Resume

1607 Quail Run Lane
Cedar Falls, IA 50613
319.239.4008
sarakies@me.com

Award winning marketing professional with a 20-year track record of providing leadership, brand management and marketing innovation for a variety of clients in the financial, food service and higher education industries. In-depth experience in marketing and communications strategy, brand management, budget planning, digital implementation and analysis.

AREAS OF EXPERTISE

• Marketing and creative leadership
• Media and public relations management
• Brand development and implementation
• Contract negotiation
• Budget planning and implementation
• CRM system implementation
• Financial/ROI analysis
• Strategic Planning
• SEO/Social media best practices
• Print/web/video design
• Project management
• Magazine management

EDUCATION

1999 – University of Northern Iowa – BA; Communications
Electronic Media major, Public Relations minor

December 2020 –  Temple University – MS; Digital Innovation in Marketing
Anticipated graduation December 2020

EXPERIENCE

Marketing and Communications Manager, 7/2015 – Present
University of Northern Iowa College of Business Administration | Cedar Falls, IA
Direct all marketing, communications and brand initiatives for the College of Business Administration at UNI.

• Marketing budget planning, implementation and execution
• Lead team-building initiatives and collaboration with University Relations and campus communicators
• Design, write and manage all internal and external College communications for web, print, video and social media
• Managing editor and designer of newly re-branded CBA magazine, UNIBiz
• Create and implement local and national strategic public relations campaigns
• Coordinate all CBA-related events including, UNIBusiness Day, UNI Now and UNI Up Close
• Train and supervise student employees

Key Accomplishments

• Developed the first annual CBA marketing budget which led to an integrated campaign with University Relations that resulted in a 10% increase in applications in 2017
• Re-branded UNIBusiness Day which led to increased attendance for three consecutive years
• Earned media placement in leading national digital publication on entrepreneurship for “You’ll never believe who has the best entrepreneurship program in the world”
• Received local broadcast coverage for faculty member’s social post on “Active Shooter Training”
• Initiated the first four-year, University-wide, strategic marketing plan with collaboration from various campus communicators
• Designed nomination strategy that resulted in UNI receiving the Greater Cedar Valley Community Partner Award
• Successfully pitched topic to AACSB’s BizEd editorial team that resulted in a feature story on UNI’s Professional ReadinessProgram in the July/August 2018 issue
• Led development on creative, content and user-experience of new CBA website

Partner, 8/2013 – Present
Giraffe Revolution | Cedar Falls, IA
Develop and execute traditional and digital marketing strategies for a variety of local and national contractual clients including:

• Martin Bros. Distributing – Cedar Falls, IA
• Rich Gross Solutions Higher Education Consulting – Hot Springs, SD

 

Marketing Manager, 4/2013 – 2/2015
Martin Bros. Distributing | Cedar Falls, IA
Managed marketing team and creative initiatives for Midwestern-based food service distribution company

• Developed and managed marketing and creative plans, campaigns and budgets
• Managed team of four graphic designers, one web designer and two marketing coordinators
• Managed all outgoing marketing messaging and campaigns, including the DISH! monthly publication and DISH! series of monthly newsletters
• Managed all public relations efforts
• Managed all internal marketing communications and events including appreciation parties, recruitment and retirement events
• Researched and purchased new departmental technology including hardware and software
• Conducted employee evaluations and reviews

Key Accomplishments

• Implemented a digital marketing presence that had been previously non-existent. Online campaigns saw a 1200%
• increase in traffic to the website followed by a 5% increase in revenue
• Authored and presented “The Future of Marketing and What You Should Be Doing” at various company and industry-level events including the International Food Distributors Association (IFDA) Conference in New York City, NY
• Successfully implemented an educational blog which has resulted in a significant rise in SEO for keywords like “restaurant supply” on major search engines including Google and Bing
• Implemented a marketing CRM system (HubSpot) resulting in more efficiency for lead follow up and communication
• Tightened team dynamics and increased trust between members by initiating a variety of team-building activities including, group birthday celebrations and building-wide collaborative events.

Marketing Strategist/Web Designer, 7/2012 – 4/2013
Spinutech | Cedar Falls, IA
Website design, development and social media strategy

• Designed and coded websites using CSS and HTML5
• Developed and implemented online strategy using a variety of drivers including ad words, AB testing, social media campaigns
• Wrote, produced, shot and edited internal and client videos

 

Director of Marketing and Creative, 6/2001 – 7/2012
PFGBEST/Wasendorf Group of Companies | Cedar Falls, IA

Managed marketing, communications and creative initiatives for the Wasendorf family of companies including, PFGBEST, W&A Publishing, Traders Press and MyVerona Ristorante Italiano

• Developed marketing, communications and creative plans, campaigns and budgets for all Wasendorf companies
• Managed all outgoing communications including web, print, video and social media communications
• Creative direction, copy writing and graphic design, including SFO magazine publication design and management
• Media vendor communication and negotiation
• Created monthly ROI reports based on annual budgets and spends
• Created local public relations campaigns for MyVerona and national campaigns for PFGBEST and Traders Press
• Researched and purchased new departmental technology including hardware and software
• Conducted employee appraisals and reviews

Key Accomplishments

• Developed and managed $3M annual marketing budget that included outdoor, broadcast, print, radio, and paid social placements
• Successfully collaborated with NADEX futures exchange on a $500,000 binary options partnership campaign
• Developed an organic social media strategy that produced over 2,000 new leads per month
• Directed a redesign of a direct mail campaign that resulted in $3.50 cost/lead ratio – down from $54.95 cost/lead on previous campaign
• Led media relations efforts during construction and grand opening of PFGBEST headquarters in Cedar Falls
• Directed a team of award-winning marketing professionals including, three graphic designers, two marketing specialists and two student interns

AWARDS

• 2006-2018 American Advertising Federation Addy award winner
• 2018 AAF Cedar Valley MVP Marketer award recipient
• 2019 AAF Best of Show Addy award winner