worked closely with Tokyo to monitor and proactively manage any potential crisis situations in DI.

• I was promoted from Senior Strategist to Senior Manager after only six months and selected as PR point person for YoungPros marketing segment and corresponding portfolio of products.

Corporate Communications Director

• I planned and implemented national events to support current marketing, product development and advertising efforts, as well as nationwide community relations and corporate giving programs

• In search of private placement opportunities, I created a presentation for Red Herring analysts’ meetings and accompanied the CEO to key analyst presentations, around the country.

• I participated in orchestration of financial disclosure and managed investor relations leading to IPO. This includes the management of analyst requests, coordination of quarterly earnings statement distribution and creation of annual reports.

• I served as media spokesperson for the company and worked proactively in all areas of local, domestic and international media relations. This included creating and maintaining ongoing relationships with reporters, editors, producers and photographers in all consumer and trade publications and broadcast mediums.

• I supervised internal print communication, internal electronic communication and PR departments, including the company’s PR agency of record. Also served as liaison for Marketing division.

• I counseled domestic and international team members, franchisees and agencies on Company stances and provided all media training, speeches, videos and presentations for Executive Team.

Marketing Manager – Midwest Region

• I communicated national marketing direction to franchisees including broadcast placement, creative execution, new products and customer service initiatives

• I managed 15 DMA co-ops leading them to a greater understanding of the marketing process, increased sales and willingness to consistently advertise in both traditional and non-traditional advertising venues. Also, worked with agency to develop, review and execute effective sales, marketing and media programs.

• I spearheaded efforts to market new “Turnkey” store openings, working with franchisees to purchase the initial three months of advertising for each new store.

• I researched and wrote New Store Marketing Manual to teach the principles and mechanics of print, broadcast, PR, database management and local store marketing.

• I served as corporate spokesperson for all media interviews and inquiries throughout my tenure.

• I planned and managed grand opening events and publicity for more than 200 corporate-owned stores. Also, developed and implemented more than 50 successful national sales promotions

• I developed unique marketing relationships with international and local non-profit organizations to create proprietary for-profit brand development programs

• I minimized numerous crisis situations by instituting successful communication plans and creating corporate-wide PR standards and procedures

• I orchestrated strategic, financial and promotional campaigns including those needed for a successful initial public offering, five major acquisitions, the introduction of new store prototypes, new products and two union elections

• Before, during and after the IPO, I worked closely with the CEO, CFO and Board of Directors to manage all investor relations, including working with analysts, coordinating quarterly meetings, distributing quarterly results and providing day-to-day support for investors.

• I was responsible for all internal communications including corporate newsletter, monthly video magazine, corporate web site, trade show presentations, quarterly corporate meetings and 1.2 million-distribution consumer publication