Stuart Matthews

Resume

Stuart's Background

Highly proficient in the planning, creation and management of local, provincial and national campaigns, utilizing all media.

Stuart has 33 years managing and creating traditional marketing, and nine years in website communications, marketing and usability.

He is a graduate in Marketing from the Financial Institute of Canada; The Credit Union Central of Manitoba - Management Program - Marketing Diploma; and the Grant MacEwan Community College, Arts & Cultural Marketing Program Certificate.

Stuart's career has encompassed all aspects of marketing and advertising from strategic business planning and marketing research to media buying and direct marketing, to creative and art direction. A true 'marketing generalist' - a problem-solver with a deep understanding of the importance of the sales process and branding.

He has been responsible for ad budgets of several million dollars for local, provincial and national Canadian campaigns - including creative development, utilizing all media. His specialty is direct mail, which lead to writing websites. Stuart has enjoyed a nine year career in website development and usability.

Formerly marketing manager for a Canadian national retailer, and consultant to the University of Alberta, (Faculties of Medicine, Development, Extension and Law), and The City of Edmonton, Stuart now offers Project Management services to a variety of clients in Vancouver. Stuart's wide-ranging marketing and consultancy experience also includes banking, universities, cities and municipalities, businesses and associations.

Stuart has been responsible for the hiring and supervising of creative and production resources, including advertising agencies, photographers, illustrators, copywriters, printing firms, and radio/TV production houses.

He is possibly the definition of a 'marketing generalist': during the course of his career he attained senior positions:

Art Director
Creative Director
Copy Chief
Advertising Manager
Marketing Manager

In a variety of industries:

12 years - Provincial & National Retailers
6 years - Credit Unions (banking)
6 years - Universities
5 years - Ad Agencies
4 years - Political Parties
3 years - Publishers
2 years - Colleges
2 years - Cities and Municipalities

Employer Highlights Top

VKI STUDIOS INC
Vancouver BC
Web Usability & Marketing Analyst and Copywriter

Website usability and web copywriting for a variety of clients. Industries include transportation, health and beauty,

Multi-Tech Warehouse Direct Inc.
Marketing Manager, Art/Creative Director, Canada

Fifty-five stores coast-to-coast, $33 million years sales, $5 million marketing budget

Greatest accomplishment:
Lead the team of senior managers and industrial psychologists to devise a new staff recruitment process. Over a one and half year period some 200 staff were hired through the new screening process. At the end of the first year, sales rose 24% above normal. Invest In People

Customer and marketing research
Creative Development
Media Buying
Link between senior management, sales managers and sales staff
Lead national marketing meetings to ensure effective sales/marketing cohesion
Wrote the yearly marketing plan
Member of the Senior Management Team
Reported to the CEO

Hudson's Bay Company, Western Region
Creative Director (Copy Chief)
Developed creative and promotional strategies for all departments. Supervised three staff writers. Retail, promotion and corporate writing. Reported to the advertising manager, western Canada

Trader Publications / Trader Media
Marketing Manager, Design and Creative Director, western Canada
Responsible for all communications and sales support materials for 36 auto and home-related magazines in western Canada. Worked directly with six sales managers, distribution manager and senior sales staff in the planning, design and execution of marketing programs. Six million dollar marketing budget. All media utilized. Team Leader of the first AutoTrader.com national website.

London, UK, 23 March 2007 – Funds advised by Apax Partners (“Apax”) today announced the proposed acquisition of a 49.9% stake in Trader Media Group (“Trader”) from the Guardian Media Group (“GMG”). GMG will retain a 50.1% stake in the business. The transaction values Trader at £1.35 billion.

Freelance Overview Top

Worked with hundreds of small businesses, not-for-profit groups, associations and arts and cultural groups, providing marketing, advertising, public relations, copywriting and general consulting assignments.

Education Top

2002 - Grant MacEwan College - Arts & Cultural Marketing Program, Certificate

1985-87 - Financial Institute of Canada - Marketing Diploma

1981-82 - Credit Union Central of Manitoba - Management Program - Marketing Diploma

Plus numerous workshops and seminars on marketing, mass communications and design.

Awards Top

* Advertising Club of Edmonton - Best of Show - Interactive (website) - Gold Award, Design: http://www.industrialheartland.com/

* Alberta Economic Development Corporation (AEDC) - Alberta Government Promotional Materials Design Award Competition - Superior Standing. In association with Calder Bateman Communications

* The Annual Report Competition - New York, USA - Gold Medal, Design

* SAM Advertising Awards - Best TV Commercial, Institutional

* Advertising Club of Edmonton - Gold - Corporate Identity; Gold - Print Ad; Silver - Brochure; Merit - Logo

* Alberta Motion Picture Industry Association (AMPIA) - 15th Annual Awards Competition - BEST TV Commercial

* Credit Union Executives Society, USA - 2nd Place - Copywriting, North America-wide competition

* Radio Bureau of Canada - national - Radio commercial - Silver Award

* Winnipeg Art Directors Club - Silver Award - packaging

Samples of Projects Completed Top

Links lead to client websites

- Athabasca On-Line University - Advised IT about Branding, Website enhancement, and building an interactive on-line 'student community'.

- University of Alberta - Faculty of Extension - Law Now Magazine - Advised the Executive Director and editorial staff on how to start charging for advertising in their magazine. Wrote all sales materials, media kit and
established ad rates.

- University of Alberta - Faculty of Medicine and Development Office in partnership with University of Alberta Hospitals - Wrote and project managed all 75th Faculty of Medicine Anniversary fundraising development print materials.

- Alberta Blue Cross - Writing - 2 Annual Reports

- Alberta Economic Development - Alberta Government / Industrial -
Heartland - Writing, researching, editing; website creative director. Inviting new business to move to Alberta Heartland area.

- Telus Alberta Ltd. - Asked by the Alberta Yellow Pages™ Sales Manager to develop a sales strategy in concert with the sales team, and wrote all related materials to market The Talking Yellow Pages™ concept.

- Orissa Software Inc. - Paribus Corporation - Branding, logo design.

- City of Edmonton: Over a five year period: The Mayor's Office & Edmonton Corporate Affairs - Worked with the senior city coordinators, Communications Manager, Mayor's Office and eleven departments.

- Libraries Association of Alberta - Wrote a provincial PR campaign involving
print ads, radio and TV spots.

- Green Party of British Columbia and Vancouver - Creation of election materials, designed new Green Party logo, consultant to the provincial IT Committee

- Lehndorff Homes Ltd. - Wrote and art directed two direct mail campaigns to
both sell a new development, and inform current residents about all the
community amenities available to them.

- Magnum Distributors Inc., Vancouver, BC - DESIGN - Stationery, packaging, logo design, point of sale and website.

- Shiatsu Massage Company - Last 7 years provided ongoing consultation and design/art services for print and website. Vancouver, BC

- Shiatsu Therapy Association of British Columbia - Logo design

- Ocean Hearing Ltd. - Comox, BC - Company name generation, all design and artwork - website and print (Recently purchased by Island Hearing).

- Alberta Trades Nursery Association - Managed & Judged Provincial Association Retailer Ad Contest

- Canadian Federation of Grocers - Concept development, writing, editing, project manager for multiple, die-cut, 4-colour conferences sales collateral, signage and on-site theme decoration.

- National Distribution Alliance (now Trader Distribution Services) - Owned by Trader Media. Working with the Distribution Manager, I researched, wrote and designed all sales materials. Results included securing major distribution channels for Trader Publications including Safeway, 7-11 and dozens of other retailers across Canada.

Community Top

Stuart has contributed thousands of hours of volunteering within the political and fine arts communities.

He has donated time and services to the BC NDP Party helping the North Vancouver federal candidate with 2008 /2010 election messaging, producing videos, editing and building/maintaining the candidate's website/blog.

Stuart spent six years on the Board and eventually managed Latitude 53 Society and Art Gallery for three years. Received a Lifetime Membership for contributions made. The Society recently celebrated its 36th Anniversary of continuous operation. Visit L53 website

Stuart was a member of the Green Party of Vancouver in 2004/05 and has served on its executive. He has assisted with projects for the Deputy Leader, Green Party of Canada.

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