Senior Strategist

• Jan 2023 - Present

C2 Strategic Communications, recently profiled in the Indianapolis Business Journal, helps organizations grow and communities thrive through powerful storytelling. I’m here to harness my experience with all forms of communications and insights into great culture to the betterment of colleagues and clients. C2 Strategic Communications, recently profiled in the Indianapolis Business Journal, helps organizations grow and communities thrive through powerful storytelling. I’m here to harness my experience with all forms of communications and insights into great culture to the betterment of colleagues and clients.

Public Relations Manager

• Sep 2015 - Jan 2023

Through media placements and original storytelling I aim for creative sparks to promote a 2,200-employee company that can trace its solid foundations in the financial services marketplace over 145 years. My tools: creativity, energy, meticulous preparation and transparent application of metrics to measure success. Year after year our small team reaches milestones in earned media placements, cultivates positive relationships with all local mainstream and trade press and keeps the energy flowing externally to internally, supplementing a vibrant corporate culture. Demonstrating a commitment to education in my chosen field, I obtained the RPF (Retirement Plan Fundamentals) credential from the American Society of Pension Professionals & Actuaries. Specialties: -High-level research, planning, strategic implementation and evaluation to propel and maintain brand visibility -Cultivation and building of strong relationships and responsiveness with members of the media and influencers -Lead/support +/- 25 media campaigns per year related to core business including developing strategy, talking points, key messages and content on earned and owned channels -Hands-on consultant helping colleagues exhibit the best versions of themselves on social media digital platforms, including instructing on do-it-yourself multimedia content -Use of PRSA's APR manual, training and ongoing education for communications organization as a best practice and for a consistent and confidently predictable experience Show less

Director of Communications and Marketing

• Oct 2013 - Sep 2015

CSIA, a nonprofit organization formed in 1983, seeks to assist chimney sweeping and venting businesses in promoting the importance of maintenance and safety. I led trade show strategy, daily digital outreach and content flow, including maintaining a lively blog and social media presence to help keep homeowners safe about potential problems that can plague their fireplace and chimney and lead to dangerous conditions or costly repairs. CSIA grew from 1,391 CSIA Certified Chimney Sweeps to 1,615 during my tenure. I received recognition at the 2015 annual convention due to communications successes. Additional skills used/acquired from this position: Influencer marketing through providing shareable content for stakeholders to increase visibility of their key jobs Shot, edited and produced more than 60 videos with production and editing using Adobe Premiere Pro Paid social via Facebook and Twitter Ads Manager Event management. Modernized and redesigned trade show booth and physical collateral, including giveaway swag, to better mirror the organization's mission. Chose strategically vital events to exhibit at, and made sure a national network of chimney sweep leaders were part of educational guidance and panels Web content creation. Worked with CMS (content management systems) and website development Demonstrating a commitment to education in my chosen field, I obtained the Certified Dryer Exhaust Technician (C-DET) credential and maintained it through 2016 Show less

Social Media Specialist

• Mar 2012 - Sep 2013

Crafted and implemented the first-ever social media policy and platforms for now-defunct ITT Technical Institute, generating content and growing our audience organically for 30,000+ fans and followers daily. Used social media to responsibly create the first two-way portal between the outside world (alumni and students) and executives of this publicly traded company, which went out of business in 2016. Evolved storytelling to include developing, producing and editing video stories as a 1-person studio from my desk. ITT Tech went from unlisted in 2012 to No. 8 nationally in 2013 out of 94 total for-profit schools in “engagement per post.” [Source: http://www.slideshare.net/curtiskirby370/for-profit-schools-social-media-data] In this key role, I developed a metrics system connected to "what matters most" to tie results to objectives, identify trends on audience interest, and generate insight to C-suite and satellite leaders in what was a first-of-its-kind strategic communications advisory role. Adobe Premiere Pro and Microsoft suite leveraged for content creativity and metrics success Show less

External Communications Manager, North America - Defense Sector

• Mar 2011 - Feb 2012

Strengthened partnerships with military aviation and commercial helicopter clients, rebuilt news media relationships, aligned messaging to help achieve business goals, and formalized practices aimed at improving customer outreach as a strategist and spokesman in North America for this British-based jet engine manufacturer, a key Indianapolis-based employer. Strengthened partnerships with military aviation and commercial helicopter clients, rebuilt news media relationships, aligned messaging to help achieve business goals, and formalized practices aimed at improving customer outreach as a strategist and spokesman in North America for this British-based jet engine manufacturer, a key Indianapolis-based employer.

Reporter/online

• Oct 2006 - Feb 2011

Identified, reported and published breaking news business stories for indystar.com. Coordinated fresh content for business e-newsletters that were a key driver for clicks as audience tastes shifted from print to digital. Helped incorporate social media into the newsroom and trained colleagues to embrace thirty-party platforms. Worked with other journalists from major Gannett newsrooms in Louisville, Nashville and Cincinnati, as well as Indiana mid-major cities (West Lafayette, Muncie.) In 2007, I received my certificate from Gannett News Service's broadcast division after completing coursework in video storytelling. In 2008, conceived of and reported on a groundbreaking series, initiated by a business-owner’s frustration, that exposed a problem in Downtown Indianapolis with parking meter hogs. The city scrapped its placard system afterwards. The IndyStar’s Star Watch investigative team launched soon after. Show less

Reporter

• Nov 2000 - Nov 2006

Specialized in high-impact, deadline reporting. Achieved reputation for fairness and accuracy among editors and interview subjects. •Only print media assigned and embedded with a search-and-rescue team as part of Sept. 11, 2001 recovery efforts at the World Trade Center in New York City. •Only Star reporter with special assignment to on-scene coverage of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in Mississippi and Louisiana, 2005. •Authored award-winning original enterprise series on police-pursuit abuse, in 2004. •Provided authoritative coverage of the top 50 Indiana-headquartered companies listed on the Bloomberg Index, a job that required self-taught knowledge of business principles, including quarterly earnings statements. Show less

Reporter

• 1992 - 2000

Police and courts reporter for the Herald-Tribune, which in 1999 ranked 35th in a Columbia Journalism Review of the best newspapers (including all circulation sizes) in the United States. A Pulitizer Prize winner in 2011. Police and courts reporter for the Herald-Tribune, which in 1999 ranked 35th in a Columbia Journalism Review of the best newspapers (including all circulation sizes) in the United States. A Pulitizer Prize winner in 2011.

News Reporter

• May 1991 - Aug 1991

Editor in Chief

• Aug 1990 - May 1991

While a full-time student, I oversaw a total staff of 30 that provided a daily morning newspaper five days a week to the University of Kentucky campus. With a distribution of over 20,000 copies, we were the eighth-largest morning paper in the state of Kentucky at a time when print readership was arguably in its heydey. Groomed some of the premier journalists of this era who were on this staff and became well-known content and communications specialists. While a full-time student, I oversaw a total staff of 30 that provided a daily morning newspaper five days a week to the University of Kentucky campus. With a distribution of over 20,000 copies, we were the eighth-largest morning paper in the state of Kentucky at a time when print readership was arguably in its heydey. Groomed some of the premier journalists of this era who were on this staff and became well-known content and communications specialists.

News Reporter

• 1990 - 1990

Metro desk general assignment. Metro desk general assignment.

News Reporter

• Aug 1989 - Dec 1989

Metro desk general assignment as part of the University of Kentucky bureau. Metro desk general assignment as part of the University of Kentucky bureau.

Team Lead Manager

• 1984 - 1987

Before I got news scoops, I honed my leadership skills with tubs of French Vanilla and Mandarin Ice sherbert, as a teen manager for the popular chain dessert business. Before I got news scoops, I honed my leadership skills with tubs of French Vanilla and Mandarin Ice sherbert, as a teen manager for the popular chain dessert business.