Strong organization skills, resourcefulness, broad experience in Audio Visual, Video Production, and Communications, plus excellent team building/management skills.
At Minolta (later Konica Minolta), through rapidly changing business and information cycles, as an integral part of Marketing, I was responsible for strategizing, then budgeting and project managing accurate and up-to-date, “on message/on brand” creation, production coordination, and distribution of corporate communications and national/local marketing tools – Product Launch Materials – for Minolta’s technical product lines: photographic, color printer/copier, and industrial and photographic color measurement including:
- Marketing Literature and Spec Sheets
- Videos for Hard Copy and Web Use
- Dealer print ad materials
- Launch CDs and DVDs
- Marketing Bulletins
- Application Notes
- Detailed price lists, etc.
These were produced for hard copy and various digital distribution channels and were generally created against major meeting and launch deadlines, many times with several projects running concurrently. I was also responsible for project managing the creation, production, and stage management (often internationally) of many major events:
- Product announcements
- Press conferences
- Trade shows
- Sales meetings
- Dealer events
- Technical training
These were also against tight deadlines and I ensured they all stayed, accurate, on message, within budget, and that the presentations sell. I very well understand the needs of business communications for technical products.
My goal has always been to manage projects with the most efficient and effective use of staff and freelance/agency resources. My active involvement in all stages of content creation: writing, editing, design, and all phases of production (without “micromanaging”), combined with my “Walk-Around Management” style – assure hard working, high quality, award-winning, successful programs and materials. (This is also where I developed my winning negotiation technique, “Find out what people need from you so you can get what you need from them.” Or, as Zig Ziglar put it, “You get what you want when you help enough other people get what they want.”) This resulted in no major end of process course corrections and no surprises at delivery… quick, efficient, and budget friendly.
I was responsible for not only project planning/scheduling/production management, but simultaneously, partnering closely with our travel and logistics teams, supervising the movement of equipment to trade show and presentation sites (including international venues) so that everything arrived all together and in time for setup, rehearsals, and presentation. And then, of course, ensuring that my team got it all safely returned and ready to move for the next event. To accomplish these results, I often employed innovative techniques: for instance, containerized sea freight for our USA based equipment for use at a major meeting in Osaka, Japan (featuring a seven award-winning homage to the founder of Minolta that we created for the event). The attendees included many top Minolta worldwide headquarters executives (founder’s son/President, founder’s widow and other family, and many more).
Because of annual resource utilization and scheduling projection surveys that I instituted, my efficient staff/freelance hybrid production, logistic, and presentation techniques generally saved several hundred thousand dollars each year, compared with purchasing these services outside the corporation.
I also remain sensitive to other influences that may affect results and a company’s branding and image in the marketplace. For instance, in addition to managing a highly motivated and motivating communications group, I was also “Chief Logo Cop” for Minolta (later, Konica Minolta), responsible for the integrity of the corporate identity, through all media, in the North, Central, and South American markets. I ensured corporate branding guidelines by internal Minolta and Konica Minolta groups, subsidiaries, and dealer community.