Leon Edwards Email & Phone Number

Germantown Hills, Illinois

Lead a full-service agency for a wide range of businesses and events. Provide integrated marketing & advertising strategies centered on branding & awareness, lead & demand generation, and engagement. Design campaigns and conduct ongoing program management to generate an optimal ROI for clients. Aggressively negotiate media buying packages (TV, radio, digital, print, & social media), facilitate PR/media relations, online campaigns, and perform website content management. Broker… Show more Lead a full-service agency for a wide range of businesses and events. Provide integrated marketing & advertising strategies centered on branding & awareness, lead & demand generation, and engagement. Design campaigns and conduct ongoing program management to generate an optimal ROI for clients. Aggressively negotiate media buying packages (TV, radio, digital, print, & social media), facilitate PR/media relations, online campaigns, and perform website content management. Broker effectively with vendors to secure the best rates and maximum exposure for businesses. Show less

Peoria, Illinois Area

Oversaw all facets of marketing and promotions for over 30 events in nine states. Responsible for an annual operating budget of almost $4 million. Persuasively negotiated advertising packages with area media outlets, and strategically targeted specific demographics (behavior, age & gender) for optimal awareness and engagement. Created and distributed regular press releases throughout Illinois, Indiana, and Iowa that promoted company events and accomplishments. Arranged speaking… Show more Oversaw all facets of marketing and promotions for over 30 events in nine states. Responsible for an annual operating budget of almost $4 million. Persuasively negotiated advertising packages with area media outlets, and strategically targeted specific demographics (behavior, age & gender) for optimal awareness and engagement. Created and distributed regular press releases throughout Illinois, Indiana, and Iowa that promoted company events and accomplishments. Arranged speaking engagements at civic groups, clubs, and organizations to illustrate the community impact of live entertainment. Served as the face of the organization, communicating regularly with city officials on future plans & project updates. Regularly appeared on television, radio, and in print to promote company events & community involvement. Coordinated and arranged accommodations for Grammy-nominated artist and nationally recognized performers, including Stone Sour, Stone Temple Pilots, Sevendust, Chase Rice, Kane Brown, Old Dominion, Charlie Daniels, Cody Jinks, Lee Brice, Joe Nichols, Nelly, Jon Pardi, Sawyer Brown, Whitey Morgan, Jerrod Niemann, Ja Rule & Ashanti. Additional accomplishments during this period included:• Orchestrated some of the largest music series (Spring Fling, Tailgate N’ Tallboys & River City Soul Fest) in downstate Illinois in 2018, topping over 43,000 tickets sold that pumped over $5 million into the local economy (according to the Peoria Area Convention and Visitors Bureau) overseeing a budget of $1.4 million. • Utilized metrics-driven data and research for prospecting and fostered relationships with potential & current donors that eventually increased corporate sponsorship by 150% in 2017 and 200% in 2018.• Selected to present at the Illinois State Fair convention on the effective use of digital media in 2017 & 2018. Show less

Peoria, Illinois

Drove all promotional and marketing initiatives for a new event center securing performances and other special events. Presented goals, objectives, and plans to stakeholders, and launched innovative online purchasing programs incorporating cloud-computing, mobile applications, and partnerships with digital media services that including geofencing, targeted display, and e-mail contests. Created and managed the event calendar to ensure an accurate schedule. Oversaw budgets up to $1… Show more Drove all promotional and marketing initiatives for a new event center securing performances and other special events. Presented goals, objectives, and plans to stakeholders, and launched innovative online purchasing programs incorporating cloud-computing, mobile applications, and partnerships with digital media services that including geofencing, targeted display, and e-mail contests. Created and managed the event calendar to ensure an accurate schedule. Oversaw budgets up to $1 million and negotiated pricing with promoters, vendors, and ad executives with a focus on delivering an ROI. Coordinated logistics for the events that involved travel, set-up & takedown, meals, hotels, shipping, and merchandising. Conducted & presented post-event analysis and feedback to stakeholders and reviewed dashboards to identify ROI and strategize on alternative methods for generating more awareness and conversions.• Instrumental in bringing a large-scale, two-day festival, (Tailgate N’ Tallboys) to central Illinois that involved overseeing branding, awareness, and sponsorships. Supplemented a limited marketing budget of $5000 by negotiating trade-outs, aggressively posting on Facebook, and developing outstanding partnerships with media outlets to optimize coverage of the event. Show less

Peoria, Illinois Area

Provided advisement services for farm management clients that centered on financial solutions, logistics, crop insurance, and incorporate technology into their market plan.

Peoria, Illinois Area

Responsible for all public relations and marketing programs for a locally recognized non-profit organization. Created informative material and served as a spokesperson regarding new programs. Planned, promoted, and executed agency development activities and annual fund-raising events.Identified, investigated, and fostered relationships with current and potential donors in coordination with top-level management. Managed historic donor information within the database. • Chaired… Show more Responsible for all public relations and marketing programs for a locally recognized non-profit organization. Created informative material and served as a spokesperson regarding new programs. Planned, promoted, and executed agency development activities and annual fund-raising events.Identified, investigated, and fostered relationships with current and potential donors in coordination with top-level management. Managed historic donor information within the database. • Chaired ‘The Duck Race,’ one of the longest-running events in the Peoria IL area; successfully increasing sponsorship & donations through extensive social media management, programmatic marketing, and maintaining a consistent presence at area networking events, in addition to handling print & broadcast media exposure. Increased overall profits by 30% within two years. Show less

Bachelor Of Science (B.S.), Marketing

Activities and Societies: American Marketing Association

Education record