CEO and Editor

Ann Meyer

**** ******* **., ********, ** *****

847-***-****; 847-***-**** (cell); ***.*******@*********.***

Professional Summary

Highly motivated professional with degrees in journalism and administration offers extensive experience in communications; editorial management; business strategy; content management; project management; editing; reporting; research; writing; entrepreneurship; and business and nonprofit administration.

Led profitable media services company for 21 years;

Developed marketing plans;

Created marketing slogans and messaging;

Conceived contest collateral;

Supervised social media marketing;

Wrote proposals;

Reported and wrote hundreds of articles for news publications;

Published websites and e-newsletters;

Managed website content;

Collaborated with art directors; Conducted interviews with over 1,000 executives;

Wrote strategic plan;

Pursued new business lines;

Conceived new programming;

Wrote grant proposals;

Contributed to business books;

Oversaw editorial operations for print and online publications;

Hired and supervised staff;

Awarded master's degree in nonprofit management with distinction.

Professional Experience

L3C Chicago, L3C, Evanston, Ill. 2010 to present

President and CEO

Launched L3C Chicago L3C (formerly Ann Meyer Communications; 1988 to 2010) to provide high-quality, dependable editorial services at competitive rates. Oversaw new growth, including annual profit increases of 134% in 2011, 230% in 2012 and about 40% in 2013 on annual revenue growth of 21% in 2011, 65% in 2012 and 31% in 2013. Directed the company's business-to-business strategy of providing quality service to independent publishing companies. Developed new business relationships. Facilitated discussions and negotiated contracts. Managed network of experienced independent contractors and related fee schedules, contracts and editorial budgets. Provided communications strategy work for the launch of Retail Leader magazine and SmallBizChicago.com. Provided detail-oriented research, writing, editing, project management and consulting services to the following:

Chicago Tribune and Chicago Magazine

Crain's Chicago Business

SmallBusinessExecutive and SmallBusinessReview

Retail Leader and Retail Leader Executive Perspectives

BusinessWeekSmallBiz and BusinessWeekChicago

Internet Retailer

Catalog Age and Multichannel Merchant magazines

P.O.P. Times

Prepared Foods magazine

Food Business magazine

Modern Deli magazine

Discovery magazine

Mature Outlook Newsletter

Maxwell Sroge Publishing Co.

National Safety Council.

Fitch Ratings, Chicago; North Bridge Staffing Group 2014 to 2015

Contract Financial Editor

Edited more than 160 reports for style, accuracy and content using Excel, Adobe, Microsoft Word and content management system. Worked with analysts, production designers, IT professionals and other editors at

multinational information services company to complete the process expeditiously.

Retail Leader magazine, Deerfield, Ill. 2011 to 2013

Senior Editor of business magazine published by Stagnito Media.

Edited business magazine, e-newsletter and website circulating to high-level executives at food retailers.

Instrumental in launch of Retail Leader magazine starting in June 2011.

Oversaw business magazine's editorial content; developed editorial calendars for magazine; worked closely with internal staff members and freelance writers to efficiently generate stories and graphic elements for magazines, newsletter emails and website; assigned magazine stories to network of freelancers and provided sources; managed editorial production; reviewed materials and magazine pages for quality at all stages of the production process.

Reported and wrote dozens of in-depth magazine articles on finance, global business, corporate governance, marketing, technology, health care and human capital.

Wrote or contributed to nine cover stories, including profiles on Tyson Foods, ConAgra, General Mills, PepsiCo, Walgreen Co., Meijer and Schnucks.

Edited website news (www.RetailLeader.net) nearly every business day from October 2011 to October 2013.

Reported and wrote about 45 original news stories for Retail Leader Executive Perspectives e-newsletter from November 2011 to October 2013.

Edited copy for proper content style, grammar, sentence form and structure; fact-checked articles for accuracy; wrote headlines and proofed pages.

Negotiated fees with freelancers; stayed within magazine’s editorial budget.

Developed survey questions for exclusive research report, analyzed data and wrote accompanying copy.

Coordinated special reports; obtained chart data and photos for magazine and e-newsletter.

Chicago Tribune, Tribune Co., Chicago 1998 to 2010

Weekly Business Columnist

Launched and wrote weekly Minding Your Business/Focus on Small Business column for the Monday Business section of major metropolitan daily newspaper from 2002 to 2010 on a freelance basis.

Provided exclusive coverage of topics such as health care, marketing, finance, innovation, human resources, mergers & acquisitions, leadership and regulation.

Wrote human interest stories on timely, real-world challenges facing small business owners and the solutions that worked for them.

Launched and wrote On the Job column on workplace topics from June to December 2010.

Reported and wrote workplace, HR and real estate features from 1998 to 2002.

SmallBusinessExecutive (SmallBizChicago.com) 2010 to present

Editor

Launched small business news website and directed lean operations.

Supervised team of contributors, designers, volunteers and interns.

Wrote and edited articles on technology, management, marketing, legislation and professional services.

Developed expertise with website publishing and search engine optimization.

Prism Business Publications (Formerly Primedia) 2002 to 2007

Covered retail and marketing issues for Multichannel Merchant and Catalog Age magazines and

contributed to Small Business Review, a national online business publication.

The Catalog and Web Marketer 1991 to 1999 and 2000 to 2001

Editor-in-chief

Wrote and edited paid-circulation business-to-business newsletters published by Maxwell Sroge Publishing for senior executives of catalog retailers and online merchants nationwide.

Managed the work of dozens of contributors; produced more than 200 company profiles.

Conceived story ideas, wrote and edited newsletter copy for Non-Store Marketing Report, The Catalog Marketer and The Catalog and Web Marketer.

Dairy Foods magazine, Chicago 1988 to 1989

Managing Editor of monthly magazine published by Gorman Publishing Co.

Managed editorial operations of leading trade publication and newsletter for food manufacturers. Supervised staffers; conducted performance reviews; recruited and hired freelancers and staff.

Mature Outlook magazine, Buffalo Grove, Ill. 1986 to 1988

Associate Editor and Newsletter Editor of general interest publications published by Allstate Enterprises for national audience.

Assigned, edited and wrote articles for national publications circulating to 900,000 adults.

Collaborated with executive leadership on yearly strategic planning.

Supervised editorial work of staff and freelance writers, photographers and artists.

Coordinated newsletter production with art director and printing vendors.

Continued to produce content for Mature Outlook Newsletter for Meredith Publishing through 1990.

Evening Independent, St. Petersburg, Fla 1985

Staff Writer at daily newspaper affiliated with nonprofit Poynter Institute.

Education

Northwestern University, Medill School of Journalism, Evanston, Ill.

Bachelor of Science in Journalism degree;

Editor of award-winning Byline, Northwestern's Journalism Review;

Internships at U.S. News & World Report, The Miami Herald, Qualified Remodeler magazine and the Evanston Review;

Editorial Assistant, Evanston Review.

North Park University, School of Business & Nonprofit Management, Chicago

Master's Degree in Nonprofit Administration, with distinction; May 2011. Graduate Certificates in Nonprofit Administration and Board Governance, December 2009.

Inducted, Delta Mu Delta, National Honor Society in Business, 2011.

SBNM Advisory Board member, 2013 to present.

Donald W. Reynolds National Center for Business Journalism, Arizona State University

Certificate in Business Journalism Training, 2011.

Professional and Community Affiliations

Association for Women Journalists-Chicago, member 2011–2015.

Authors Guild, member, 2014–2015.

American Civil Liberties Union, member, 2013–2015.

American Society of Business Press Editors, member, 2014–2015.

Girl Scouts leader, Wilmette Troop 411, 2005–2010.

Board member and team manager, Wilmette Wings Soccer Club, 2004–2009

Committee member, Community Review Committee, Wilmette schools, 2012–2013.

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