David Combe Email & Phone Number

Portland, Oregon Metropolitan Area

Lead Field Marketing Team for Lithia Motors’ NW region as well as hire and staff the NW Region. Responsible for overall marketing strategy and success for 70+ automotive retail stores and service departments.Mentor and manage field team on industry best-practices, emerging opportunities and innovation to ensure our clients receive maximum support. As a.

Portland, Oregon Area

• Build, maintain, refine and oversee execution of long term and short term marketing communications plans for 15 to 20 of Lithia’s Portland, Bend, Eugene, and Salem dealership’s. Collaborate with each General Manager.
• Identify actionable sales and growth opportunities. Recommend and manage appropriate marketing strategies based on relevant customer, industry, market, competitive inventory and brand.
• Analyze marketing performance reports/analytics and make evidence based marketing decisions. Responsible to ensure each dealership hits desired ROI and track for effectiveness.
• Manage internal/external project managers, agencies and contractors to create project briefs, lead creative project meetings and manage projects to completion - on time and on budget.
• Serve as an expert marketing resource for all dealerships in my territory. Educate and encourage dealerships in a professional manner that generates optimism and buy-in for marketing strategies, programs, products and.

• Manage, produce and oversee all marketing, PR, brand identity, positioning, social media and sales for RYNO Motors, an Oregon Angel Fund startup
• Manage budgets, timelines, contractors and agencies on numerous sales and marketing projects including website production, videography, photography, collateral, product merchandising and design
• Manage PR agency, collaborate on strategy and implementation of extremely successful PR plan and worldwide media launch starting in NYC
• Additional duties include working on product development, understanding market needs and conveying product features to engineering, produce and develop materials as needed for investors and board (including budgeting.
• PR Media Tour/launch in NYC resulted in coverage across mainstream channels, including the Today Show, New York Times, Popular Science, WIRED Magazine, Bloomberg, Discovery Channel, Gizmag, GIZMODO, Popular Mechanics.
• Produced website and collateral well below budget

• Selected Accomplishments:
• Led both publications to #1 in North America, the Caribbean and South America in subscriptions, total revenue and newsstand sales
• Exceeded revenue goals for Kiteboarding Magazine for seven years
• Created, sold and produced international fantasy camp (a 360 degree marketing program that I developed for advertisers) that sold out and increased total revenue by 15%
• Created and sold digital advertising programs against competitors who were giving digital advertising away as added valueResponsibilities:
• Directed sales, forecasting and budgeting for two international print and digital publications and websites

• Selected Accomplishments:
• Grew North Kites to $2.5 million in sales in its first year of my tenure, and exploded the brand from a concept to the #3 brand
• Boosted sales of JP Windsurfing boards by more than 100% annually for three consecutive years, making them the top-selling board during my tenureResponsibilities:
• Cultivated excellent relationships with existing and new clients to exceed sales goals for North Kites and JP Windsurfing brands each and every year during my tenure
• Managed a $250K annual marketing budget by allocating funds to maximize exposure and strengthen brand equity
• Launched the North Kites brand in North America

• Selected Accomplishments:
• Expanded a small local event into a national outdoor multi-sport and music festival with top athletes and national TV coverage
• Increased event participation from a few thousand to more than 50,000 over four yearsResponsibilities:
• Organized, built and executed a national outdoor multi-sport and music festival that drew top athletes
• Managed regional marketing, including public relations
• Pursued media coverage with local and regional outlets and did live interviews as the event spokesperson

Leadership

3 month-long leadership development program through Lithia Motors management training program. Program access through nomination by senior.

Bs, Business Economics / Communications

Bachelor Of Science / Major In Business & Economics With A Minor In Communications