• Managed agency’s most profitable account team at Cohn & Wells SF, generating annual revenue in excess of $20,000,000.
• Experienced in training both clients and agency employees in direct marketing methods and procedures, and in managing high-volume, detail-oriented direct marketing projects.
• Over a period of ten years, contributed at Cohn & Wells as Director of Strategic Planning, Studio Director, and Group Account Director.
• Developed or supervised development of marketing communications infrastructure — including management reports, budgets, estimate formats, proforma schedules, brochure templates, approval checklists, offer summaries, client profiles, style sheets, etc.
• Designed, implemented, and analyzed the results of multi-million piece mailings with hundreds of test cells for clients such as PC World, Pacific Bell, and Bank of America.
• Developed strategic marketing plans, including identifying key market segments; determining positioning, marketing objectives, and communications objectives; recommending test matrices; measuring and analyzing results; and refining ongoing testing.
• Hands-on project management experience includes writing creative briefs, day-to-day client contact, developing and managing detailed schedules and estimates, and managing the client comment / revision process.

Start-Ups and Turn-Arounds

• As Senior Vice President at San Francisco-based, EuroRSCG-owned advertising agency, I was selected to head up the management team who opened and ran DirectWorks, an office in Melbourne, Australia. Responsibilities included hiring, training, and managing staff; senior-level client service and operational issues; and strategic development.
• Turned around faltering in-house design studio (DMZ); established and implemented operating procedures and quality control standards. Results were significantly improved product, faster service, increased volume and profitability, and much higher levels of customer satisfaction and confidence.
• Turned around large advertising agency (WNM) in Melbourne, Australia which had recently lost two of three principals and three of four major clients. (Fourth account was up for review.) After three month assignment as General Manager, had stabilized agency, analyzed business situation, improved morale and retained personnel, regained confidence of remaining client and expanded relationship, won significant new business (blue chip accounts), and attracted high-quality new talent.
• Built and managed marketing department at luxury educational travel company. Developed or supervised development of infrastructure — including management reports, budgets, estimate formats, proforma schedules, brochure templates, top-off programs, approval checklists, offer summaries, client profiles, style sheets, etc. Hired, trained, and managed department.

General Management

• Participated — along with owner, president, and CFO — in executive team responsible for long-term planning, policy development, product and personnel decisions, budget issues, and executive reporting at luxury educational travel company. In my first twelve months there, total bookings increased by 98.5% and fill rate increased by 27% over previous year.
• Managed advertising agency’s most profitable account team at Cohn & Wells San Francisco, generating annual revenue in excess of $20,000,000. Experienced in training both clients and agency employees in direct marketing methods and procedures, and in managing high-volume, detail-oriented direct marketing projects. Over a period of ten years, contributed as Director of Strategic Planning, Studio Director, and Group Account Director.
• Elected and re-elected treasurer for 160-member organization (Bay Area Travel Writers). Served on board … with all that entails.