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Core Competencies

  • Strategic Planning and Management

  • Organizational Change/Development/Management

  • Competitive and Market Intelligence

  • Technology Innovation Strategies

  • Purposeful Executive Leadership

  • Curriculum Design & Development

  • Corporate Finance, Budgeting, and Forecasting

  • Corporate & Strategic Marketing

  • Crisis/Corporate Reputation Management

  • Active Project/Portfolio Management

  • Market/Stakeholder Research & Relationships

  • Fundraising/Grant/Development Campaigns

  • International, Government, and Agency Relations

  • Public/Private Partnerships

  • Communications/PR/Speech Writing

  • Verbal & Written Testimony/Formal Presentations

  • Executive Coaching/Mentoring

  • Financial Strategies/Analysis/Modeling

Professional Experience & Prominent Projects Accomplished

2015 - 2021
Executive Director & CEO
Leadership Council Southwestern Illinois

Solidified financial stability for this high profile not-for-profit 501c 6 organization with over $1M in contingency funding development; represented nine STL Metropolitan Illinois counties, impacted over 700,000 residents (second largest population center outside of Chicago); built significant membership expansion from 130 prominent companies to 260 within 5 years with $19B in industrial revenue assets; and revitalized the prominent political capital of the Leadership Council. In 2018, Leadership Council was recognized with the St. Louis Arcus Award for the 1st time in the organization’s 40-year history as the top Economic Development Organization of the Year.

Key highlights:

  • Selected as 2020 recipient of the Illinois Connected Communities Broadband Grant, the Illinois Office of Broadband with over $25M in new infrastructure funding in urban, suburban, and rural communities.

  • Recognized in 2019 by Site Selection Magazine as a top regional Economic Development Organization (EDO) followed by the Consulate General of Japan, JETRO Chicago, and Keidanren USA established a formal economic development relationship.

  • Worked on the $220M American Bottoms Levee Restoration project since 2007 and recognized as the best-of-the-best Public Private Partnership nationally by the U.S. Corps of Engineers and highlighted in the Mississippi River Commission report to President Biden.

  • Advocated and received over $2.4B in multi-modal transportation infrastructure of new investments in SWIL with $222M in new funding for the Merchants Rail Bridge and $539M in multi-year IDOT funding infrastructure investments.

  • Grew the Military Affairs Committee with enhanced military engagement of 4 wings and 31 Scott Air Force Base mission partners with $3B in economic regional impact. Led the regional community in winning the prestigious Air Mobility Command Abilene Award in 2012, 2014, and 2019 in competition with 27 communities nationwide.

    • ​Supported the military spouse licensure with unanimous bi-partisan support for first in the nation 2018 teacher reciprocity and 2020 expedited licensure of 110 Illinois professional licenses and led nationwide effort for multi-state military licensure reforms.

    • Enhanced strategic infrastructure planning, retention, expansion, and construction of Department of Defense Military Construction Projects. Awarded $300M in new base construction, including $100M Joint Use Planning Center, $41M Communication Facility, and other prominent DOD projects.

    • Established first Illinois Government Contracts (GOVCON) collaboration enabling 24 minority, women, and veteran-owned businesses to pre-qualify for municipal, state, and federal contracting work.

    • Served as the first honorary commander of the 375th Wing, Air Mobility Command Civic Leader, and the first DOD Pentagon Air Force Civic Leader Program representative from the SWIL region.

  • Drove the creation of workforce program for business and military communities focused on STEM and technical career skills with community engagement to over 45,000 students and educators annually. Program recognized by East-West Gateway Council of Governments as a top talent development campaign.

2005 - 2012
Chief Operations Officer
East County Enterprises

Enhanced executive level management and oversight of multiple companies in different industry segments, including economic development of agricultural and green energy - ethanol and biodiesel projects; transportation and infrastructure enhancement activities (river, roads, rail, and air); and sports management. Collaborative management of 400+ staff members.

2005 - 2011
Corporate Director
Southern Illinois Healthcare Foundation & Touchette Regional Hospital
(a controlled affiliate)

Planned and coordinated competitive positioning, healthcare brand management, and corporate strategy for the SIHF System. Created, managed, and trained a new SIHF Strategic Market and Communications team in both traditional local/healthcare/national media and online marketing efforts in FQHC urban and rural communities.

  • Development and management of corporate marketing and communications budgets across 32 health centers and 2 regional hospitals with collaborative management of 3,200 medical and organizational staff.

  • Created executive level speeches, testimony, and senior leadership briefings, working collaboratively to develop media and community outreach relationships during successful CON hospital integration process.

  • Negotiated system-wide cost saving contracts, provided consultant oversight enhancing value added services, and improved employee relations in an organized workforce environment.

  • Increased regional market segmentation for rural and urban health centers in underserved areas, increasing patient flow by 20%. Worked in collaboration with community and faith-based leaders, increasing preventative patient screening by 25% in urban, suburban, and rural underserved patient areas.

  • Coordinated system-wide projects and training for professional and clinical staff, including serving on the development team for the Electronic Medical Records Health Information Exchange for the Southern Illinois Region and coordination with other critical access hospitals.

1999 - 2005
Senior Vice President &
Corporate Director of Competitive Intelligence Research,
Fleishman-Hillard International Communications, Inc.

Created and directed the Fleishman-Hillard International Competitive Intelligence (FH CI) Research Group. The FH CI group contributed over $6.2 million in net annual sales revenue in 2003 and $6.8 million in 2004. While starting the group as a support function, the FH CI group quickly became a top profit generator for the organization and consisted of more than 100 employees and interns working in 24 countries. Provided integrated and enhanced client-based marketing and communications strategies to a large number of Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, and not-for-profit organizations, especially in the areas of competitive intelligence, strategic positioning, crisis support and communications, product development, and managerial strategies to C-Level Executives worldwide. The St. Louis Federal Reserve was one of the first clients, adding other government agencies that included the U.S. Treasury, U.S. Mint, U.S. Department of the Army, and Office of National Drug Control Policy.

1997 - 1999
Market Intelligence & Communications Senior Research Analyst,
St. Louis Federal Reserve Bank

Developed the intelligence function for the Federal Reserve System focused on market research activities, communications/PR activities, strategy development, and community engagement/training. Provided corporate and financial communications for the bank; executive support for the chairman and other C-level executives; external community relations outreach; and internal communications programs. Worked on monetary policy advancement with Fed Advisory Committees to ensure market intelligence trends were provided to executive level directors. Ensured the banking community was informed of recent changes in banking policies, procedures, and processes.

  • Conducted research in electronic and emerging payment system strategies, safety and compliance policies/procedures/operations, and treasury direct payment system strategies working in coordination with the U.S. Department of Treasury and other multi-agency task force teams.

  • Coordinated the activities for the Eighth District Financial Services Advisory Group and appointed to the Federal Reserve Customer Service National Task Force. Conducted research and coordinated activities for senior Federal Reserve System executives, Advisory Group members, the NACHA Association, and the Joint Utility Partners Commission. Worked with economic development groups in Memphis, TN and Little Rock, AR to gather information and suggest resources.

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