Patrick Early, APR

Manages, solicits, coordinates and administers timely information dissemination from the University to all publics related to Washburn at the local, regional, state, national and international levels: - Schedules interviews, organizes press conferences and photo opportunities, and writes and issues news releases to manage and coordinate media presence and participation in newsworthy events. - Establishes, cultivates and nurtures positive relations with media representatives and community leadership. - Writes, edits and approves correspondence, articles, newsletters, magazines and other materials as required to facilitate publication, delivery and distribution of information that tells the University story in brand (voice, tone, look and feel). - Works with University departments to coordinate and facilitate communication among the University's internal and external communities as strategic events, activities and achievements occur. Administers the University's trademark licensing program, communicating licensing policies, graphic identity and compliance standards through meetings and educational efforts designed to ensure the integrity of the program and protection of the University's logo.

Assisting with communications planning and implementation for multiple non-profits. Also assisting in updating websites and social media strategy.

Created strategy and direct marketing, publications and media relations program. Leading and directing communications and marketing staff, refocused media relations program to extend the brand beyond the immediate community and into other parts of the state and beyond. Adjunct professor in the journalism department. Oversee publications production, internal and external communications programs and advertising for university. Regularly meet with president and four vice presidents along with deans of each of the seven schools to provide counsel and support. • Created marketing plan focused on involvement within the university community and online advertising. Drove up applications 17.94% in the first year and 13.15% in the second year. • Increased social media followers by 30% over the previous year in six months by recasting social media effort into a part of an integrated marketing communications system. Installed systems to track publications production to ensure on-time delivery of promotional materials. Current online rate is 95% or better. • Captured 135,767,996 impressions in a one year period, with 76,336 total clicks with a small for a cost per click of a mere 62 cents using a broad mix of online adverting on venues including Google, Facebook, Advertising.com and Pandora. • Created an additional 94,789 impressions on social media through Merit Pages and garnered publication of graduation press releases and dean’s list press releases in 538 newspapers. • Open rate on announcements of admissions and scholarships was 70%, a click through rate of 68% and 85% engagement rate.

Designed and launched the social media program. Created strategy and directed media relations program, advertising and marketing, graphic identity and publications. Upgraded print material, publishing new magazine and promotional materials. Primary spokesperson with ten daily newspapers, five network-affiliated television stations, 30 radio stations, other publications and trade press. Coached leaders and officials for media interviews. For the president, served as primary speech writer and also as a member of the executive leadership team. • Produced $1.5 million of earned media annually by revitalizing the media relations effort, quadrupling the amount of earned media. • Increased enrollment by 72.7%, from 13,082 to 22,595 degree-seeking students, by creating and implementing a successful marketing plan and integrated marketing communications effort. • Quadrupled enrollments in continuing education department photography courses by teaching and promoting the courses. • Grew Gettysburg location from a “center” to a full-fledged branch campus. • Teamed with workforce development, academic affairs and student affairs to establish targeted retraining for dislocated workers program, establishing call center in less than 10 days to handle initial flood of calls and continuing influx of calls and produced and distributed 4.000 catalogues and promotional material. • Turned dislocated workers program into a profit center by assisting applicants to tap into job training funds and financial aid.

Led and directed integrated communications program, including monthly four-color magazine, newsletter, multiple websites, promotional and marketing materials. Created the association’s first website and then upgraded to a second and third generation site. • Upgraded the association’s marketing material resulting in far more economical and effective promotional efforts. Previous materials lacked tracking and relied heavily on postal mail and faxing. Changing the mix to include email marketing and less expensive postal mail such as postcards increased attendance at educational programs (the core Association income generator) without increasing costs. . • Significantly increased both readership and advertising by updating the look and content of the magazine to make it more useful for the membership and attractive for advertisers. New format and stories generated increase in favorable comments from membership as well as additional traffic for advertisers. • Achieved outstanding level of readership and significantly increased both the volume and timeliness of information by converting monthly printed newsletter to weekly electronic newsletter. Previous printed newsletter couldn’t be tracked and often seemed to go unread based on member comments. Switching to an email-delivered electronic newsletter allowed the association to track opened percentages which were routinely 90 to 95%. • Increased advertising in magazine to the extent that it covered the cost of more than a third of the staff, created the association's first website.

Managed public relations programs for clients in a variety of industries, including packaging, air conditioning and refrigeration, retailing, healthcare, window manufacturing, publishing, kitchen manufacturing, farm financing and trade associations. • Established and directed public relations program for the world’s largest producer of high density polyethylene bottles, gaining prominence for client as leading user of recycled plastic. • Managed crisis communication for manufacturer whose president was indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of price fixing, and for a social service agency when one of its volunteers was about to be arrested.