DEBORAH P. BLANCHARD

Voice: (434) 766-6717
Cell: (901) 573-5388

Email: deborah@dpblanchard.com
Website: www.dpblanchard.com*

500 Hickory Forest Road
Danville, VA 24540-7102

High energy, seasoned professional with more than 25 years experience in developing and executing strategic marketing communications and PR programs for complex organizations

• Extensive senior-level experience developing, managing, and evaluating strategic initiatives in marketing and crisis communications, internal and external communications programs, regulatory/legislative communications and public relations
• Adept at forging relationships with the media, stakeholders and institutional partners
• Mission-driven, team player with a track record of managing and supporting cross-functional teams
• Track record of crafting written and electronic messages for maximum impact
• Strong understanding of social networking and emerging Web 2.0 technologies

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Organization: Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (www.ialr.org) - Danville, VA - January 2007 to present

Position: Director of Communications and Public Relations - July, 2008 to present

Key Accomplishments:

• Led an organizational restructuring and change management initiative that established the Department of Communication and PR (CPR) to better support key communication initiatives
• Increased local, regional, national and international media coverage of IALR and its research centers, attracting notice of the likes of Neil Young’s LincVolt team and Europe’s Race Tech magazine
• Developed series of electronic and print accountability pieces for key funders, stakeholders
• In charge of redesign (including content) of main IALR website using Joomla content management system (CMS) platform: www.ialr.org. Google Analytics shows enhanced website metrics
• Responsible for the design and development of two new IALR research center web sites using the Joomla Content Management System (CMS) platform:
  
  
  • The Institute for Sustainable and Renewable Resources (ISRR): www.isrr.ialr.org
  • The Virginia Institute for Performance Engineering and Research (VIPER): www.viperservice.com
    

• Provided all marketing support for 268 education and outreach programs serving 4,000+ students
• Drove a 50% increase of published features about IALR programs and faculty on Virginia Tech website www.vt.edu and in VT-produced magazines: VT Magazine, Inside Outreach, VT Research
• Key contributor to planning initiative to expand, for wider commercial application, the existing teleconferencing and web-based conferencing efforts of the Institute Conference Center
• Successfully lobbied to centralize and manage( through CPR Department) all individual unit marketing budgets previously managed by unit directors

Major Responsibilities:

• Determining communication and marketing priorities, tools and channels for the IALR and all its individual program areas: advanced learning, research and technology transfer, conference center, outreach, and community engagement, and regional technology infrastructure
• Developing electronic and print materials to communicate effective messages to targeted constituencies (e.g. annual report, newsletters, IALR website and research websites)
• Overseeing upkeep of IALR and IALR-related websites, previously handled by outside contractors
• Managing key vendor and partner relationships, including print, creative, web, etc.
• Serving as major spokesperson for IALR, managing media relations and conducting press conferences

Position: Manager of Communications and Public Relations - January, 2007 to June 30, 2008

Key Accomplishments:

• Improved public image of IALR through intensive and on‑going media relations campaigns – resulted in increased target market participation in IALR programs
• Instituted a corporate identity program, including development of identity standards and internal compliance training
• Developed an integrated marketing communications program to ensure that all marketing resources across departments and research centers yield maximum impact at minimum cost
• Reduced advertising budget by 50% while measurably increasing response rates
• With Virginia Tech, prepared application materials (including a video) for the 2007 C. Peter Magrath Community Engagement Award presented by the National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges (NASULGC); IALR and VT won this prestigious award

Major Responsibilities:

• Lead, managed and expanded marketing communications efforts to ensure success for the programs and services of IALR
• Developed and implemented a crisis communications plan that conforming to COOP standards, Virginia Tech guidelines, and professional industry standards
• Created a database of key stakeholders and potential donors and update newsletter database
• Planned and supervised special events such as the Grand Openings of two research centers
• Worked closely with Institutional Advancement leadership to prepare the IALR Foundation’s initial fundraising strategy to establish a funding base for long-term institutional capacity-building

Organization: DP Morehead Consulting - Memphis, TN - 1995 to December 2006

Position: Marketing and Communications Consultant

Delivered a wide range of communications, marketing promotions and research consulting services that resulted in improved organizational effectiveness and/or enhanced strategic communications

Specific accomplishments and responsibilities included:

• New product development for in-store and catalog sales, including market research for:
  
  
  • LifeWay (Nashville, TN), a leading Christian publisher of religious materials
  • U.S. Hospitality (named by INC. magazine as one of America’s fastest growing private companies), providing graphic communications products to the hospitality industry

• Managed multi-company project among Warner Brothers, Prang (a Dixon-Ticonderoga company), a marketing promotions company, and a fulfillment house to produce a series of Looney Tunes educational products for the mass market -- Wal-Mart, Target, Kmart
  
• Planned and conducted all market research studies of Shoney’s restaurants’ children’s marketing programs, using qualitative and quantitative research methods to assess market strength.
• Prepared, for AFLAC, bi-monthly reports on trends in several strategic growth areas
• Contracted to provide new product development and brand management for a series of educational products developed for Children’s Television Workshop and several educational publishers

Organization: GSAmerica - Memphis, TN - 1993-1995

Position: Director of Marketing Planning and Development

Client Projects:

• Conceived and/or managed promotions such as:
  
  
  • Terminix’s “TEAM TERMINIX CHALLENGE” – program to reduce customer cancellations in both residential and commercial branches
  • Best Western’s “Young Travelers Program” - the first kids’ frequency club in the hotel industry
  • “Heart-to-Heart” Program for Holiday Inn - one of the industry’s most successful and long-standing package promotions
  • Kids’ marketing program for Backyard Burgers including “BakPak” child’s meal

• Experience negotiating licensing with multi-national companies. A sampling of our clients included:
  
  
  • Terminix
  • Best Western
  • Holiday Inn
  • Children’s Television Workshop

• Conducted marketing research projects (quantitative and qualitative) for Terminix, Best Western, Stuart Hall, Porter Cable, Warner Press, Pro-sol and others
• Delivered services to these and other clients in the areas of:
  
  
  • trade show planning and implementation
  • loyalty programs
  • branding and direct marketing of business units

Organization: Quest Consulting Services - Memphis, TN - 1987-1993

Position: Consultant

Specific accomplishments and responsibilities include:

• Provided a variety of consulting services to various companies and organizations including FedEx and Holiday Inn. Services were primarily communication-related:
  
  
  • assessment of employee communication
  • development of communication strategies with measurable impact
  • establishment of protocols for frequency and timeliness of communications

• Performed marketing research services for non-profit organizations (e.g., Future Farmers of America, Future Business Leaders of America, Vietnam Veterans of America, etc.)
• Conducted feasibility study for Alabama legislature on whether Wallace State Community College should become a four-year institution

Organization: GSA Communications - Memphis, TN/Centerville, Ohio - 1984-1986

Position: President

GSA Communications specialized in providing organizational communication skills training and communication audits.

Clients included:

• Coca-Cola of Memphis
• All major fast food chains including Wendy’s, McDonald’s, Burger King, Kentucky Fried Chicken, and Taco Bell
• Tennessee Governor Don Sundquist in his 2 successful bids for Tennessee’s top political job

Organization: Frye-Joure and Associates - Memphis, TN - 1980-1983

Position: Director of Marketing Services - 1981-1983

Specific accomplishments and responsibilities include:

• Directed communications, marketing and sales staff of a dozen professionals providing services to major companies including:
  
  
  • Motorola
  • Chromcraft
  • Dover Elevator
  • Gulf States Utilities

• Conducted communications skills and management training seminars across the country
• Investigated and wrote reports of violations of EEOC guidelines in client companies
• Developed all printed marketing materials and training programs

Position: Director of Community Relations - 1980-1981

Specific accomplishments and responsibilities include:

• Handled media relations and public relations for the Mid-South’s largest human resources industrial/organizational consulting firm
• Charged with promoting the woman president in her third bid to gain a White House Fellowship. She made it to finals after an extensive pr campaign designed to enhance the image projected in her application materials
• Worked as primary liaison to corporate attorney successfully defending sex discrimination suit filed by firm’s president against then Memphis State University

ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCE

• Media Relations for Tennessee state Senator James White
• Extensive experience with attorneys including legal research, preparation of case summaries and witness preparation
• Television reporter and News Director, including coverage of state capitol
• Staff writer for two university relations offices

EDUCATION

• Master of Arts in English, University of Memphis - 2002
  Concentration in professional and creative writing, GPA: 4.0

• Master of Arts in Communication, University of Memphis - 1993
  Concentration in organizational communication and rhetoric, GPA: 4.0

• Bachelor of Science in Journalism, Mississippi University for Women - 1972
  Graduated in 3 years

MEMBERSHIPS

• Association for Communication Excellence (ACE)
• Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE)
• CCA (College Communicators Association)
• Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) - Tarheels Chapter
• Leadership Southside XV (Danville Pittsylvania County Chamber of Commerce)
• Member Services Committee, Danville Pittsylvania Chamber of Commerce
• Chair, Marketing Committee, Boys and Girls Club of Danville
• Board of Directors of GSAmerica, Memphis, TN - 12 years
• Board of Directors of Vestmark, Montgomery, AL - 4 years
• Arts in the Schools, Germantown, TN – 11 years

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• Re-designed personal website using the Joomla CMS platform: http://dpblanchard.com
  (This new website went live the first week of June, 2009. It is still under construction.)
• I am currently involved in study sessions with the Tarheels Chapter of the PRSA and will be taking my accreditation examination early this spring.
• References available upon request