Technical Writer, Writer, Copy Editor, Proofreader

Location:

Rocky Hill, CT

Posted:

June 01, 2016

Contact this candidate

Resume:

Robert P. Rocco

* ******* ****** (H)860-***-**** (Cell)860-***-****

Rocky Hill, CT 06067 ************@*****.***

INTRODUCTION

I am a veteran writer, editor, web producer and technical proofreader – an award-winning wordsmith, a detail-oriented technical editor, and a proven performer under deadline pressure. In addition to extensive writing and editing experience in the journalism and corporate realms, I have an uncommonly strong math background. I’ve created math study materials in both print and interactive form, using Adobe Flash Professional.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Freelance Technical Copy Editor/Proofreader Nov. 2015-present

Working mostly with 360 Business Consulting Inc. (Mission Viejo, CA), as contract editor, using Adobe Acrobat PDF and Microsoft Office programs to edit marketing materials for Henkel Corp.’s Electronics division, based in Irvine, CA

Henkel Corp., Rocky Hill, CT Nov. 2013-Oct. 2015

Copy editor/proofreader; using Adobe Acrobat PDF and Microsoft Office programs to edit print ads, news releases, sell sheets, web pages, company brochures and catalogs, and other materials promoting Henkel’s industrial and consumer adhesive products

Chief proofreader/editor as Henkel brought its 1,600-plus adhesives product labels into compliance with GHS (Globally Harmonized System) standards

Rewriting copy as needed, often in consultation with the Marketing and Legal departments; proofreading marketing copy against source materials that include Excel spreadsheets, PowerPoint documents, technical data sheets

Checking that marketing literature is in compliance with laws and regulations involving trademark use and advertising claims

Providence Journal, Providence, RI (newspaper) April-Nov. 2012 / June-Dec. 2013 / May-Sept. 2014

Working as a temporary, fill-in copy editor during staff vacations; editing reporters’ articles for accuracy, clarity and completeness; working in CCI NewsGate and Word

Writing headlines and captions; designing newspaper pages in CCI NewsGate

Mission Control, Mansfield, CT (political consulting firm) March–Nov. 2012; Sept.-Nov. 2013

Proofreader/copy editor

Proofing and editing campaign mailers, using Adobe Acrobat, promoting political candidates and causes (transportation referendums, etc.) throughout the U.S.; editing for accuracy, grammar, consistency, visual presentation

Hartford Courant, Hartford, CT (daily newspaper) June 1999 – May 2010

Copy editor (June 1999-May 2008) and web producer (May 2008-May 2010); taking reporters’ good work and making it even better, creating compelling print and web stories for Connecticut’s largest daily newspaper and its online version, courant.com

Writing headlines and captions using the CCI production system

Editing news copy for clarity and completeness

Processing photos, video files, audio files, pdf files, other documents for web display

Arranging/manipulating web content on courant.com web pages; creating interactive web content (polls, trivia quizzes, graffiti boards, photo galleries)

Robert P. Rocco, Resume, Pg. 2

Awards, Honors at Courant include:

Winner of Warner Award (a Courant in-house award) in recognition of copy editing excellence, 2007

Single-Headline Citation, 2002 American Copy Editors Society Headline Contest (Division B, large publications)

First place, Headline Writing, 1999 Connecticut Society of Professional Jouralists Awards Competition

Second place, Headline Writing, 2003 CSPJ Competition

Selected from staff of more than 25 copy editors to write the Courant’s Page 1 headline for the lead story about the Sept.11 bombings; page is on display at Newseum in Washington, D.C.

Meriden Record-Journal, Meriden, CT (daily newspaper) 1990 - 1999

Copy editor in Meriden newsroom (1990-1999), editing local reporters’ copy; designing and producing pages using Quark Xpress; writing headlines and captions for local and wire stories; sizing and cropping photos; working with editors and reporters to clear up problems in stories; proofreading pages; serving as wire editor one day a week.

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

Have served as a volunteer (one day a week) at the State Veterans Home, Rocky Hill, CT, since October 2003

EDUCATION

Syracuse University, Syracuse, N.Y.

MA: Magazine Journalism, graduated summa cum laude

SUNY College at Plattsburgh, Plattsburgh, N.Y.

BA: Environmental Science and Political Science, graduated magna cum laude

Connecticut Department of Higher Education June 2010 – August 2010

Alternate Route to Certification Program (middle school math)

Central Connecticut State University, New Britain, CT

Mathematics and teacher certification courses, 1994-98

Robert P. Rocco, Resume, Pg. 3