Richard Urban

Writer, Editor, Marketing Communications Management

Corporate Communications | Digital & Print Content | Financial Stewardship

Award-winning writer and editor with proven expertise in digital and print media. Skilled in communications management, leading the design, development and promotion of major business publications in traditional and new media platforms.  Creates and institutes fiscal controls to manage editorial development costs. Develops and maintains customer relationships to promote organizations and their products and services. Thrives under tight deadlines, applying exceptional organization skills to multi-task concurrent projects while creating quality content.

§  Copy Writing/Proofing/Editing

§  Project Management

§  Social Media/Media Relations

§  Editorial Strategy

§  Product & Internet Marketing

§  High-Level Presentations

§  Cross-Functional Leadership

§  Team Building & Development

§  Corporate Communication

§  Public Relations

§  Investigative Research

§  Proposal Development

Professional Experience

FREELANCE WRITER, Farmington, CT, Atlanta, GA, Phoenix, AZ                                                        Multiple Years

Content research and writing for publication; advising on communications strategies.

Freelance Writer/Communications Consultant

Researched and wrote articles for local, state, and national publications and clients including ESPN.com, Sports Illustrated, Boy’s Life, The Hartford Courant, Boston Magazine, Connecticut Magazine, D Magazine, CT Business Magazine, Corporate Connecticut Magazine, and Nashville Scene. Worked with corporate clients to develop material for top executives at various Fortune 1000 companies. Commissioned to research and write editorial content for an illustrated coffee-table book titled, Connecticut: Chartered for Progress, published in 2002. Currently working with a regional New England bank to create and edit content for and manage employee newsletter and volunteer periodically to write articles for the Fiesta Bowl website.

§  Earned 3 first-place awards from the Connecticut Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists in May 2010 and May 2011 for articles regarding Connecticut’s vast land holdings, it’s underfunded public employee pensions, and the troublesome condition of primary-care physicians.

§  Earned first-place award for feature writing from the Association of Alternative Newsweeklies for a two-part Nashville Scene article regarding the death penalty.

§  Successfully helped to develop and manage communications for the Nappier for State Treasurer 2010 campaign, resulting in increased voter awareness, fund-raising and strong media relations.

NERAC, INC., Tolland, CT                                                                                                                                2006 – 2009

The company provides research and advice for corporations developing innovative products and technologies, employing approximately 120 individuals with annual sales of $25M.

Business and Marketing Editor

Set editorial standards for the company. Helped improve the company’s reputation by positioning Nerac analysts as authorities and thought-leaders in their respective fields by successfully developing and managing editorial strategy. Generated interest in analyst activity through newsletter articles, web content, white papers, podcasts, and industry interviews.

§  Developed a strategy that resulted in more than 30 quotes from Nerac analysts being used in 3rd party articles in 2008 alone. This was the result of actively pursuing media opportunities to position analysts as experts, by mining databases and editorial calendars to identify key opportunities while monitoring services for relevant media queries.

§  Led an initiative to develop Nerac-related content, resulting in more than 100 web articles created over two years, 24 analyst-authored articles being placed in key industry publications, five white papers, four podcasts, and three industry reports in 2008 alone.

§  Collaborated with 125 analysts to create a 300-word biography format that highlighted their abilities and expertise to clients. These new bios were used to great effect for sales proposals, client reports, media introductions, expert databases, and the company web site.

HARTFORD MAGAZINE, Hartford, CT                                                                                                            2004 - 2005

Monthly lifestyle publication consisting of 15 employees.

Editor

Recruited to be Hartford Magazine’s first full-time editor. Served as a regular contributor to the magazine while also editing Legends magazine for the Mohegan Sun resort and serving in an advisory role in the development of a home and garden publication.

§  Improved content and kept it focused on high-end regional lifestyles by properly managing two full-time staff, as well as a diverse group of freelance writers and photographers.

§  Consistently kept editorial development costs within budget each month by developing and instituting a variety of fiscal controls.

§  Conceived and developed a first-time methodology to rate Hartford’s suburbs based on a variety of criteria, later developing a similar method for rating school systems. These statistics went on to be used successfully in the Hartford market.

§  Successfully led the development of a charitable events guide that included event listings, volunteer profiles, and features on specific organizations in the Hartford area, all completed within a tight timeframe. The guide was well received and became a successful semi-annual publication with monthly listings in Hartford Magazine.

Education & Career Notes

Bachelor of Arts, Mass Communications, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL

Senior Editor, D Magazine, Dallas, TX

Editor, Business Dallas magazine, Dallas, TX

Editor, Business Nashville, Nashville, TN

Metro Editor, The Plain Dealer, Cleveland, OH

Suburban Editor, The Tampa Tribune, Tampa, FL

Reporter, Florida Times-Union, Jacksonville, FL