Lead the strategic direction and execution of all marketing initiatives. My role encompasses a diverse range of responsibilities, including:- Advertising and Marketing Campaigns: Develop and implement comprehensive marketing strategies that enhance brand visibility and drive member engagement. Oversee multi-channel advertising campaigns, leveraging both traditional and digital media to reach our target audience effectively.- Team Management: Lead a dynamic marketing team, fostering a collaborative and innovative work environment. Ensure team members are aligned with our cooperative’s goals and equipped with the skills and resources needed to excel in their roles.- Events: Plan and coordinate community events and member outreach programs. These initiatives are designed to promote our services, educate our members, and strengthen community ties.- Project Management: Oversee the lifecycle of various marketing projects from conception to completion. Ensure projects are delivered on time, within scope, and aligned with our strategic objectives.- Grants: Manage grant opportunities to support the cooperative’s growth and development initiatives.- Economic Development: Collaborate with local businesses and government entities to promote economic growth in our service areas. Develop strategies that attract new businesses and support existing ones, contributing to the overall prosperity of the communities we serve.- Government Relations: Maintain and build relationships with government officials and regulatory agencies. Advocate for policies that benefit our cooperative and the communities we serve.- Member Services: Enhance the member experience through tailored service offerings and responsive support. Ensure members are informed, satisfied, and actively engaged with our cooperative.My commitment to innovative marketing practices and community-focused initiatives continues to propel Rushmore Electric towards achieving its mission and strategic goals.

Spearheaded initiatives aimed at driving economic growth and enhancing the business landscape of our community. My key responsibilities included:- Company Recruitment: Successfully attracted and recruited businesses to our region by showcasing the benefits of our area, leveraging local assets, and presenting compelling value propositions.- Financial Incentives and Programs: Developed and implemented a variety of financial incentives and programs designed to attract new businesses and support the expansion of existing ones. These initiatives included tax incentives, grants, and low-interest loan programs.- Team Management: Led and managed a dedicated team of economic development professionals. Fostered a collaborative work environment, providing guidance and resources to ensure team members were effective in their roles and aligned with our strategic objectives.- Government Affairs: Engaged with local government officials and regulatory bodies to advocate for policies and initiatives that promote economic development. Built and maintained strong relationships with key stakeholders to facilitate smooth cooperation and support for our projects.- Data Analytics for Recruitment: Utilized data analytics to identify trends, assess market conditions, and develop targeted recruitment strategies. Ensured that data-driven insights informed all aspects of our recruitment efforts, enhancing our ability to attract high-potential businesses.During my tenure, I successfully attracted several key businesses to our area, developed innovative financial programs, and established strong relationships with local government officials, all contributing to the sustained economic growth and development of our community.

Expanding South Dakota’s economy and providing businesses support and guidance throughout the state. My role is to influence the growth of the economy in South Dakota by effectively utilizing community and business development, finance, and marketing resources and tools.Confidently cold-called on businesses within the Black Hills and Western South Dakota to drive awareness of GOED, the financial programs offered, and the connections available to businesses.Engaged in daily contract negotiation and deal structuring.Identified, prospected, and developed relationships with in-state companies looking to expand, as well as out-of-state companies looking to relocate or expand into South Dakota.Researched and analyzed data for a broad range of industries, businesses, and product lines.Reached 140% of my quarterly engagement goal.

Oversee operations and sales for Kitchen & Bath Showcase, the retail showroom for Northwest Pipe Fittings. This includes a staff of four full-time and two part-time employees.Conceived and administered a complete refresh of the showroom to make it more inviting and less overwhelming to the customer, while coming in at 25% of the allocated budget, by:• Asking vendors for deep discounts on displays• Asking local trade partners to provide services in exchange for in-store advertising• Having employee input, buy-in and help with certain aspects of the refreshDeveloped a good, better, best model for each product category, then trained the staff on how to present and upsell this model, which resulted in a 12% increase per invoice over the first three months.Discovered through market research (focus groups and customer surveys) that the general public was unaware the Showroom was open to the public. Collaborated with a third-party agency to launch a marketing plan and CTA that focused on educating and creating awareness of the Showroom.Streamlined the customer shopping experience by analyzing the past three years of purchasing history to locate and then starting to stock popular SKU's and product line trends.Devised and implemented an internal warehousing and delivery process unique to the Showroom to ensure a positive experience for the customer from start to finish.Reduced costs and enhanced employee morale by staggering staffing hours, while increasing the hours open to the public.Responsible for developing an internal CRM, with zero outside cost to the company, through our Office 365 subscription. Resulted in fewer internal mistakes, while providing the ability to track prospects and projects throughout the sales pipeline.Successfully launched a referral partnership program targeting local businesses ranging from interior designers, builders, furniture/flooring companies, and real estate agents, to help ensure the sales pipeline is always active.

Oversaw and implemented a customer-centric sales and marketing strategy for 13 locations across a five-state region. Utilized strong interpersonal skills to direct inside and outside sales to deliver a consistent branding message throughout the company. Conducted in-depth market analysis for each location and then executed a new marketing approach focused on customer service, relationships, and intangibles vs. an outdated price first model.Successfully project managed a team of eight individuals at multiple locations through a rebrand of the corporate website, logo/branding, social media, and online presence, while coming in under budget and on deadline.Launched a text messaging program, which was a first for our industry regionally, allowing customers to text in orders, ask questions, check on orders, and more.Project managed and launched a full-scale e-commerce webstore (with 16,000+ SKU’s) that drove over $750,000 in sales the first year alone.Developed and spearheaded a strategic marketing plan that included short-term goals (increase GP by 8-12%, while reducing inventory/turns) while laying out a full scale, long-term approach to grow total gross sales 10% year-over-year.Designed 20 to 35 creative ads per month, targeting potential customers via a multi-channel marketing approach.Exceptionally proficient within the digital social media space (Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn) as well as multiple different content management systems.Valued safety and formed a committee that led to the implementation of several new safety procedures, ranging from a forklift certified training program to monthly safety meetings.Persistently surveyed customers to understand the needs of the customer better; then analyzed and used that data to improve the customer experience continuously.Adhered to and led others by following the motto, "Even if you try and fall flat on your face, at least you are moving in the right direction … forward!"

Direct responsibility for a team of five staff members and 225+ existing accounts (10 of which were National Accounts), while driving new business as well as cultivating and maintaining relationships with 75+ partners/vendors. Driving force behind creating new and advanced technology offerings (custom built websites, direct-to-print software, digital and social media offerings, etc.) to serve clients better while also utilizing these same components to help them grow their business.Earned the top honor, “Master of Marketing” from AlphaGraphics Corporation (awarded annually to only five of 600+ salespersons worldwide) for 2009, 2012 and 2013.Recognized as a Top Ten Salesperson Worldwide within AlphaGraphics network for 2013. This was accomplished by providing the same level of exceptional customer service to each customer, no matter the size or spend of the account.Utilized DISC assessments and weekly one-on-ones to better understand everyone’s strengths and weaknesses. Applied that knowledge to inspire each in a unique and tailored way.Increased sales by over 485% from 2009 to 2014 while industry sales dropped 20%; with sales revenue totaling $2.1M+ for 2013.Completely transformed the strategy and focus of the sales and marketing process from a product-based to a value selling approach, grounded on driving revenue as well as fostering long-term client relationships.Correctly forecasted and marketed to customers the importance of digital media to communicate and drive sales.Company received “Top Growth Award” each of the last five years, awarded to only 5% of all franchises worldwide.Chosen as an AlphaGraphics Corporate Sales Trainer and Mentor.Adhered to and led others by following the motto, “Customer service is not a department, it’s everyone’s job.”

Earned the top honor, “Master of Marketing” from AlphaGraphics Corporation (awarded annually to only five of 600+ salespersons worldwide) for 2009.Increased sales by over 340% from 2006 to 2011, which lead to an internal promotion for Director of Business Development.Completely transformed the strategy and focus of the sales and marketing process from a product-based to a value selling approach, grounded on driving revenue as well as fostering long-term client relationships.Responsible for developing and presenting weekly, monthly, quarterly, and, yearly sales and marketing account reports.Within several National Accounts, created and implemented company-wide, personalized websites and customized software to service multiple locations nationwide as part of exclusive multi-year, multi-million-dollar contracts.Company received “Top Growth Award” for 2010 and 2011, awarded to only 5% of all franchises worldwide.Adhered to and led others by following the motto, “Customer service is not a department, it’s everyone’s job.”

Conceptualized and started an insurance business focused on the market of small businesses in the healthcare industry as well as new families. Niches allowed business to more than double in sales revenue and clients each year.Developed and executed a business plan that led to over $450,000 in annual written premiums. Doubled annual revenue YOY by continuing to cultivate new business, while utilizing superior customer service to retain existing customers.Fostered rapid growth by being available and accountable 24/7 for each of my customers, as well as carefully listening to their needs and then responding accordingly. This accountability and willingness to do what others wouldn’t were keys to building a more substantial and loyal customer base.As owner, responsible for all aspects of a small business: sales, marketing, customer service, budgeting, and accounting.Launched a multi-media/channel marketing program to optimize profitability with a clientele retention rate of 97%.Experience double digit-sales growth in each year of operation.Based my business and customer service on the motto, “There are no traffic jams along the extra mile.”

Spearheaded market research for innovative technologies.Prepared technical reports of research results.Created marketing tools and collateral materials: campus-wide surveys, educational pamphlets for innovations, fliers for educational seminars, and assisted in writing the content for the quarterly newsletter.Organized seminars, co-organized quarterly statewide colloquiums.Managed all work assignments in a precise, highly ethical manner.