Partnerships that Matter

Lori is an exceptional strategist and a gifted communicator who infuses fresh ideas and sound strategy into just about everything. She puts these talents to work helping clients identify market opportunities and realize them with smart strategy and impactful marketing solutions.

Lori brings 20 years experience in strategic communications, marketing, public relations and public affairs. She has successfully managed people, projects, processes, organizations and brands in both the public and private sectors.

As a former newspaper reporter and editor (small town weeklies), corporate communications manager, marketing manager, message and media consultant, director of legislative and public affairs, nonprofit director, and now a communications and marketing consultant¸ Lori knows what makes people, organizations, causes and brands tick. She brings a big picture, strategic perspective AND has the knowledge, skills and understanding of on-the-ground realities to guide big thinking into successful tactics and deliverables that achieve results.

Specialties: Communication audits, strategic communication plans, marketing plans, developing and executing communication strategy, message and content development, brand strategy and management, media planning and buying, and inspiring and mobilizing people to action.

Charlie refers to himself as a writer — he is, and a great one at that — but there’s more. To us, and to our clients, he is a co-strategist, consultant, brand builder, blogger, and a go-to-guy for creative energy and inspiration. Charlie has a passion for assisting nonprofit organizations with marketing, education and capital campaigns, and helping to build strong nonprofit brands. He consults and teams with Marketing that Matters in this endeavor.

Charlie was the president of Words at Work, the Minneapolis marketing communications firm he founded, from 1988 to 2005. During 11 years at Honeywell, he was responsible for management, customer and employee communications for the company’s largest business. His work has won national and regional awards, including the McKinsey Award from Harvard Business Review and the Gold Medal for annual reports from Financial World.

His community involvement ranges from the grassroots (volunteering at a homeless shelter and building engagement in neighborhoods) to the strategic (serving on the vision advisory council for the city of Golden Valley and writing its community vision). He has also played key roles in leadership and strategic planning for Minnesota Center for Book Arts and the Playwrights’ Center, where he currently serves as Board vice president.

Good marketing interests customers. Great marketing engages customers. To some, it's a fine distinction. To Jodi it's a game changer.

Through 11 years of intense event planning, marketing and client service experience, Jodi has honed her ability to separate the great from the good while keeping an eye trained on achieving meaningful results. Add in her contagious enthusiasm and passion for creating memorable experiences and this events and accounts whiz packs some serious strategic power.

At Marketing that Matters, Jodi is our day-to-day client and account manager, working on marketing and event strategy and planning, as well as media and public relations. Yes, she wears many hats. But don't let the variety fool you; she wears each and every one of them well.

Prior to joining Marketing that Matters, Jodi honed her skills working for such world-class companies as Fallon advertising agency, Jamba Juice, Best Buy and most recently, the upand- coming agency Fast Horse. Her work has benefited for-profit corporations like Coca-Cola, NASCAR and Radisson Hotels as well as local non-profit organizations such as Rock the Cause.

Kelly Smith is a problem solver and a creative force – a strategic creative all-star if you will. Her ability to capture a brand's essence visually and conceptually helps an organization rise above the noise of a crowded marketplace, stake a claim in the target consumer's mind, and create a valuable and memorable connection. To Kelly, for every picture and every concept, there's a strategic purpose that embodies the brand.

To hone her strategic creative skills, Kelly played with the big boys and girls – and the big brands. At Campbell-Mithun, she was key to the success of accounts such as General Mills, Burger King and Heinz. At Olson + Co, Kelly lent her art direction and design skills to clients like Ely Tourism, Target, Bauer Nike and more. At Red Circle Agency, she specialized in destination marketing and entertainment by working with several casinos including Black Bear Casino in Hinkley, MN.

At Marketing that Matters, Kelly's energy and endless ideas are put to good use as an Art Director and Creative Partner. She is a pivotal part of the Marketing that Matters creative team and we couldn't be happier to share her talents with our clients and their brands.

A modern day renaissance woman, Kristin has done what so many of us only think about doing: she followed her passion. A passion for writing. At Marketing that Matters, Kristin’s fresh and inspired words combine with a keen mind for questions and strategy to provide creative solutions with impact.

A writer by passion and now by trade, Kristin brings with her 10 years of intensive experience in the market research and strategy arena. Her insatiable desire to learn led her into some of today’s most complex industries; most recently with the interventional cardiology division of the international medical device firm Boston Scientific. During her years with BSC, Kristin honed her ability to diagnose business needs and challenges, designed cutting edge methodologies and analyses, crafted game-changing business recommendations, and provided strategic insight to some of the company’s largest product line groups. Prior to BSC, Kristin’s work impacted decisions and directions of industry leaders such as Intel, Yahoo!, Dolby, XM Satellite Radio, and Bose.

Kristin’s unique mix of research expertise, natural curiosity, and talent and passion for writing lend a one-of-a-kind perspective to her projects with Marketing that Matters.

The best way to describe Theressa is simply this: she's a doer. As our trusty marketing coordinator, Theressa weaves her way through the entire organization to provide administrative and project support, social media expertise, writing and editing, bookkeeping support and more – all while keeping her keen sense of fashion on enviable display.

A proactive problem solver, Theressa's impressive background matches her infectious energy. While launching and managing multiple Mulberrys Garment Care stores, she cultivated an ability to fine tune processes, facilitate relationships and honed an eye for finding the devil among the details.

At companies like Mulberrys, she's also shown deft skills in vendor management, contracts and customer service. Not done yet, Theressa's entrepreneurial spirit shines in a soon-to-be launched e-commerce vintage clothing website.

It is this experience, plus Theressa's passion, customer orientation and can-do attitude that makes each and every Marketing that Matters client feel like they're our only client. We couldn't be more excited to have this woman of action as part of our Marketing that Matters team.