John Vanderhaagen Email & Phone Number

Greater Grand Rapids, Michigan Area

• Provides leadership, support and guidance to members of the Communications department, including employees, interns and volunteers.• Conducts critical assessment of individual staff performance including annual reviews, compensation recommendations and corrective actions.• Conducts departmental meetings and assigns project tasks to assure balanced workloads and timely completion of all projects.• Establishes and maintains an efficient work flow system and facilitates input/buy-in from all project stakeholders.• Provides creative direction and mentoring for brainstorming, concept development and design/messaging.• Manages strategic market research and maintains organizational brand development standards, including graphic and copy standards to be applied across all departments.• Manages external vendor relationships.• Manages digital assets: project archives, image archives and logo library.• Provides project management and art/copy direction of special projects.• Oversees implementation of all media plans for exhibitions, events, and general marketing efforts.• Meets regularly with President & CEO to discuss ongoing department progress, including production schedule and personnel development.• Completes reports, writing assignments, and/or special assignments for President & CEO, other departments and/or Board of Directors as needed.• Coordinates, facilitates and meets with Communications Board Committee as determined by charter, or other Board Committees as requested.• Works directly with the President & CEO and the VP of Finance & Administration to develop the department's annual budget and strategic operations plan.• Plans and manages the annual Communications budget and approves all expenditures for the department.

In this role, I serve as the key media contact for the organization, develop press materials, pitch stories, conduct media tours and internal media training, and organize public media events. I develop and maintain key relationships with local, regional and national media, positioning Meijer Gardens as one of the Midwest’s premier cultural institution. Additional Functions:Write and distribute press releases and media alerts. I establish and nurturekey local, regional and national media contact relationships.Respond to incoming media inquiries; provide requested information, interviews and/orimages for publicationCoordinate/conduct interviews, arrange and conduct media tours and events(including travel to other cities/venues), on-site radio/TV remotes and pressconferences.Manage media during Summer Concert Series concerts.Manage/update website, eBlast and social media strategy and content,interface with all departments and Web site host.Organize and maintain press clipping files from all publicity generated. Organizes advertising clippings and press releases into separate exhibition binders. Maintain media contact databasesCreate press kit materials, including press releases, bios, fact sheets, historical timeline, detailed background information and photography.Coordinate outside photographers, videographers and TV camera crews when shooting on-site.

Greater Grand Rapids, Michigan Area

Greater Grand Rapids, Michigan Area

Responsible for social media marketing campaigns, strategy, content creation, online advertising, reputation management and advice & council for clients of Lambert, Edwards & Associates as well as internal training in best practices.

Greater Grand Rapids, Michigan Area

Responsible for all aspects and content of Grand Rapids Griffins social media, including Facebook, Twitter, Vimeo, YouTube, Flickr, Google+, Pinterest, Instagram, Vine and location based marketing.Coordinated and fulfilled corporate sales contracts as they related to social media and developed internal communication processes to guide this process.Created and managed on and off-line interactive promotions that partnered with regional and national brands to engage the Griffins fanbase.Implemented the Griffins social media strategy to ensure unity and integration of social networking activity/approach across various departments within the organization.Conducted ongoing research and recommendations on social networking and e-commerce trends, tools, products, and sites.Directed the evaluation and appropriate application of social networking/community tools for the organization.Defined the appropriate and efficient workflows/tactics for various departments within the organization.Served as resident expert and liaison with other departments, including DP Fox Ventures and Fox Motor Group, to assist in utilizing social media appropriately and effectively.Cultivated and provided leads to ticket sales staff.Assisted ticket sales and corporate sales staff with creation and marketing of offers and promotions.Monitored community participation and purchasing behavior to capture data, in association with market research, and interpreted the effectiveness of existing practices.Assisted in creating new, NTR streams for various departments within the organization.Game night music coordinator (@GriffDJMaxx).

Cultivated and provided leads to ticket sales staff.Assisted ticket sales staff with creation of ticket sales offers and promotion of online group and season ticket offers.Conducted ongoing research and recommendations on social networking and e-commerce trends, tools, products, and sites.Defined the appropriate and efficient workflows/tactics for various departments within the organization.Assisted in creating new, NTR streams for various departments within the organization.Game night music coordinator.

Assist with concert and live event production work at West Michigan venues including the Van Andel Arena, DeVos Performance Hall and The Orbit Room and festivals including Rothbury, B93 Birthday Bash and the Val Du Lakes Summer Concert Series.Local Production Assistant for bands and touring productions including The Eagles, Metallica, Kenny Chesney, Disney on Ice, Blue Man Group and many more.Wedding & portrait photography and 35mm slide to digital archiving.

Captus Creative - Val Du Lakes Concert Series

Assist with social media strategy and provide content. Set up and maintain the ReverbNation Facebook app. Oversee box office and select front of house duties for the 2011 Val Du Lakes concert series.

Acted as the bridge between the corporate sales and game operations departments, making sure that contractual elements were fully executed.Responsible for creation of promotional schedule, giveaways, and timing and PA scripts for 8 game Arena Football League home schedule.Created new corporate sales inventory opportunities for the corporate sales team.

Responsible for all aspects of ticket sales including season tickets, group tickets, and individual game sales.In charge of creation of marketing materials, weekly and monthly sales reports as well as overseeing a $300,000+ budget.Hire, train and managed staff of four ticket sales account executives, one ticket services manager, and interns.Acquire leads and develop ticket sales initiatives designed to sell group and season ticket packages.Developed and implemented a new, streamlined website that made it easier for group sales customers to order tickets online (rampagegrouptickets.com)January - July 2007 - Freelance Production and Photography Assist with concert production work at Van Andel Arena.

Responsible for all aspects of show booking, advance, settlement and accounting for the 1,300 seat historic theatre, including daily interaction with booking agencies, tour managers, staff, record labels, regional and national promoters. Dealt with all features of events from inception to final show performance including all theatre and house manager responsibilities. Organized marketing, advertisement and grassroots efforts for in house shows and rentals. Drafted and executed rental and co-promotion contracts tailored to each individual show.Liaison between theatre and national booking agents, local media, and artists.In charge of all website and marquee updates, email blasts, and local media buys.Offset event expenses by selling sponsorships to local businesses.Directly responsible for all aspects of day to day theatre operations, including overseeing all event day activities and scheduling of support staff.In charge of all post-show finances, including all box office, concession, and merchandise receipts as well as settling finances with promoter and tour representatives.

In charge of all group ticket sales for 10,000 seat Van Andel Arena, 2,500 seat DeVos Performance Hall and DeVos Place events. Also in charge of Van Andel Arena Premium Seat sales and generating new, non-traditional revenue streams.Created and implemented sales of a new Premium Seat License program at 2,500 seat DeVos Performance Hall.

Managed all Orbit Room box office activities and ticket sellers including event set-up, ticket on-sales, production ticket holds, complimentary tickets, order processing and all post-show accounting and reconciliation.Assisted with the development and processing of marketing plans for Orbit Room shows. Teamed with Director of Marketing to create tailored marketing mixes for each show including but not limited to involvement of Orbit Room Street Team, flyer and handbill distribution, and paid advertising in both print and radio outlets.Downsized with the rest of the Orbit Room / CCE staff during the CCE --> LiveNation cuts.

DP Fox Sports and Entertainment Employee of the Year (2002)Named "Employee of the Year" in an office of 40 employees for dramatically increasing both group and season ticket numbers, consistently exceeding monthly and season long sales goals and providing an example of strong work ethic to Ticket Sales Account Executives in my first year as the Ticket Sales Manager.