Professional History

 

2015-Present:  Georgia State University, J. Mack Robinson College of Business, Atlanta, GA

• Executive in Residence. Engaged in helping the college achieve its Vision 2020 objectives, working with faculty, students, staff and the university. Primary projects include mentoring, strategic partnerships, teaching soft skills, the Executive in Residence program, alumni relations, and providing ideas and solutions to help grow RCB.

 

1985-2015:  American City Business Journals, Charlotte, NC

• President & Publisher, Atlanta Business Chronicle. During 30 years with American City, was responsible for the local staff of 70, all financials, editorial, sales, circulation and production departments.

Atlanta Business Chronicle has won numerous national editorial awards, including two Gerald Loeb awards, the equivalent of the Pulitzer Prize in business journalism. The Chronicle is American City’s  largest business journal, based on circulation and revenue. The Chronicle has won more company achievement awards than any other business journal in the country.

 

• Vice President & Chief Strategic Officer.  Responsible for the corporate strategic direction of the digital, print and events media company that includes 40 business journal markets throughout the country. Also responsible for corporate research, product development, and marketing.

Prior corporate responsibilities include Vice President/Chief Marketing Officer and Vice President/Group Publisher. As CMO, established the company’s corporate research department--responsible for the on-going quantitative and qualitative analysis of American business.  As Group Publisher, had overall management responsibility for 20 business journals and over 600 employees.

American City acquired The Sporting News (America’s oldest sports publishing company) in 2006. Served as Publisher for the first three years of ownership, seeing it through reorganization, redesign and digital transformation.

 

 

2011-2015:  Mercer University, Stetson School of Business, Atlanta Campus

Adjunct Professor. Taught graduate classes (at night) in Business Communications, focused on soft skills, for the pure enjoyment of working with students.

The positive response received from the students and the school’s leadership led to make the full-time transition to education and RCB in 2015.

 

1983-1985: J. Walter Thompson, Atlanta, GA

Vice President/ Account Group Director.  Returned to the advertising agency to manage marketing for BellSouth Mobility’s launch of the cellular telephone, Six Flags Over Georgia, Dunlop Golf and Tennis, and Avail, the state’s first automated teller machine network. Also responsible for the agency’s new business development team.

 

1980-1983: D’Arcy MacManus & Masius, Los Angeles, CA and Atlanta, GA

Vice President/Director of Account Service.  Account management responsibility included the global launch of The Weather Channel. Worked extensively on Kenwood Electronics, Westclox/Seth Thomas Clocks, Flav-O-Rich Dairies, KABC Radio and U.S. Capital Corporation.

 

1977-1980: J. Walter Thompson, Los Angeles, CA

Account Supervisor.  Responsible for the day-to-day operation of the national Kawasaki Motors account.  Worked on the iconic “Kawasaki Lets the Good Times Roll” advertising campaign. Worked on the new product launch of the Jet Ski, helping establish the personal watercraft industry. Our team’s work on Kawasaki received two national Effie Awards for marketing effectiveness and seven Clio Awards for creativity. Supervised Allstate Savings, the financial division of Sears.

 

1976-1977: Kawasaki Motors, Atlanta, GA

Advertising Manager, East Coast.  Responsible for advertising and promotion during the early introduction of Japanese motorcycles to the American public in a 20-state area.  Was given the opportunity to work with global headquarters in Japan as well as the establishment of Kawasaki’s first manufacturing plant in the United States (in Lincoln, Nebraska). Given Kawasaki’s success, and the desire to be in a senior advertising leadership position, switched from the client side of the business to supervising the Kawasaki account for J. Walter Thompson in Los Angeles.

 

1974-1976: The Omni Group, Atlanta, GA

Assistant Marketing Director. After graduation from Georgia State, joined the sports ownership group of the Atlanta Hawks, Atlanta Flames and The Omni arena. Responsible for the team publications, event advertising and promotion, broadcast coordination, and in-arena activities.

 

1970-1974: The Atlanta Journal, Atlanta, GA

 Junior Sports Reporter.  Started as a summer intern in the sports department which included working for sports journalism legends Furman Bisher and Lewis Grizzard. After the summer, I was hired full-time and continued my education at Georgia State at night. At the AJC, was given the opportunity to write, edit copy, and learn page design.

 

Education:

Georgia State University.  Bachelor of Arts degree, Journalism, 1974

Gallup Leadership Institute.  Lincoln, Nebraska, 1999

Georgia State University.  Master’s degree, International Business, 2014

 

Most Cherished Awards & Honors:

Publisher of the Year, American City Business Journals, 16 times

Hospitality Hall of Fame, Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau, 2017

Atlanta Press Club Hall of Fame, 2013

Kennesaw State University, graduation commencement speaker, 2013

Atlanta Business League Visionary Award, 2012

Top 50 National Marketing Executives, ExecuRank, 2012

Junior Achievement Volunteer of the Year, 2008

Georgia State University Distinguished Alumni Award, 2006

Atlanta Advertising Club Lifetime Achievement Award, 2005

Junior Achievement National Leadership Award, 2003

Georgia State University, graduation commencement speaker, 2000

Associated Press, Best Business Broadcaster Award, 1989

 

Current Board of Directors

Atlanta Convention & Visitor’s Bureau

Arby’s Foundation

Atlanta Business School Alliance

Atlanta Friendship Initiative

Emory Brain Health Center

Georgia’s Own Credit Union Foundation

Junior Achievement of Georgia Emeritus