Communications/Media-Relations Professional

KURT N. WEHRMEISTER

**** ********** *****

SANTA ROSA, CALIFORNIA 95405-8041

*** . *** . **** ***************@*****.***

EXPERIENCE October 1991 to current

DIRECTOR, COMMUNICATIONS & PUBLIC AFFAIRS

MOOSE INTERNATIONAL INC., MOOSEHEART, ILLINOIS

Responsible for print-materials design/production, media relations, and website editorial supervision for this 1.1-million-member North American fraternal and service organization. Directed staff of 5.

As Managing Editor of 750K-circulation bimonthly membership magazine, cut $1.5M from $3.3M annual budget by reduction from ten-times-annually production though magazine pagecount was reduced only 7% and use of 4-color quadrupled. Twice directed magazine redesign; wrote many cover stories. Facile with QuarkXPress, Photoshop. Conducted quadrennial bid process for magazine production, ongoing negotiation of paper pricing; coordinated re-introduction in 2002 of advertising into magazine generating net revenue of up to $100K per issue.

Handled speechwriting and visual support of annual keynote addresses by CEO at annual membership convention.

Crafted successful fundraising messages in both print and online platforms to achieve $16M goal for 130,000SF eldercare facility in 1997-2002, $3M banquet facility in 1993-1997, numerous smaller ($300K-$500K) campaigns.

Scripted/narrated/produced videos targeted to current and prospective members, donors, childcare professionals and guardians.

As corporate spokesperson, handled all media communication including live on-air interviews; numerous “crisis-communications” situations with both national and local broadcast and print media; prepared all news releases.

December 1989 to October 1991

DIRECTOR, CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS

THE ALTER GROUP LTD., SKOKIE, ILLINOIS

Media-relations rep for this major Midwestern developer of office/industrial real estate. Targeted/contacted appropriate media outlets, prepared corporate officers for interviews; drafted articles/speeches for corporate officers.

Major story placements in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Chicago Tribune and Sun-Times, ABC’s Paul Harvey News & Comment.

Copywriting/production coordination for corporate brochures and marketing materials. Coordinated special events and trade-association presentations.

June 1985 to December 1989

MANAGING EDITOR

MCGRAW-HILL INC./F.W. DODGE PUBLICATIONS, CHICAGO

Edited/produced 3 construction-trade publications totaling 2,500 pages annually, concept to finished product. Directed staff of 3. Planned/assigned coverage and feature stories; personally wrote numerous cover stories. Handled all production functions through on-site pressrun supervision.

May 1979 to June 1985

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

THE GENEVA REPUBLICAN, GENEVA, ILLINOIS

Second-in-command editor at 4,500-circulation, 150-year-old community weekly newspaper (which during this period enjoyed 91%-paid market penetration). Responsible for up to a dozen locally generated stories weekly; “beat” coverage of local government, courts, politics, real-estate development. Edited sports section. Supervised pressrun.

EDUCATION UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE, JOURNALISM, 1979, CUM LAUDE

AWARDS, CIVIC INVOLVEMENT

Geneva, IL Historic Preservation Commission 2011-2013

Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame 2010

Geneva, IL History Center Board of Directors, 2004-2006

Illinois Press Association, 1st Place Original Column 1999

Northern Illinois Newspaper Association, 1st Place Original Column 1998

Boy Scouts of America, Geneva, IL Troop 37, Asst. Scoutmaster 1998-2005

Geneva, IL Community Chest Board of Directors 1989-1991

Geneva, IL Plan Commission 1988-1992

Illinois Press Association, 1st Place Sports Column 1986

Geneva, IL Community High School, Public-Address Announcer for Football and Basketball, 1979-2010

AUTHOR

Mooseheart: A Century of Giving 100 pp., Moose International, Inc., publisher, 2012.

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