Neil Schmidt Email & Phone Number

Cincinnati, Ohio, United States

Full-time copywriter for the nation's largest supermarket chain.

Cincinnati Area, Ky

• Full-time copywriting for the Frontgate direct marketing brand, specializing in interior and outdoor furnishings and decor.• Wrote for customer-facing communications, including articles, blogs, advertisements, headlines, emails and product copy.• Managed copy workflow between departments, delegated copy assignments, and administrated freelancers.• Edited and refined catalog spreads before publication.• Trained/mentored new writers in Brand voice and formatting.• Participated in marketing strategy sessions and served on the company’s culture committee.

Cincinnati, Ohio Area

• Served as Communications Director, in charge of district publications, websites and social media channels.• Generated all content, including writing articles, taking photos and posting videos.• Wrote press releases, corresponded with media members, and facilitated media requests.• Managed district’s website conversion, overseeing content migration and troubleshooting issues.• Acted as liaison with groups such as the Athletic Boosters, Music Boosters, Choir Boosters, PTOs and Business Advisory Council.

Cincinnati Area, Ky

• Full-time freelance, in-house copywriting for the Frontgate direct marketing brand.• Edited catalog spreads, including writing headlines and refining copy blocks.• Proofread Frontgate and Grandin Road catalogs.

Loveland, Ohio

• Served as faculty advisor for Loveland’s student newspaper, The Roar, which won 71 awards in my last three years there, including twice winning scholastic journalism's highest honor, the George H. Gallup Award (given by the Quill and Scroll Honorary Society).• Made student newspaper profitable, generating income that exceeded expenses by 20% annually, with total net gain of $4,000 in five years. Handled budgeting, fund-raising and advertising efforts for financially self-sufficient newspaper.• Administrated The Roar’s website and social media presences on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Launched new website in May 2013.• Planned events, including all administration and promotion of “Battle of the Bands” competitions ($3,000-plus net) and dodgeball tournaments.• Named “Loveland’s Best Teacher” by 2013 senior class in yearbook poll.• Taught Journalism and English, instructing as many as 200 students per school year.

• Taught five sections with three preps – Advanced Freshmen English, College Prep Freshmen English, and College Prep Junior English.• Served on the Freshmen Team, which met weekly to strategize development of and instruction for all freshmen.• Utilized Blackboard software to post grades, assignments, announcements, and other resources for students and parents.

• Regularly covered sporting events year-round while going to school full-time to secure my master's degree in education.

• Served as Kentucky Sports Editor – planned, assigned and delegated Kentucky sports coverage.• Garnered 18 writing awards on local, state and national levels.• Beat reporter for ATP/WTA tennis, Xavier University, University of Kentucky, Ohio State University football. Backup reporting on Bengals and Reds beats. Coverage of colleges, high schools and Olympians.• Occasional copy editing and headline writing.

• Covered various local sports ranging from high schools to professionals.

Master'S, Secondary Education

• Cumulative GPA: 4.0

B.S., Journalism

Activities and Societies: The Post (student newspaper), Society of Professional Journalists• Graduated magna cum laude • Minored in English