John Lawn Email and Phone Number

JL&A Communications is an independent provider of editorial and communications services in multiple business and market categories. Specific experience in energy, engineering markets, foodservice, supply chain and other b-to-b spaces. Contact us for advice, content development and production, marketing and consulting services, targeted print and digital communications; editorial concept development; research analysis; promotional copywriting; and select speaking engagements or focus group facilitation.

FOOD MANAGEMENT, a Penton publication, targeted 47,000 food, nutrition and student life directors, managers and contract executives in healthcare; educational and corporate environments. • Oversaw migration of editorial and production operations from New York City to Cleveland. Re-positioned magazine to establish it as a thought leader in its community. • Established extensive network of one-on-one market relationships with principals in operating and business partner communities, including department heads in business and industry, educational and healthcare institutions, group purchasing organizations, outsource providers and their executive management, industry associations, commodity boards, advertising and PR agencies, etc. • Planned and executed strategies to increase readership, differentiate the publication and enhance market presence. •. Extensive interviewing, writing, issue analysis and editorial planning skillsets.• Designed and produced original print and digital media products as well as re-purposed magazine content; closely involved in development of several iterations of the magazine’s web site and e-newsletter; monitored traffic patterns and SEO data to optimize page views and b-to-b demographics.

Founding editor for a new magazine targeting distribution management, logistics executives and marketing professionals. From-concept development of a new editorial property, overseeing all aspects of content planning and production. Hired and trained a highly capable editorial and production staff. Managed extensive national travel to introduce magazine to its market, position it relative to its competition and establish reader and account relationships throughout the market channel among manufacturer, distributor, buying group communities.

Worked in the Cleveland Scientific Data Center, a supercomputer based computing facility that served Sohio's engineering and financial community. Served as communications support arm for large, highly sophisticated team of technical support personnel, software product managers, data center management and management science specialists. Provided active communication support for numerous technical projects including disruption recovery planning, technical facility migration planning, new software installations, etc. Oversaw custom software user documention development. After Sohio's merger with BP, the entire Cleveland Scientific Data Center was eliminated in cutbacks implemented in 1986.

Progressed from assistant to associate to managing editor. Covered emerging and existing energy technologies with emphasis on commercial and industrial energy conservation strategies; market analysis of new energy technologies. Special areas of focus included building energy management, hvac. lighting and refrigeration systems, coal conversion, electric and natural gas policy,analysis of Federal energy legislation from 1978-1983. Extensive interviewing of corporate energy management, Washington-based legislative influencers, commercial and industrial architects and engineers. Target audience was comprised of engineering management and top corporate executives in Fortune 500 companies.

Previous experience included Public Relations and Development in the non-profit sector and in graphic arts and print production.