Over the past seven years, I've been hired as a professional speaker by music conferences to speak about my two books and also offer writing tips. Events and groups I've presented to include: South By Southwest (SXSW); the Mariposa Folk Festival; Western University Senior Alumni; Rotary Club of Waterloo; the Riverdale Historical Society, the North York Probus Club and the Folk Music Ontario conference and

With a love of words and a passion to write, McPherson Communications delivers your message to make sure it is heard by all audiences. Led by David McPherson - a seasoned corporate communicator, professional writer, let us help tell your story. Clients (past and current) include:WESTMOUNT GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB (2018-current)Provide strategic communications counsel to the general manager • Write key messages to the membership and to the employees • Plan, write, edit, and design, a 44-page member publication (The Westmounter) • Monitor and manage club’s social media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter)• Create a branded member e-newsletter (Westmount Weekly)• Market club to the media and the communityINTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS• Reinvented Strongco’s employee newsletter. PUBLICATIONS MANAGEMENT• Took over the “turn-key” editorial management of Golf Canada – at the time the No.1 golf lifestyle magazine in Canada with 130,000 subscribers • Managing Editor ClubLink Life – the quarterly member magazine for ClubLinkFREELANCE WRITING• Published more than 1,500 articles globally in daily newspapers, consumer/trade magazines, and online in a variety of subjects: from business and real estate to sports, lifestyle and human interest.

A complete history of Toronto’s legendary Horseshoe Tavern, “the Birthplace of Canadian Rock,” to coincide with its seventieth anniversary. Like the Queen Street strip that has been its home for seven decades, the Horseshoe Tavern continues to evolve. It remains as relevant today as it did when Jack Starr founded the country club on the site of a former blacksmith shop. From country and rockabilly to rock ‘n’ roll, punk, alt/country, and back to roots music, the venerable live music venue has evolved with the times and trends — always keeping pace with the music.Over its seventy-year history, the Horseshoe has seen a flood of talent pass through. From Willie Nelson to Loretta Lynn, Stompin’ Tom Connors to the Band, and Bryan Adams to the Tragically Hip, the Horseshoe has attracted premier acts from all eras of music. In The Legendary Horseshoe Tavern, David McPherson captures the turbulent life of the bar, and of Canadian rock.2018 Awards: Long Listed (Toronto Book Awards); Long Listed (Heritage Toronto Award, 2018 Historical Writing)2018

I teach DTM Turfgrass Communications to first-year students in the two-year Diploma in Turfgrass Management program at the University of Guelph. Topics covered include: writing, effective public speaking and presentation skills, crisis communication, event planning, social media, business etiquette, resume writing and networking.

Teach a course on specialized writing for Not-For-Profits to third-year students in Conestoga's Four Year PR Degree program.

• Wrote, edited, and photographed for the Exchange—a strategically focused, bi-monthly, 24-page employee magazine, which was distributed to 7,500 employees across Ontario. • Partnered with freelance photographers, an outside designer, and an in-house printer to make sure the Exchange was printed on time and on budget. • Liaised with global suppliers such as Diageo, Constellation Brands and Bacardi regularly to get the most up-to-date news on product launches and other events to share with staff.Social media • Revamped the Exchange Online to be more reader-friendly. After this strategic makeover, visits to the employee Intranet increased by more than 50 per cent. • Transformed the online version of the bi-monthly printed Exchange from a PDF to a flip-book Flash version. • Leveraged internal communication best practices; added regular video content to LCBO’s Intranet, created a bi-weekly segment called Headlines. Within 24 hours of posting these short video clips, on average, 1,300 employees viewed them and rated them 4.5/5.Executive communication • Wrote Dear Colleagues letters from the LCBO President/CEO and from the Chair that communicated successes, organizational changes and issues. Gave employees the “inside story” when the media was critical of the organization, ensured they remained engaged about the company’s long-terms strategic plan and vision. • Wrote speeches for senior executives—emphasized the LCBO’s brand and managed its corporate image.Media relations • Promoted new LCBO store openings and obtained positive media coverage by writing media releases and taking photographs at the openings, than sending to local newspapers, radio, TV and online media outlets.External relations• Managed the LCBO’s annual report from concept through to writing, editing and completion. Worked with senior executives, board members, designers, the finance department, and the government to meet tight deadlines and budget.