OBJECTIVE
To work with straightforward, curious, and innovative people and organizations that
challenge their employees, clients, and the community to find and implement
inventive solutions to a variety of business, creative, and social issues
SKILLS & ABILITIES
- A blend of business, financial, database, and organizational skills combined with creative experience in the written and visual arts that gives me a unique perspective in approaching and solving problems
- Ability to conceptualize and articulate overall goals and strategies as well as develop, put into action, and manage the details, structures, and processes necessary to reach those goals, whether it’s implementing and customizing an accounting software package, designing and creating effective reports to help managers make informed decisions, recognizing and addressing the needs of both business and customers in Web site design, shooting a film about a unique local neighborhood, or creating photographs that tell a story about a particular time or place
PROFESSIONAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Business & Financial
- Managed all financial aspects for $100+ million advertising agency and affiliates, which included staff assignments, training, and evaluation; worked with on-staff programmer to design, implement, and adapt custom financial, media, and traffic software; designed agency and client budgeting systems for managers; developed written guidelines for agency personnel concerning all accounting-related procedures including billing, budgeting, income forecasting, client profitability; responsible for anything related to “the numbers”
- Implemented financial software package for a publicly-owned interactive advertising agency; managed input of all data from previous system; trained employees; adapted system to fit agency needs or changed agency processes to fit software; used Crystal Reports to create agency management reports from Microsoft SQL database; created new processes and systems for the accounting department to handle client or auditor requests
Creative (now for the fun part)
- Graphic ad and collateral production using Photoshop, Illustrator, QuarkXpress/ InDesign
- Web design and production: responsible for adapting look and feel from print or Web designs (created graphics for Web), as well as managing content integration (made sure all appropriate content was received from client and presented well and consistently, wrote copy blurbs as needed, proofed)
- HTML production for Web sites (30% Dreamweaver, 70% code): Sprint, H&R Taxcut & Blocksoft, American Express Gift Cards, Applebee’s, AMC Theatres and Moviewatcher, Swan & Dolphin, among others
- Concepted, storyboarded, coordinated, filmed, and edited several short documentary films, ranging in length from a 3-minute short shot on Super-8 film to a 30-minute video; all videos edited in Final Cut Pro
- In-depth research papers on film and visual communication, as well as a short screenplay adaptation
- Photography workshops (Montana, Portugal, Vancouver), which inspired my interest in understanding and using visual elements in storytelling and problem solving
EMPLOYMENT HISTORY
- Global-Prairie Interactive Marketing, 2008-2009 Worked with a small, but rapid-growing agency in their initial efforts to implement project management software and processes.
- VML, Inc. 2001-2008 Accounting and software database consultant (implemented new financial software package and reporting system while writing papers and creating films at UMKC)
- VML, Inc. 1995-2001 Production and graphic design, including print advertising and collateral, as well as Web site graphics and HTML production
- Shepard Media, The Zillner Group, VML, Inc. 1992-1995 Accounting, data processing, and financial consultant
- VR Communications, Inc., 1975-1992 Vice President, Finance Director of VR Communication, Inc., holding company for Valentine-Radford Advertising, Boasberg PR, and Rice and Rice, Inc. of Minneapolis (from humble beginnings as a summer intern)
EDUCATION
- University of Missouri, Kansas City, Masters of Liberal Studies, 2004. Designed my own Interdisciplinary degree plan with an emphasis in Communication and Film. Additional courses: Anthropology, Geography, and History.
- University of Missouri, Columbia, B.S. Business Administration, cum laude, 1977
