RESUME

Dean Lofton
freelance writer, copy writer, publicist
512.636.1346 dean@deanlofton.com

Copy writer/Publicist/Creative Strategist for Advertising and Marketing
1/1995 – present, Southeast, California, New York, Texas

• Experience encompasses consulting, research, concept development, strategy and marketing plan development, branding, promotion and publicity, event planning, writing, editing and script writing.
• Create product and business names, themes, slogans, tag lines, press releases, web site content, promotional, educational and corporate videos, PSA’s and marketing print pieces including ads, brochures and newsletters.
• Agency clients include Opus Media ( Charleston, S.C.), Rawle-Murdy Associates ( Charleston, S.C.), IVS Video ( Charleston, S.C.) LHWH Advertising (Myrtle Beach, S.C.), designer Kimberly Carter (Orange, C.A.), Brogdon Design (Palm Springs, C.A.) and Vineberg Communications (Westhampton, N.Y.).
• A diverse roster of direct clients include musicians, a performance artist, a veterinarian, a massage therapist, a life coach, a self-publishing author, a professional sports training facility, skin care products and many others. Current clients include: Jeff Lofton, Myrna Cabello, Naga Valli, Kalu James, Sangeet Millenium, Tortilla Factory, Blairfield Realty, Lord and Lawson Realty, Stacy Davenport and Seva Yoga.

Freelance Writer
10/1994 – present, Southeast and Texas

Publication Credits:

• Free Times, a weekly alternative press publication in Columbia, S.C., reported city government and local political events and wrote a body/mind/spirit column on natural health and healing topics.
• The Post and Courier, the daily paper in Charleston, S.C., wrote a bi-weekly body/mind/spirit column detailing local events, workshops and seminars relating to spirituality, natural health and healing.
• Charleston Regional Business Journal, a biweekly newspaper in Charleston, S.C., profiled local business people and wrote articles on other topics such as credit unions, workers’ rights and regional travel.
• skirt! and skirtmag.com, a regional monthly women's magazine, wrote literary non-fiction and social commentary articles, and Soul Food, a weekly website piece encouraging personal and spiritual growth.
• Point, a monthly alternative press magazine in Columbia, S.C., contributed short stories: “TSW 152,” and “My Mother, My Sister, Elvis and God,” and a wrote a column on feminist issues
• Other publication credits include: AveNews, a spirituality magazine published in Columbia, S.C., Midlands Woman Magazine of Columbia, S.C., and Senior Living Magazine, a southeastern publication.

Writing Workshop Leader
6/1997 – present

• Design, market and lead community writing classes: Write Your Life As A Woman, Collecting Your Memories and The Closet Fiction Writer’s Workshop.
• Panel presenter at 2001 Valdosta State University for the Women's Studies Department's annual academic conference.

Executive Director, business trade association / non-profit
12/2008 – 2/2010, Austin Independent Business Alliance, Austin, Texas

• Duties include representing the organization in the media and community, planning and leading several networking events per month, managing two staff members, recruiting members, developing sponsorships, selling advertising and overseeing production of biannual printed membership directory, marketing and PR.
• Direct results from my leadership include a merger with a competing organization, first sponsorships ever for printed directory, first profitable directories, largest membership growth in organization’s history, and most press coverage in the organization’s history.

Associate Editor/Event Planner  (Public Information Specialist III)
4/2007 – 5/2008, Office of EMS and Trauma Systems, Department of State Health Services, State of Texas, Austin, Texas

• Associate editor/writer: Texas EMS Magazine duties include researching, writing and editing articles for a statewide, 54-page, bimonthly magazine for EMS personnel. The magazine provides continuing education credit, local and regional news, information on state and federal regulatory policy and other articles.
• Event Planner: Texas EMS Conference and other meetings duties include all aspects of event planning: facilities management, catering, banquet event orders, master rooming lists, room sets, audio visual management, site visits for future meetings, contract review, and more. The Texas EMS Conference provides continuing education for over 2,500 rescue workers over six days. The conference includes an opening session for 1,200; buffet lunch for 2,400; and an awards luncheon, for 2,200. Other event planning duties include quarterly meetings for over 200 for the Governor's EMS and Trauma Advisory Council.

Writer/Strategist
4/2000 – 8/2001, Semaphore, Inc., Columbia, S.C.

• Copy writing and strategy development for clients such as higher education, government agencies, retail, economic development and special events.
• Provided content for press releases, brochures, direct mail, print ads, television, radio and Web sites.
• Clients include The South Carolina Humanities Council (arts funding non-profit organization), Benedict College, WomanSong (a South Carolina public radio show featuring music by women), East Carolina University, City of Columbia and S.C. Economic Development Alliance.

Traffic Manager
8/1998 – 9/1999, Rawle-Murdy Associates, Charleston, S.C.

• Manage flow of work between account executives and creative department at mid-sized ad agency.
• Assist in creating new system to monitor job status.

Production Manager
1/1990 – 5/1997 Kingfisher Productions, Charleston, S.C.

• Manage day-to-day aspects of a television commercial production company, as well as pre-production and post-production, for a one-director shop based in the southeast with representation nationally in Los Angeles, Chicago and New York, and internationally in Germany and Chile.
• Coordinate efforts of marketing representatives, write and distribute press releases to trade publications and produce direct mail marketing pieces.

EDUCATION
University of South Carolina, May 1990
Bachelor in Science, Major in Media Arts

References and additional writing samples available on request.