Media Relations Marketing Communications

Kimberly S. Groneck

***** ******* *** *****, ************, MO 63017 314-***-**** ***************@*****.***

Professional Summary

Dynamic, results oriented and energetic communications professional with over 20 years of experience in the healthcare, financial, and retail industries. Extensive experience in media relations and marketing communications within every level of a healthcare system. Demonstrated success in developing relationships to market the hospital’s clinical service lines and physicians. Proven track record of increasing hospital national rankings, and expanding media placements in local, national, and international news.

Areas of expertise include:

• Managing media relations & press conferences • Writing and editing video productions

• Training spokespersons for media interviews • Managing employee & shareholder communications

• Writing press releases & annual report copy • Directing corporate grant programs

• Leading crisis planning & communication • Developing curriculum for media and PR

Experience & Accomplishments

KSG CONSULTING St. Louis, MO

A PR consulting firm specializing in media relations and marketing communications

President 2005 – Present

Develop and manage healthcare communications to serve clients. Highlights include:

Developed press release and marketed Burl Stamp, healthcare consultant, and author

of The Healing Art of Communication, which led to launching a successful business.

Managed and created business development plan for a $2 M surgical expansion at St. Louis

Children’s Hospital which led to creating the first adolescent bariatric clinic in the state.

Created press release and media plan to market Progress West Hospital to St. Louis media

resulting in an 80% increase in local broadcast and regional publication placements.

Marketed an 18-city media tour for Anthem Foundation, BJC/OASIS to publicize “CATCH Healthy Habits,” a unique health program which combats childhood obesity. The Anthem Foundation invested $5.9 million in this program which is the nation's largest evidence-based, intergenerational health program that unites caring adult volunteers to inspire children to adopt healthy eating and physical activity habits for a lifetime.

With positive publicity, this program increased by more than 95% since inception and earned the distinction of

National Model for Best Health & Wellness Program. At the end of the media tour, 16,000 children and 2,700 adults

in 21 cities across 18 states participated in CATCH Healthy Habits.

WEBSTER UNIVERSITY St. Louis, MO

A global university with six international campuses

Adjunct Professor in the School of Communication 2005 - Present

Developed curriculum for PR, Media Relations and Media Writing Courses

Taught over 1,000 U.S. and international students in 18 years of teaching

Kimberly S. Groneck Page 2

ST. LOUIS CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL (SLCH) - BJC HEALTHCARE

One of the nation’s best pediatric hospitals, affiliated with Washington University School of Medicine.

Media Relations Manager 1996-2005

• Directly collaborated with physicians and SLCH/BJC administrators to manage all aspects of PR,

media relations and crisis communications. Served as spokesperson for the hospital and achieved over twice the media placements of our competitor increasing our media exposure by 95% of goal each year.

• Overall PR and marketing efforts enabled SLCH to be viewed as the preferred pediatric provider among parents in the St. Louis area. The overall parent preference for SLCH services consistently increased and helped SLCH maintain its best-in-market status.

• Increased hospital revenues each year by aligning PR initiatives with overall marketing plan to

grow clinical service volumes and physician referrals by over 50% each year.

• Launched and managed a national media campaign highlighting medical advancements that resulted

in over 500 placements, including national hits in the Wall Street Journal, NY Times, NBC Today Show, Washington Post, Time, People, CBS Early Show, NBC Nightly News, CNN, and USA Today.

As a result of increased national media, the hospital rankings were elevated as one of America's

top children's hospitals in US News & World Report and Child Magazine.

VENTURE STORES, INC.

Director of Public Relations 1991-1996

• Directed all aspects of public relations including crisis management, corporate contributions, employee communications, and the annual shareholders meeting for this publicly traded $2 billion regional discount store chain. Reported directly to the Executive Vice President of Marketing; and managed a staff of five, 120 store managers’ PR and communication, and a budget of $1.6 million.

CITICORP MORTGAGE, INC.

Communications & Community Relations Manager 1987-1991

• Managed employee communications to enhance understanding of corporate issues, and the mortgage industry.

In addition, managed grant budget and publicity of grants to neighborhood associations and community organizations. In addition, wrote scripts and produced sales training videos; published weekly newsletter and quarterly magazine; assisted with annual sales meeting scripts, and sales slide presentations.

Awards

• Missouri Hospital Association 1st place award for national media relations in for successful campaign targeting national print, digital, television and radio media outlets.

• Missouri Hospital Association 1st place award for crisis communications for managing crisis

media during a fire, in which over 200 patients were evacuated from St. Louis Children’s Hospital.

Education

• Webster University, Master of Arts in Media Communication & Management

• University of Central Missouri, B.S. in Public Relations and Journalism

Volunteering

• March of Dimes: Communications Board, and manage media relations during events and March for Babies walk

• Pet Therapy: Trained by DUO to go hospitals and nursing homes with my dog to provided pet therapy for patients

• Ascension Parish: Leader for retreats for women, teach in parish school of religion, sing with contemporary band

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