Jane Hirt Email & Phone Number

Chicago, Il, Us

Chicago, Illinois, United States

At M. Harris & Co. I do both strategic and creative work, with a specialty in digital marketing. I also lead large, complex projects. My clients have included the American Academy of Pediatrics, NORC at the University of Chicago, the EFI Foundation, the American Medical Association, the National ECE Workforce Center, States Newsroom, MxD, Ever restaurant, the Onion, Child Trends, the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning and many others.In 2022, the M. Harris team I led won two Viddy Awards and a Ragan Award for a nationwide Superhero PSA for the American Academy of Pediatrics supporting childhood immunization. My skillset is versatile, but I find myself primarily:+ Building and executing strategic marketing plans+ Building and executing content marketing plans+ Writing marketing copy and other content+ Writing websites+ Helping companies and organizations re-message and rebrand themselves+ Running Google, Facebook, LinkedIn and connected TV ad campaigns+ Creating and placing other digital marketing campaigns, like newsletters+ Designing marketing materials and motion graphics+ Advising on talent, training and personnel matters+ Leading large project teams

Chicago, Il

I use my 25 years' experience as a journalist and executive to help companies tell their own stories better.I partner with M. Harris & Co. on a wide variety of projects ranging from marketing to creative and content. My work mostly includes brand messaging, content strategy and execution, paid social media, digital marketing and advertising campaigns. My experiences and interests are deep and wide-ranging, and I adapt easily to new assignments and new industries. Over my career, I have run organizations large and small, and I believe relentless communication is the key to leading people, managing change and meeting business goals. As managing editor of the Tribune, I was responsible for almost 450 journalists and the journalism they created on all platforms. I cofounded RedEye and led its 25 journalists through the thrilling startup years. I was a vice president of Chicago Tribune Media Group and helped that organization transform during a time of great disruption. I apply all that I learned to my work today in this age of disruption. Current and past clients include: The American Academy of Pediatrics, AmeriSpeak, NORC at the University of Chicago, Chef Curtis Duffy's Ever restaurant and Rêve burger, the digital manufacturing institute MxD, Beloit College, the National Women's History Museum, Imerman Angels, Shield T3, YR Media, White Oak Conservation, the Executives' Club of Chicago, Chicago Beyond, the Erikson Institute, Musician and photographer Michael Lenzi, Origin Investments and many others.What others have said about me as a consultant:"She is both an expert tactician and an insightful thought partner. The value that she delivers is amplified by her positive, action-oriented mindset." - Alyssa Sullivan, Director of External Relations, MxD "I have seen a huge difference after we spent time with Jane. Hire Jane if you want to see an increase in engagement with email marketing." - Eva Penar, The Executives Club of Chicago

Chicago

As a four-month consultant, I directed the marketing efforts of Origin Investments, a private-equity commercial real estate investment firm, while the firm's vice president of marketing was on maternity leave. My duties during this "maternityship" included communicating with investors and potential investors; activating new marketing channels to generate site registrants and qualified sales leads; refining the web site; tracking and reporting metrics on the effectiveness of digital and traditional marketing channels; creating content for and about Origin; directing organic and paid social media efforts, placing traditional and digital ads; and managing several outside public relations, advertising, content, direct mail, web design and social media vendors. During my consultancy, I designed and launched a new events program for Origin involving luncheons for accredited investors around the U.S. I also launched an investor education strategy that included a regular newsletter and blogs answering common questions. Digital marketing leads increased 33% during my four months at Origin, and the firm enjoyed 19 news media mentions (earned and placed). What others had to say about me in this role:"Jane stepped into a complex advertising campaign that was already in progress. Jane knew the right questions to ask to ensure that our multi-agency team found the formula to be successful so that Origin met their business goals." - Sarah Best, Chief Strategist of Sarah Best Strategy"Jane has the ability to listen, plan and execute successfully throughout all stages of a project. The seemingly effortless way she organizes and multitasks, while encouraging everyone around her, is a rare and beautiful art form." - Nick Tann, Marketing Director, Digital Content and Technology at PCMA, formerly of Origin

Chicago, Il

As managing editor/vice president of the Chicago Tribune, I led the Tribune newsroom of 450 journalists and supervised the daily execution of news and features content on digital, print and social media platforms. I helped successfully lead the newsroom through several years of industry disruption and economic upheaval by communicating change and managing crises, but also by taking advantage of the opportunities that lie in disruption. I've hired, developed and mentored hundreds of journalists and burgeoning leaders while also managing the business matters connected with a major news media outlet. Under my optimistic and innovative leadership, the newsroom was known especially for investigative journalism and became a fully converged, digital-first newsroom serving millions of readers on many platforms. I earned the title of vice president in 2010, two years after becoming managing editor.What others had to say about me in this role:"Jane is a creative and charismatic leader who inspires those around her to perform at exceptional levels. She creates an esprit based on respect and a sense of joy for the work. In my view, she was the best managing editor ever at the Chicago Tribune." - Gerould Kern, former Chicago Tribune editor-in-chief"Jane is one of those rare professionals who can see both the forest and the trees: a visionary who also is relentlessly focused on details and results." - Cara DiPasquale, Chicago Tribune "Jane is a leader who drives and accepts change. She has the ability to listen openly to any idea and expand the idea to achieve greater success." Greg Healy, Chief Product Officer Jellyvision, former Chicago Tribune

Chicago, Il

I was a founding editor of this innovative startup, a commuter news and lifestyle brand targeting Millennials living in Chicago, and I was part of the leadership team that steered it to profitability. As co-editor from 2002-2005 and then editor-in-chief from 2005-2008, I guided the editorial vision and helped propel the quick growth of this energetic brand beloved among Chicagoans in their 20s and 30s. As editor of RedEye, I supervised the content and editorial staff of 25, represented RedEye nationally and locally in media interviews and industry speaking engagements, and recruited and hired new talent for RedEye and the Chicago Tribune. (RedEye is a brand within the Chicago Tribune Media Group portfolio.) I'm particularly proud of the many young journalists whom I hired, mentored and developed into leaders who are still thriving in the news industry today. RedEye's daily print circulation grew from 0 to 200,000 during my years as editor and became profitable during a difficult time for the news industry. RedEye was an innovative idea in the early 2000s; one of the first news brands to specifically target Millennials in the era before Facebook, Twitter, iPhones and other innovations that have so changed how people get their news. RedEye spawned several similar youth-focused newspapers around the U.S. and the globe and heavily influenced the Chicago Tribune to better target and serve its own audience. After I left, RedEye continued blazing a path on digital channels, driven by the next generation of leaders that I had carefully mentored and developed. Eight years after I left and 15 years after it launched, RedEye ceased daily publication and became a web site with a weekly print component, evolving in a way so many other news brands have been forced to evolve. But RedEye most definitely made its mark on the industry, on Chicago and on the many news brands who were influenced by its Millennial-focused way of doing business.

In The U.S. And Abroad

I'm an experienced public speaker, and it's something I enjoy very much. I rarely turn down a speaking engagement. I've spoken to dozens of groups over the last decade and a half, usually as the keynote speaker or a featured speaker. Here's a partial list of the groups: * TedXYouth@Lincoln* Pecha Kucha, Chicago* Zhejiang Daily Press Group, Hangzhou, China* Chi Omega national convention, Orlando* Conference of journalists in Lisbon, Portugal* University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Agriculture * Association of Women Journalists, Chicago* Rotary Club of Evanston* National Federation of Press Women* Ivy Day, University of Nebraska-Lincoln* numerous college classes

Hawaii, Indonesia, China, Tokyo

I was selected for this fellowship, whose intent is to promote East-West understanding. Six American news journalists traveled to Indonesia, China and Japan to meet with officials and newsmakers, while Asian journalists did the same in America. At the beginning and end we met in Hawaii to discuss what we'd learned. It was an eye-opening experience, and I still carry with me the lessons I learned and the people I met.

Chicago, Il

As a news editor on the Chicago Tribune's national-foreign desk, I edited and rewrote stories filed by foreign and national correspondents from the field. I also was a reassuring, helpful voice on the phone, a link to the newsroom in Chicago for correspondents often calling from conflict zones. I edited all national-foreign stories destined for page one and managed a staff of other national-foreign news editors. I made decisions on story and photo play in the national-foreign news section and worked under very tight, nightly deadlines.

Chicago, Il

I supervised the copy editing of national-foreign news appearing in the Chicago Tribune. I supervised a desk of about eight copy editors.

Chicago, Il

I was a copy editor on the national-foreign desk, and before that, a copy editing intern on the sports desk.

Lincoln, Ne

Managing editor of the student newspaper at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Supervised the news content and staff reporters.

Orlando, Fl

Headline writing, copy editing.

Omaha, Ne

I was a staff reporter for half of my internship, and a staff copy editor for the other half.

Lincoln, Ne

I was a reporter and a copy editor for the student newspaper at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.