Meet the Editor
Elaine Symanski
Owner, Elaine Symanski Communications
Kansas City, Missouri
- English
About Elaine
- Editorial director/chief editor/columnist for a group of international business-to-business newspapers, magazines and annual editions.
- Senior-level communications manager with master's degree in business and extensive experience in strategic planning, executive communications, employee communications, speechwriting, script writing, Web site development, new and social media, budgeting, project management, product launches and staff supervision and development.
- Executive editor of Notions+ Our Curious Culture of Consumption, an app for the iPad featuring essays, video, art, music and user interactions.
- Recipient of four Bronze Quill awards from International Association of Business Communicators for communications management in employee health care communications. Named Gold Quill finalist for health care communications in the category of Issues Management and Crisis Communications.
- Recipient of two Silver Quill Awards from the Southern Region of International Association of Business Communicators for a comprehensive communications plan for employee health care enrollment, including social media components.
Experience
Owner
•
Elaine Symanski Communications
2010
—
Present
- Works with clients in business-to-business, business-to-consumer and internal communications arenas to plan and execute communications for all media – web, print, social media, video.
- Services include communications planning, writing, editing, rewriting, proofreading, project management and new product launches.
Executive Editor and Co-Publisher
•
24 Notions
Oct, 2012
—
Present
- Created Notions+ Our Curious Culture of Consumption, an app for iPad that provides a virtual tour of the stuff that Americans consume in volume, and the joys and worries that sometimes consume us.
- NOTIONS+ is an interactive journey featuring talented writers and artists who share quirky, insightful and poignant views in essay, art, verse, video and song.
Internal Communications
•
Perceptive Software
Sep, 2011
—
Aug, 2012
- Developed and executed internal communications programs via intranet, email and employee meetings to educate employees about strategic direction and company initiatives in order to influence desired behaviors.
- Member of the Influence Marketing team in role that spanned across all divisions of the company at all levels, from individual contributor to CEO.
- Perceptive Software is a division of Lexmark (NYSE: LXK) and builds intelligent capture, content management, process management, enterprise search and integration products that connect the unstructured printed and digital information across enterprises with the processes, applications and people that need it most.
Editor
•
Uhlig LLC
Jun, 2010
—
Mar, 2011
- Wrote, edited and developed new print and online products and initiatives for diverse markets across North America. Uhlig is a publisher of variable content publications with a total circulation in excess of 2 million.
Communications Manager
•
CenturyLink (formerly EMBARQ)
May, 2006
—
Aug, 2009
- Managed employee communications programs for CenturyLink (formerly EMBARQ), an $11B Fortune 500 company. Developed communications strategies and recommended and managed communications programs in support of Human Resources executives.
- Managed employee communications strategies and programs – email, online and print – related to the merger of CenturyTel and EMBARQ.
- Developed comprehensive communications programs employing new and traditional media – all-hands meetings, webcasts, blogs, videos, newsletters, intranet news, emails and informal focus groups.
- Managed a targeted communications program for managers and above, with news, tips and resources help them raise their own performance and to communicate effectively with their teams.
Multimedia Writer
•
Sprint
Mar, 2002
—
May, 2006
- Producer, project manager and writer for Web-based courses for employees and consumer products. Directed cross-functional team including writers, designers, training implementation managers and subject matter experts. Created interactive products and courses featuring video, Flash movies, games, social media and user interactions.
- Redesigned TouchScreen Shopping to include videos and Flash-based consumer interactions to demonstrate and sell products in Sprint stores nationwide. Launched project under tight deadlines and amid repositioning of entire line of Sprint products and services. Arranged national media coverage for product and won national marketing communications awards.
Online Editor/Content Manager/Editorial Manager
•
Vance Publishing Company
1993
—
2002
- Developed strategic plans, site map and content plan for business-to-business news portal for the fresh produce industry. Coordinated editorial content for Web sites.
- Managed cross-functional team to publish and deliver e-mail newsletters to 20,000 subscribers and developed electronic publishing initiatives, creating new revenue streams for the corporation.
- Served as keynote speaker or panel moderator at international industry conventions.
- Directed a staff of editors and designers for a group of newspapers, magazines and annual editions. Headed editorial team to launch a new international publication.
- Supervised product development, planning and editorial execution for all magazines and annual editions in the publishing division.
- Coordinated cross-divisional strategic planning, reporting directly to corporate officers.
Chief Editor
•
Produce Merchandising Magazine
Dec, 1993
—
Jan, 2000
- Planned and directed editorial content for monthly business-to-business magazine in the fresh produce industry, with $2 million in revenue.
- Directed complete redesign and repositioning of the magazine, resulting in doubling of sales revenues.
- Hired, trained and supervised staff of editors, writers, designers and freelancers.
- Wrote news, feature stories and monthly column. Edited all articles, features and departments. Supervised design and production.
Publicity Manager
•
Human Kinetics Publishers
Oct, 1993
—
Jun, 1994
- Managed national publicity for consumer books covering health and fitness and academic textbooks in the area of exercise science.
- Worked with national media to arrange interviews, articles, features and personal appearances for authors.
- Wrote and edited press releases and promotional materials for books and journals.
Education
Baker University
MS, Management, Business, 1999
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
BS, Journalism
Awards
- Recipient of four Bronze Quill awards from International Association of Business Communicators for communications management in employee health care communications. Named Gold Quill finalist for health care communications in the category of Issues Management and Crisis Communications.
- Recipient of two Silver Quill Awards from the Southern Region of International Association of Business Communicators for a comprehensive communications plan for employee health care enrollment, including social media components.