Richard Gibbs Email & Phone Number

Miami, Florida, United States

Folks, I'm easy to find. I am happily ensconced at one of the leading destination marketing organizations in the world performing a peripatetic tap dance between assignments involving government relations, external affairs, community relations, corporate communications, marketing, media relations, stakeholder outreach and having fun in the process. Yes, having fun is allowed. So is providing leadership on our new #BroughttoYoubyTourism campaign that drives home the importance of tourism's role… Show more Folks, I'm easy to find. I am happily ensconced at one of the leading destination marketing organizations in the world performing a peripatetic tap dance between assignments involving government relations, external affairs, community relations, corporate communications, marketing, media relations, stakeholder outreach and having fun in the process. Yes, having fun is allowed. So is providing leadership on our new #BroughttoYoubyTourism campaign that drives home the importance of tourism's role as an economic facilitator in Miami-Dade County. For everyone, everywhere, every day, tourism is providing quality-of-life benefits for residents in Greater Miami and Miami Beach. Learn more at www.BroughttoYoubyTourism.com. Visit soon and often.Value, Contributions, Accomplishments:Develops and executes overall GMCVB government, community relations, stakeholder engagement and local/regional media outreach programs to communicate and advocate the importance of tourism’s economic benefits to Miami-Dade County residents.Manages a $500K budget and a diverse team consisting of a lobbying firm, public relations agency, public affairs firm and a consultant to address and amplify political and tourism trends and issues management using stakeholder outreach, traditional media and social media channels.Launched the first phase of the GMCVB’s local Brought to You by Tourism campaign to build grassroots support for recognition and appreciation of the local hospitality and tourism industry; negotiated and secured campaign PSA media placements.Develops messaging and communication materials for senior executive leadership, engages with elected officials and tourism industry representatives to develop stakeholder coalitions in support of GMCVB programs.Acts as the GMCVB governmental point of contact for major emergencies such as hurricanes. Coordinates tourism resident sentiment survey efforts with research and statistics department. Show less

Miami/Fort Lauderdale Area

Supervised diplomatic and media communications efforts during global seafarer repatriation effort. Results: Successfully secured the repatriation of thousands of crew members from around the world working with government relations, marine operations, embassies and consulates.Generated key issues, reputation and brand management messaging as member of corporate communications Regaining Trust and Healthy Return-to-Sail team communications effort. Results: Public Relations Society of… Show more Supervised diplomatic and media communications efforts during global seafarer repatriation effort. Results: Successfully secured the repatriation of thousands of crew members from around the world working with government relations, marine operations, embassies and consulates.Generated key issues, reputation and brand management messaging as member of corporate communications Regaining Trust and Healthy Return-to-Sail team communications effort. Results: Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) 2022 Silver Anvil Award of Excellence wins for reputation/brand management and issues management that generated public interest in the return of cruising.Built advocacy within multiple Royal Caribbean Group brand destinations. Spearheaded a community engagement international media tour in The Bahamas as part of inaugural sail events for Royal Caribbean International’s Wonder of the Seas showcasing company commitment to corporate social responsibility. Maximized stakeholder engagement activities showcasing support of educational initiatives, small business development and efforts to combat food insecurity. Led innovative campaign strategies that integrate stakeholder outreach, public affairs, corporate responsibility, partnerships and community events. Completed stakeholder outreach activities including speech development, organization of event site locations, destination media outreach and networking opportunities with international port officials, senior executives, destination partners and Caribbean government entities following Celebrity Cruises Celebrity Millennium’s return to sail.Led Team Alaska strategic communications planning efforts working with a cross-functional team pioneering an Alaska destination-focused strategic communications plan. Leveraged community engagement third-party media relations efforts. Supported Alaska-focused shipboard enrichment speaker programs. Led destination development's European & Emerging Markets strategic planning process. Show less

Miami/Fort Lauderdale Area

Tasked with conceptualizing, managing and executing all facets of the first-ever strategic environmental communications plan in the 94-year-old history of Florida Power & Light Company.Develops and executes a comprehensive strategic communications plan to raise awareness of FPL’s environmental stewardship, including FPL-partnerships related to environmental non-governmental organizations, FPL’s Solar Sanctuary program, wildlife initiatives involving sea turtles, crocodiles and other… Show more Tasked with conceptualizing, managing and executing all facets of the first-ever strategic environmental communications plan in the 94-year-old history of Florida Power & Light Company.Develops and executes a comprehensive strategic communications plan to raise awareness of FPL’s environmental stewardship, including FPL-partnerships related to environmental non-governmental organizations, FPL’s Solar Sanctuary program, wildlife initiatives involving sea turtles, crocodiles and other species and additional initiatives that showcase company sustainability efforts.Works cross-functionally with diverse company departments to manage on-going communications and outreach support, including messaging refinement, issue and message training for stakeholder-facing employees, presentation support, updating web and collateral materials, event management, media relations, social media and internal communications news stories. Show less

Miami/Fort Lauderdale Area

Senior team member whose mission is to deliver strategic communication support to develop and expand FPL's executive outreach program.*Consistently exceeds media relations program goals focused on promoting and improving FPL’s corporate image through major community relations, sponsorships and stakeholder engagement activities including institutions and events such as the Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science, the Museum of Discovery & Science, FIA Formula E Miami ePrix, Dolphins… Show more Senior team member whose mission is to deliver strategic communication support to develop and expand FPL's executive outreach program.*Consistently exceeds media relations program goals focused on promoting and improving FPL’s corporate image through major community relations, sponsorships and stakeholder engagement activities including institutions and events such as the Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science, the Museum of Discovery & Science, FIA Formula E Miami ePrix, Dolphins Cycling Challenge and others in Miami-Dade and Broward counties. Results: Across-the-board increases – as high as 41 percent -- in customer surveys recognizing FPL as a committed community partner.*FPL storm team spokesperson for local and national broadcast media interviews during Hurricane Irma highlighting pre-storm preparation and post-storm restoration operations. Conducted storm chaser media tour as a company spokesperson during Hurricane Hermine, to highlight FPL storm readiness and restoration capabilities. Results: Achieved 100 percent storm-readiness key message penetration in North and Central Florida media market coverage.*Manages a comprehensive marketing communications plan for Manatee Lagoon -- An FPL Eco-Discovery Center. Conceptualized the educational facility’s groundbreaking social media spokescreature, provides oversight of public relations agency assignments, optimizes relationships with key tourism stakeholders to generate unprecedented media exposure for attraction. Results: Winner of PRSA Silver Anvil Award of Excellence Award, a Holmes Award and a PRSA Radiance Award for 2017. Enhanced Manatee Lagoon’s viability as projected company revenue growth center.*Leads FPL’s Office of Economic Development strategic communications plan efforts to encourage investment and job creation. Produces all communications material and key message positioning. Results: Enhanced FPL’s Office of Economic Development’s viability as projected company revenue growth center. Show less

South Florida

Senior member of public affairs team tasked with enhancing and strengthening relationships with stakeholders; supporting FPL's brand strategy and thought-leadership plan and improving the company's public relations and public affairs effectiveness.*Provided corporate communications counsel and developed messaging for nuclear cost recovery issue management. Drafted and executed comprehensive public affairs communication plans; responded to media queries on Environmental Services… Show more Senior member of public affairs team tasked with enhancing and strengthening relationships with stakeholders; supporting FPL's brand strategy and thought-leadership plan and improving the company's public relations and public affairs effectiveness.*Provided corporate communications counsel and developed messaging for nuclear cost recovery issue management. Drafted and executed comprehensive public affairs communication plans; responded to media queries on Environmental Services department issues. Conducted media spokesperson responsibilities as a member of storm team during Tropical Storm Isaac.*Prepared stakeholder outreach collateral materials, created website and managed a communication team to engage in stakeholder outreach for the Florida Southeast Connection natural gas pipeline open house activities. Show less

Miami/Fort Lauderdale Area

Directed and implemented all communications efforts to maximize fundraising, media relations, branding and stakeholder outreach associated with Everglades Foundation restoration programs. Cultivated and nurtured strategic private/public partnerships and collaborations with community leaders, non-profit organizations, county agencies and other corporate entities to drive program initiatives.* Designed a communications plan that helped raise more than $4 million surpassing 2009… Show more Directed and implemented all communications efforts to maximize fundraising, media relations, branding and stakeholder outreach associated with Everglades Foundation restoration programs. Cultivated and nurtured strategic private/public partnerships and collaborations with community leaders, non-profit organizations, county agencies and other corporate entities to drive program initiatives.* Designed a communications plan that helped raise more than $4 million surpassing 2009 fundraising goal; publicized annual ForEverglades fundraisers that each grossed $2 million in Palm Beach featuring Grammy-award winning performers including Sting, Gloria Estefan and the Miami Sound Machine and Kenny Chesney.* Launched Everglades Foundation television public service announcements, reaching one million South Florida residents to raise awareness about the value of the fragile Everglades ecosystem and the Foundation’s leadership role in Everglades protection and restoration.* Increased traffic to the Foundation’s website by 100 percent by re-engineering the site to create a more user-friendly experience that facilitated public outreach, advocacy, on-line donations and use of social media tools.* Cultivated strategic relationships with local, state and federal partners to build consensus on a broad range of sensitive issues and created communications initiatives that were critical to furthering Foundation objectives. Led all media relations efforts of the first-ever America’s Everglades Summit in Washington, D.C. About 300 people participated in the Summit’s panel discussion featuring moderator Tom Brokaw. Attendees also engaged lawmakers on Capitol Hill to support continued Everglades restoration funding.* Built new coalition of Everglades construction project contractors and businesses to advocate for the continued support of state funding to maintain jobs and generate employment through restoration projects. Show less

Plantation, Fla.

Led all regional public affairs initiatives and established track record of executing results-oriented media relations, public affairs, crisis communications and community relations initiatives. Consistently proved leadership ability to manage diverse, cross-functional teams to meet business goals.* Created DHL’s crisis communications response program on labor issues related to International Brotherhood of Teamsters’ effort to unionize DHL’s independent contractor courier network… Show more Led all regional public affairs initiatives and established track record of executing results-oriented media relations, public affairs, crisis communications and community relations initiatives. Consistently proved leadership ability to manage diverse, cross-functional teams to meet business goals.* Created DHL’s crisis communications response program on labor issues related to International Brotherhood of Teamsters’ effort to unionize DHL’s independent contractor courier network, resulting in 80 percent neutral media coverage of a potentially damaging corporate image issue. * Spearheaded media relations for DHL’s Jazz Quest, a New Orleans fundraising initiative during JazzFest; secured more than 4 million media impressions that highlighted DHL’s post-Hurricane Katrina relief efforts and raised $75,000 for The Tipitina’s Foundation surpassing targeted $10,000 goal. * Launched and increased year-over-year circulation of DHL’s e-newsletter Door to Door, an electronic newsletter distributed to journalists, financial analysts and DHL business partners.* Delivered award-winning public affairs program in Riverside, California, where DHL received “The Large Business of the Year Award” for dedication as an exemplary corporate citizen. * Project-managed three air and ground distribution hub grand openings in Wilmington, Ohio; Riverside, California, and Allentown, Pennsylvania. Show less