Linda Leier Thomason

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Business Management Consultant. Strategic communications writer, blogger and photographer. Multiple business developer and owner. Linda extracts aspects of vast professional and life experiences to add depth, humor and learning to content-rich writing and client interactions. Her interests include assisting owners in growing and promoting their businesses, working with small communities to strategically design marketing and promotions campaigns to increase traffic (a.k.a. revenue) and creating a fashion line showcased on this website.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

•  Served as a Fortune 300 Corporation’s spokesperson on Capitol Hill.
• Built and sold two companies in Charleston, SC.
• Chosen to participate in and completed South Dakota’s Accelerator/Business Incubation Program.
• Photography produced as fashion art by Vida-a San Franciso, CA based corporation. www.shopvida.com/collections/linda-leier-thomason.
•  Championed a piece of legislation in Florida that resulted in greater revenues and improved nursing home patient care.
• Ghost wrote feature articles for Fortune 200 corporation.
• Wrote, edited and published 24 issues of a magazine.
• Received Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) award for market research used to measure advertising and marketing effectiveness.
• Selected as one of Charleston’s Women Business Leaders by Charleston Regional Business Journal.

EDUCATION

Masters of Science Iowa State University
Bachelor of Science Iowa State University

Accredited Bridal Consultant, Association of Bridal Consultants

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Freelance Writer & Business Management Consultant, Photographer & Blogger  2010-current

•  Pitch, research and write articles that comply with publisher assignments.
• Assist companies in strategic business decisions through management consulting.
• Visit communities and conduct undercover visits at direction of Economic Development agencies and Convention and Visitor Bureaus.
• Designed fashion line featured in “Linda’s Store” in conjunction with San Francisco, CA based Vida.
• Published 30+ articles.
• Ghost write for Fortune 200 and other corporate websites and blogs.
• Ghost write corporate communiques, speeches and manuals/policy booklets.

President, Braced with Style        2013-2014

• Explored viability of one-off manufacturing of fashionable, fabric orthotic brace covers. Research indicated venture would not be profitable. Shut down start-up company efforts.
• Relied on previous business experience to determine outcome.
• Start up was part of South Dakota’s Technology and Business Center’s Accelerator Program.

THOMASON ENTERPRISES, Inc. 1994-2009
Owner
• Created company, A WONDERFUL WEDDING, which offered services to engaged couples and businesses marketing to them. Produced bridal trade shows and published bridal magazines in the Carolina’s. Grew company into market leader; company sold.
• Identified copy to be written for each bridal publication, sought and interviewed sources, wrote copy; edited copy submitted by contract writers and guest contributors.
• Wrote copy for press releases with nearly 100 percent printed verbatim. Wrote copy for ads, fliers, websites, newspaper, TV and radio ads; monthly advertiser and exhibitor letters and all promotional and branding materials.

HILL-ROM 1988-1994
Associate Director, Government Relations 7/91-2/94

• Used leadership, entrepreneurial and sales skills to convince executive management of need to create this department and then led it after they agreed.
• Managed projects from inception to completion and wrote copy for and designed all white papers, marketing materials and press releases for legislative issues.
• Wrote and presented legislative updates to key customer groups, keeping them informed and soliciting their support.
• Successfully led an initiative that passed through the Florida legislature, improving patient care and company revenues.
• Showcased communication skills as corporate spokesperson on Capitol Hill.
• Developed relationships with key Congressional members and staffers.
• Understood need to include stakeholders in securing passage of legislation and engaged regional managers, sales staff, state health departments, legislators, finance professionals, lawyers, clinicians, families, patients and others in grass-roots campaigns.
• Identified need for clinical and cost-effectiveness studies. Hired and managed external clinical and health finance research groups to conduct studies and publish results to prove cost-effectiveness of desired legislation.
• Attended national trade association meetings and served on national boards.
• Tracked and reported on key health care initiatives and reforms that could adversely impact corporate business.

Associate Director, Marketing, Long-Term Care Division 6/89-6/91

• Created sales territories, interviewed and hired regional managers, one who eventually was promoted to Vice President of Sales.
• Collaborated with training department to write manuals for sales staff.
• Designed and managed semi-annual customer satisfaction and quarterly market share studies. Presented results to senior management for strategic planning and budgeting purposes.
• Convinced senior management of need for all to understand our business from a customer perspective and to invite a panel to national meetings. Chose and invited panelists and moderated interactive discussion for multiple years as it become one of the most popular sessions.
• Used marketing communication skills by presenting updates at regional and national meetings.
• Showed understanding of patient and customer needs and used market research findings to work with engineering to develop new products which were tested and launched.

Marketing Research Manager, Acute Care Division 12/88-5/89

• Designed customer survey instruments, analyzed data, wrote and presented reports to executive management team and at regional meetings, created and managed databases.
• Coordinated and moderated in-person and telephone focus groups.

CONVALESCENT SERVICES, INC. 1986-1988
Health Planner 02/86-12/88

• Identify markets for development and create opportunity for it.
• Write and defend Certificate of Need applications through Florida Administrative Hearing process.
• Coordinate with outside legal counsel, negotiate with other developers and testify in hearings.
• Partner with administrators to increase occupancy rates.
• Extensive work in Florida, Colorado, Texas and Illinois.

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Copyright. August 2015. Linda Leier Thomason

All Rights Reserved.