Mark A.

Weber
8785 Sycamore Court Eden Prairie, MN 55347 (612) 987-4118 markallenweber@gmail.com

Director of Marketing and Communications Cutting-edge leader and communicator with demonstrated skill in strategically managing projects and business operations, developing communication campaigns, marketing a wide array of products, adopting new technology, and producing award-winning writing. Accomplishments Led the planning, formation, and implementation of Southwest Newspapers first long-range strategic business plan. Reduced company expenses in a way that kept products and services financially healthy, and profits in most years a double-digit profit margin -- intact. Led the implementation and use of social media at Southwest by training employees, setting goals, and hiring the companys first social-media manager. Adopted the industrys innovation process, Newspaper Next, company-wide in order to develop new, readership-building products including the Savvy womens website and Savvy magazine. Created template/checklist of marketing steps the Southwest Marketing Plan in a Can to help promote, internally and externally, the many new products and services created by the company. Used market research to refocus news-coverage priorities in a way that would increase products readership and revenues with limited staff resources. Sparked new and innovative ways to present information in the companys newspapers by creating the Innovation Challenge contest for staff, an event that gained national recognition from a newspaper trade organization. Developed the Southwest Journalist of the Year program and award to measure and recognize the outstanding work of the companys journalists. Winner, Media Award of Excellence, Minnesota School Public Relations Assn. Employment General Manager, Southwest Newspapers, 2004 to August 2013 Publisher, Eden Prairie News, 1983 to August 2013 Publisher, Edible Twin Cities magazine, 2011 to August 2013 Education Graduate (B.S. degree with Mass Communications major) of Bemidji State University in Bemidji, Minn.; editor of the college newspaper and employee of Bemidji Pioneer daily newspaper. Community Service Member of Eden Prairie (A.M.) Rotary, 2001-present; multiple Paul Harris Fellow. STRIVE student mentor at Eden Prairie High School, 2002-present. Volunteer at Pax Christi Catholic Church, 1984-present, including as a member and chair of the Social Justice Council, a member of the Community Council. Pro-bono communications work for People Reaching Out to Other People.
Portfolio at www.markaweber.com. References available upon request.