Edward M. Bury

Edward M. Bury, APR Chicago, Illinois

Home: 773-463-9811   ●   Cell: 773-396-9773   ● edwardmbury@yahoo.com  ● www.prdude.wordpress.com ● www.edwardmbury.com

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SUMMARY – Senior communications professional/strategic thinker/association management professional with proven experience in marketing, public relations and related disciplines. Currently managing all internal and external communications and technology transfer for leading national university transportation research unit. Helped build brand for international commercial real estate association. Experience with associations, agencies and corporations.  Proven strategic planning, project management and team-building skills. Generated revenue and delivered projects within budget. Outstanding written and oral communications, fluent in social media platforms. Developed and nurtured strategic alliances to reach goals and provide solutions.  One of 3,800 PR professionals to hold Accreditation in Public Relations (APR). Active blogger. More than 14 years of experience at two prominent commercial real estate associations.

MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS

Urban Transportation Center/University of Illinois at Chicago

Public Information Coordinator (2013 to Present)

Plan, develop and execute a comprehensive communication strategy for nationally respected transportation research unit within the College of Urban Planning and Public Affairs. Manage unit web site and spearhead technology transfer of UTC transportation research to targeted audiences. Plan and execute industry events and seminars. Work with colleagues to strengthen relationships with federal, state and local transportation agencies and within UIC community. Write, edit and publish newsletters, collateral materials, byline articles, news stories. Manage media relations. Grow relationships within UIC and build greater awareness for work done by UTC faculty researchers, graduate assistants and staff.

• Relaunched web site to improve navigability, enhance SEO and generate visits.
• Initiated successful technology transfer communications program.
• Developed unit strategic plan.

Building Owners and Managers Association of Chicago (BOMA/Chicago)

Director of Marketing & Communications (2010 to 2013)

Manage and produce  internal and external communications, develop and execute strategic initiatives, counsel senior leaders and spearhead special events for leading Chicago association representing the office building industry.

• Provide strategic counsel, media relations coaching and speechwriting to senior volunteer leadership comprised of leading executives from international, national and local commercial real estate management and service companies.
• Manage monthly account activity for outside public relations firm and serves as key contact with Chicago and national business and commercial real estate media.
• Developed and manage The Elevator Speech, a commercial real estate industry blog named by Crain’s Chicago Business in January 2013 as the Best Business Blog in Chicago.
• Organize, market and execute annual TOBY/Gold Circle Awards Gala event — an event dinner and reception with a budget of $95k and more than 450 guests.
• Manage http://www.bomachicago.com web site, Facebook page, LinkedIn group and Twitter platform.
• Staff liaison to two standing committees: Information Committee (oversees web site, awards competition, member surveys) and Social Marketing Committee (plans and executes five major member events annually).

CCIM Institute, an Affiliate of the National Association of REALTORS®

Senior Director of Public Relations (2007-2009)
Director of Public Relations (2000-2006)                 Public Relations Manager/Specialist (1998-1999)

Developed strategies and executed public relations and marketing programs to promote designation, education and membership at industry leading $19 million commercial real estate services, education, networking and technology association. Managed internal and external communications.  Counseled senior elected leadership. Developed and executed media relations and crisis management plans. Coordinated participation at industry trade events. Led team of four professionals. Produced national market report. Liaison to committees charged with member benefits and cultural diversity education. Initiated research projects, analyzed results and recommended policy and program direction.

• Initiated and managed social media news release program to augment traditional media relations
  and heighten awareness for CCIM networking, education and membership programs.
• Developed podcast series to promote Institute real estate market reports, education advancements and membership activities. More than 30k downloads and growing.
• Built and maintained reciprocal partnerships with real estate industry associations and brokerage firms to build awareness for education and member benefits, secure no-cost prospect lists for marketing.
• Coordinated Institute participation at more than 50 industry trade events, including annual ICSC RECon convention with $48k budget. Every event completed within established budgets.
• Executive producer and writer on four video projects to promote membership, education and annual symposium.  Enhanced awareness, increased attendance and average savings of $5k per video.
• Wrote jargon-free copy for collateral materials used by membership. Delivered message about Institute core values through clear, consistent communications and saved on outside copywriter.
• Supervised survey distribution, production and news release distribution of quarterly national commercial real estate market report with $100k annual budget. Delivered enhanced member benefit, generated regular media exposure.
• Launched and managed two new member benefit and revenue-generating vendor relationships. Earned up to $10k in non-dues revenue annually.
• Conceived, wrote and managed weekly online digest of Institute education, membership and related news.
  Reduced email messages, increased awareness, had 25% click-through rate.

Open Door Communications
Principal (Present) Public relations consultancy concentrating in strategic counsel, copywriting and employing digital and traditional communications.  Clients in restaurant/hospitality, real estate, mortgage, transportation and other industries.

Schindler Communications, Inc.

Vice President (1988-1993) Supervised and managed account activity for boutique agency. (Now Hodge Schindler Communications.) Clients included real estate developers, law firms, urban affairs agencies and other business-to-business and consumer areas.

Dragonette, Inc.

Senior Account Executive (1984-1988)  Managed accounts for Chicago business-to-business public relations and marketing services agency.  (Later merged into GCI.) Concentrated in commercial and residential real estate and urban affairs clients.

Doremus & Co.

Account Executive (1983-1984) Managed print advertising and public relations for Chicago office of national financial advertising agency.

Albert Frank Guenther Law

Account Executive (1982-1983) Coordinated design and media placement of financial notices for Chicago office of New York-based advertising agency.

SALES & MARKETING

Remedy Staffing

Staffing Consultant (1995-1998) Generated new business and managed existing corporate accounts for Loop office of national publicly traded staffing company. Chicago office now closed.

Recycled Office Furniture Systems

Director of Marketing (1993-1995) Managed all marketing, advertising, direct mail, sales promotion and public relations for re-manufacturer of office systems and free-standing furniture. Supervised 10 sales reps. Company shut down.

MEDIA & COMMUNICATIONS

Triton College

Publications Editor (1981-1982) Wrote news releases, feature articles and collateral materials for progressive community college in suburban Chicago.

Pioneer Press

Reporter (1979-1981) Wrote and researched news articles, editorials and feature stories for one of Chicago’s leading community newspaper groups.

City News Bureau of Chicago

Editor, writer, reporter (1977-1979) Managed city desk, rewrite assignments, covered courts, police and general assignment beats for now-gone renowned local wire service.

MEMBERSHIPS, INTERESTS & EDUCATION

Graduate Student at University of Illinois at Chicago.  Master’s of Arts in English.

Member of Technology Transfer Committee of the Transportation Research Board.

Member of Steering Committee for Transport Chicago, an annual event that showcases transportation research and draws 250 industry professionals and academics.

Earned Accreditation in Public Relations (APR) certification in 2004 from the Universal Accreditation Board.

Appointed to Universal Accreditation Board (oversees and grants Accreditation) in 2006 and former Accreditation Marketing Chairman.  Chairman of PRSA National Accreditation Marketing Committee, 2006. Former Chairman of Accreditation Marketing Committee, Chicago PRSA Chapter, 2007-2009.

Membership in Public Relations Society of America,  Old Town School of Folk Music, Logan Square Preservation.

Maintains PRDude blog covering public relations and communications. Published freelance author on real estate, entertainment and restaurant industries.  Accomplished amateur musician and songwriter with Chicago cover band Love House.

Illinois State University, Normal.  Bachelor of Arts.  Major: English, Minor: Journalism