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Jim’s Resume

JIM HUGHES
Los Angeles, CA 90041 | 323-397-7077 | jim (at) jim-hughes.net
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ROGERS & COWAN
2011 – Present
Vice President, Convergence

Award-winning senior member of the firm’s technology-focused practice concentrating on disruptive and first mover hardware, apps and online platforms. Develops and executes strategic B2B, B2C and trade-focused communications programs for a diverse set of accounts. Versatile, hands-on work for clients including positioning and message development, materials creation/refinement, media/analyst relations, launches, media tours, proactive pitching, event support, thought leadership, crisis support, speaking programs and award submissions. Business development skills with strong in-the-room presentational abilities. Client highlights include:

  •  Kobo – Took the Canadian eReading company from an unknown to third in the eReader category. Supported the company on the tech, consumer and business media front from initial Kobo Touch launch at BEA through reader and technology debuts, global expansion and acquisition by Japanese online giant Rakuten. Day-to-day contact with Kobo executives. Developed and refined messaging, drafted news and press materials, booked media tours, provided ongoing proactive outreach to build thought leadership, handled fast-turn briefings for strategic coverage spikes, secured reviews and dealt effectively with blogger issues.
  • Myspace – Deeply involved in day-to-day media relations work with tech, business and trade outlets for the storied online platform. Go-to contact for messaging, press release development; provides ongoing senior-level counsel; oversees executive speaking program; serves as crisis-response point person for reactive statements and clean up. Instrumental in Myspace 2013 re-launch: deployed “need-to-cover” strategy that meshed mobile app with new Myspace platform; secured highly targeted under-embargo pre-briefs in tech, business, consumer and advertising trades; followed news break to expand coverage footprint with day-of and continuing aggressive outreach. The multi-pronged launch of Myspace was hugely successful, with a wave of continuing coverage and 2.17 billion overwhelmingly positive media impressions. Ongoing work focuses on proactive outreach, thought leadership and highlighting partner success for brand validation.
  • Hooked Digital Media/Haunting Melissa – Handles tech, business and trade media to support the hybrid digital production studio. Launched Hooked’s first project, the Haunting Melissa app that positioned company founder Neal Edelstein as a disruptor. Refined positioning, created materials, and built a relationship with Apple PR to provide insights and introductions to benefit the client. Secured pre-launch meetings with key top-tier outlets in multiple cities, staffed West Coast meetings and provided continuous outreach to generate multiple days of initial coverage. Work resulted in 200+ placements in strongly syndicating worldwide outlets, including Bloomberg BusinessWeek, TechCrunch, Fast Company, CBC, The Wrap, Bloomberg TV, TUAW and The Los Angeles Times among many others. Following big bang introduction, provides ongoing strategy, counsel, proactive outreach, technology launches related to enhancements and award program support. Secured speaking roles at Apps-World North America (keynote), Digital Entertainment World and the Second Screen Summit.

Other clients have included: CrowdFlik (app for crowdsourced video) – introduced innovative video platform to tech, consumer and business outlets; ooVoo (video chat and messaging app) – supported mobile and desktop launch as well as highlighting executives; Motorola (augmented reality app) – highly targeted studio trade support for “Windy Day” ATAP project; Wanderful Interactive Storybooks (children’s apps) – reintroduced famed Living Books CDs to consumers, tech and trade; Orson & Company (next-generation novel app) – launched “History of a Pleasure Seeker” with author Richard Mason; Elite Aviation (private jet services) – elevated CEO and charter service with business, local and luxury outlets; ZOIC Studios (VFX) – generated visibility for commercials, features and TV projects with advertising, entertainment and VFX trades; Rentrak (media measurement) – provided ongoing work for corporate visibility with trades and national business outlets; Hint Water (consumer beverages) – handled B2B outreach resulting in a Forbes profile on company CEO; John Carmack (id Software founder and Oculus Rift CTO) – focused outreach to generate laser-targeted profiles.

 

PUBLIC RELATIONS CONSULTANT
2009 – 2011

Provided a full range of public relations and marketing communications services for companies and PR firms. Supported enterprise technology hardware/software/cloud solutions (storage and servers), online business and medical technology. Clients included: NES Financial/Nationwide Exchange Services – PR program strategy and support for cloud-based financial, legal, leasing, REIT and EB-5 industries solutions as well as though leadership surrounding 1031s and push for industry regulation; Technicolor – full project support in conjunction with R. Antonette Communications for the company’s MediAffinity content management solution rollout; NEC – turnkey case study development for server and storage divisions; OtisMed – targeted regional media consumer outreach on behalf of Laura Nobles Communications to support knee replacement technology; Vital Data Technology – pre-launch and launch work with Laura Nobles Communications to support the company’s electronic medical records system rollout.

 

FLEISHMAN-HILLARD
2005 – 2008
Vice President

Member of the Los Angeles corporate practice as well as the firm’s technology and sustainability groups of the world’s largest public relations company. Developed and implemented strategic communications programs for a diverse set of accounts, managed teams and served as a mentor for junior staff. Clients and activities included:

  • The LTO Program (tape backup and archiving) — Delivered full 360 degree marketing support, functioning as a virtual marketing department for the leading tape format created by HP, IBM and Quantum. Developed ongoing communications strategy to cement tape’s relevance in a disk-based world, oversaw global outreach. Provided hands-on account work including research, positioning, message development, analyst relations, media relations, one-on-one briefings, product launches, trade show support, presentation development, speaking support, event management, collateral development, webcast coordination, website redesign, copywriting, design and digital development.
  • Marvell Electronics (semiconductors) – Managed the cross-agency team to support product-side work for the semiconductor company; interfaced with multiple levels of internal PR, AR and product marketing staff. Successfully launched Marvell’s energy efficient Power Factor Correction chips, secured top tier coverage in trades, online and business press. Simplified a technically complex clean tech subject into an easy to understand concept. Supported trade show launch of Marvell’s high definition video processing chips.
  • Cigna Healthcare (wellness) – Led Southern California team that generated visibility for regional executives and Cigna news with business press, dailies and bloggers. Created highly efficient regional outreach to reach local goals within tight budgets.
  • Digital Domain (entertainment/visual effects) – Generated visibility for the company following purchase by Michael Bay and a group of investors with the trade and business press. Secured strong coverage in the trades for funding news and the hiring of new executives, maintained visibility for Digital Domain with consumer, trade and business outlets.

 

PUBLIC RELATIONS CONSULTANT
2002 – 2005

Provided public relations and marketing communications services for technology companies and PR firms. Clients included QAD, DataDirect Networks, ETeam and iQstor. Worked with JPR Communications as a technical strategist for their clients Asigra, EMC Rainfinity, Kaysha, Maxell, MaXXan Systems, NeoPath Networks, NetEx, Nexsan and OnStor.

 

DATADIRECT NETWORKS, INC.
1999 – 2000 / 2001 – 2002
Senior Manager, Corporate Communications

Developed strategy and executed public relations plan to establish DataDirect as a leader in storage area network appliances with media, analysts, channel and end-users during two stints at the company. Work included strategy and message development associated with repositioning, category definition and strong framing with analysts to validate the appliance concept with all audiences.

 

PORTER NOVELLI
2000 – 2001
Account Manager, Convergence Group

Clients included IBM and Streamwaves; also handled projects for Neopost Online, Iris Wireless and BBBOnLine. Results included coverage of IBM, Streamwaves and BBBOnLine in top tier business, print, trade and online publications.

 

THE BOHLE COMPANY
1996 – 1999
Managing Supervisor, Account Supervisor, Senior Account Executive

Represented enterprise networking and new media clients including Microsoft (Southern California), SGI and a wide range of B2B and B2C software and dot-com companies.

 

MUSTANG SOFTWARE, INC.
1995 – 1996
Director of Public Relations

Created the in-house public relations department to handle trade, consumer and corporate media activities. Day-to-day efforts entailed strategy, planning, material development, touring, trade show support, reviews and proactive pitching. Launched Wildcat! series of bulletin board system software and the company’s interactive web server product. Launched QmodemPro communications software.

 

PRIOR PUBLIC RELATIONS EXPERIENCE:

Entertainment, corporate and event activities with experience in both agency and in-house roles from 1985-1990. Music industry agency experience included representing Aretha Franklin, Narada Michael Walden, Michael Masser, The Temptations and The Commodores; label experience with TLO and TLO/Airwaves Records. Corporate activities included program development and day-to-day execution with Southern California real estate companies (The Herbert Hawkins Companies) and real estate ad agency work for individual developments. Provided trade show PR support for the annual Invention Convention event. Launched an early online service from three line BBS to nationally available service from 1990 to 1994 (pre-Internet) as the Director of Public Relations and Advertising for Computer Productions.

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Jim Hughes

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Telephone+1 (323) 397-7077