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Home My Public Portal About060_011_Brenda Marion Resume 10-7-13 Brenda Marion P.O. Box 526 Tybee Island, Georgia 31328 (912) 604-2284 brenda.b.marion @gmail.com Experience Events Coordinator, At Cost Fulfillment (ACF) Savannah, GA 9/13 - present • Assist with negotiation for space contracts and book event space, arrange food and beverage, order supplies and A/V equipment, make travel arrangements, order event signage, and ensure proper decor (florals, linens, color schemes, etc.) to meet the quality expectations of ACF • Aggressively gather information on each project to achieve quality event productions • Conduct research and find resources to assist staff make decisions about event possibilities • Create and revise room layouts for each event • Propose new ideas to improve event planning and implementation process • Serve as liaison with vendors on event-related matters • Assist with managing on-site production and clean-up for events as necessary • Prepare name tags, materials, notebooks, packages, gift bags, registration lists, seating cards, itineraries, etc. • Close out all events as required • Assist with preparing budgets and provide progress reports to staff directors for each event project • Keep track of event finances including check requests, invoicing, and reporting • Coordinate appointments and visits to see conference space, and scheduling of events on the calendar • Prepare and modify event contracts as requested • Track tradeshows and industry events Freelance Copywriter, website administrator Savannah, GA 2/13 - 9/13 • Maintain and update Chatham Avenue Arts website, Facebook, and Twitter posts • Maintain and update Tybee Island Maritime Academy website • Maintain and update wordpress blog (brendabmarion.wordpress.com) Donor Resource Consultant, The Blood Alliance (TBA) Savannah, GA, 5/09 - 2/13 • Increased territory and blood products collected within territory by 25% annually • Plan and execute blood drives at businesses, non-profits, schools, churches, and community events in support of Memorial University Health Center (MUMC) • Plan and execute dedicated blood drives for blood recipients with chronic illnesses such as hemophilia, sickle cell anemia, cancer, organ transplants, etc. • Perform regular pubic speaking engagements to convey the importance of and need for voluntary blood donations • Serve as liaison between MUMC advisory committee and TBA • Serve as liaison between TBA and Savannah Chamber of Commerce, Tourism Leadership Council and other community groups • Write articles for internal employee newsletter and external customer newsletter • Write press releases for local initiatives; proof corporate press releases related to company-wide initiatives that impact all areas served by TBA (Jacksonville, St. Augustine, and St. Mary's, FL; Savannah, GA; Bluffton, Hilton Head, Beaufort, and Charleston, SC) • Produce posters, flyers, email blast content, and other written materials in support of blood drives • Write content for website for various promotions (e.g., High School Heroes) Special Events and Volunteer Manager, Telfair Museum of Art Savannah, GA, 04/08 - 5/09 • Planned and executed all museum fundraising events (Telfair Ball, Telfair Art Fair, The Artful Table, The Art of Great Fashion, Monte Carlo), from 250 attendees to thousands • Planned and executed all general membership events (exhibition opening receptions, artist lectures) • Served as liaison to museum membership support groups (Telfair Art Guild, William Jay Society, Friends of the Owens-Thomas House, Friends of African-American Arts, Gari Melchers Society) • Recruited and managed volunteers and interns to assist museum staff and provide internal event support • Researched and planned trip for museum donors to Pittsburgh, PA to view the Carnegie International, The Andy Warhol Museum, The Mattress Factory, The Frick, and Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater and Kentuck Knob sites. Registrar/Assistant Curator, Sprint Nextel Art Collection Overland Park, KS, 09/04 - 06/07 • Developed and enforced policies and procedures for national art collection of over 3,000 artworks in all media • Maintained records and database (Microsoft-based Access) for art accessions and de-accessions, art rotations, publications and loans; served as subject matter expert on issues such as packing, shipping, customs and insurance • Curated annual shows for Black History Month, Diversity Month, Women's History Month, Hispanic Heritage Month and others • Created various art tours based on specific segments of the collection (Asian Pacific Islander's Heritage Month tour, Juneteenth exhibition tour, Native American Heritage Month and others) • Planned special events and receptions related to the art collection and special exhibitions • Arranged for local and national artists represented in the collection to visit campus and discuss their work • Managed a monthly employee art exhibition program and meet-the-artist receptions • Managed an executive office art program whereby executives selected art from an inventory for their private offices • Partnered with technology innovation group on 2-D barcoding beta test for art collection labels and other facilities management-related uses • Researched art and artists for potential purchase • Attended national art fairs and purchased art on an on-going basis for the collection • Maintained an email distribution list for notification of collection-related tours and events • Drafted and published all internal marketing and communications for collection-related tours • Managed contractor for weekly art installations and rotations Associate, Membership Programs, The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art Kansas City, MO, 11/02 - 09/04 • Promoted from General Membership Programs Manager to Associate, Membership Programs, responsible for all Museum programming (general and patron level memberships as well as business/corporate partner levels) General Membership Programs Manager, 2/00 - 11/02 • Planned and executed educational, fundraising and social activities for 13,000 Museum members • Coordinated programs for Friends of Art, Young Friends of Art and special interest groups within membership • Designed and edited printed materials including invitations, newsletters, brochures, direct mail campaigns, presentations and reports • Consistently raised unrestricted funds for the Museum through corporate sponsorship, in-kind sponsorship and an annual benefit • Directed all aspects of annual fundraising benefit for Young Friends of Art, consistently netting $10,000+ • Worked with numerous Museum departments - Data Records, Marketing, Education, Volunteer, Curatorial, Tours and Foodservice - to perform my responsibilities and relate pertinent information • Implemented a variety of electronic communications for members including online membership form, online links to reciprocal museums, online ticket ordering and payment for annual benefit and email distribution lists for program updates • Managed a variety of Museum leadership volunteers and free-lance contractors on an on-going basis National Accounts Manager, Johnston Industries, Valley, AL, 10/98 — 6/99 • Managed a home office in Kansas City while telecommuting to Alabama • Traveled extensively to manage over 30 house accounts (national and Canadian furniture manufacturers) and show fabric lines • Supervised designers in working with corporate customers to create specialty lines • Wrote and edited all copy for Johnston Industries website • Implemented and executed annual trade advertising program Account Manager, Cahners Publishing, Greensboro, NC, 10/97 — 10/98 • Managed over 75 active and potential accounts for trade publication serving the furniture industry • Took a consultative approach to furniture manufacturers' business, managing turnkey marketing programs including ad design, layout, direct mail, etc. • Grew the territory 20% from the previous year and exceeded 1998 budget while maintaining an active travel schedule Account Executive, Sosland Publishing Co., Kansas City, MO, 10/93-12/95 Classified Sales Manager, 9/92 — 10/93 • Promoted to account executive for two trade publications serving the wholesale baked foods industry • Responsibilities included sales and service to more than 45 accounts throughout the East Coast and Canada with advertising sales in excess of $1,125,000 • Increased existing account revenue by more than 20% within 2 years • Extensive convention travel and experience Education University of Kansas - Lawrence, KS BA English with Honors/BGS History of Art 9/88 — 5/92 • Research assistant, 1992: Worked with professor to outline a specific Honors thesis from conception to final draft. Independent research for thesis subject was incorporated into professor's curriculum the following semester. Professional Development and Community Service Savannah, GA: Volunteer for the annual Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure 5K; volunteer for annual Tybee Critz run; member, founding board for Tybee Island Maritime Academy; member, Association of Donor Recruitment Professionals, 2011-2012; President, Council of Volunteer Administrators (COVA), 2011 Proficient in Raiser's Edge as well as Microsoft Access-based databases and Microsoft Office Southeastern Museums Conference, 2008 American Association of Museums Conference, 2006 and 2005 International Association for Professional Art Advisors, New York, 2006 Scope Art Fair and other spring art shows, New York, 2006 Art Museum Membership Managers Conference, 2002 and 2000 Municipal Arts Commission public art forum, 2001 Center for Management Assistance fundraising seminar, Kansas City, 2000 Fashion Institute of Design Technology Color and Design Conference, New York, 1999 Sosland Publishing Purchasing Seminar Conferences, Kansas City, 1992-1995 Kansas City, MO: represent Sprint Nextel on the Business Committee for the Arts; member of Art in the Loop selection panel for downtown public art projects; juror for numerous art fairs in town; Young Friends of Art board member for The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art; Harvesters committee member for annual fundraiser Greensboro, NC: Volunteered on various committees for annual fundraiser benefiting Multiple Sclerosis; helped with annual golf tournament to benefit Cystic Fibrosis References Sallie Stone Donor Resource Consultant, Beaufort Memorial Hospital Beaufort, SC (843) 812-6731 sstone @bmhsc.org Michael Mathews Former TBA supervisor Bluffton, SC (908) 399-7587 Mpmathews75 @hotmail.com Shirley Sessions Director, United Way HandsOn Savannah Savannah, GA (912) 651-7726 ssessions @uwce.org