About Wes Meltzer
I am an efficient, analytical and results-driven marketing and communications leader in non-profits, with expertise in consumer marketing, public relations and internal and external communications. I have a decade-long track record of building and leading creative teams to produce award-winning work that also succeeds at core business objectives. My ideal assignment is one that requires a relentless focus on the strategy and tactics that drive the best possible outcome.
Education
Medill School of Journalism, Northwestern University, Evanston, Ill., 2006
Graduated cum laude (GPA 3.76) with B.S. in Journalism and second major in history (concentration in medieval Europe). Member of Tau Kappa Alpha honor society.
Experience
Director of Marketing and Communications, Westminster Communities of Florida
Orlando, Fla., 2012-Present
Responsible for all marketing and communications for the nation's 15th-largest not-for-profit provider of senior housing and services, including lead generation, media relations and internal communications across 22 communities throughout Florida.
Notable Achievements
- Won 17 national awards as leader of internal creative agency
- Strengthened organization's brand identity through an award-winning rebrand and Web site redesign campaign and introducing the new "Live Well. Be Happy." tagline to marketplace, with an increase of nearly 25% in year-over-year lead generation
- Led successful marketing and communications efforts for residential sales and community outreach efforts for major new construction projects
- Increased cumulative lead generation more than 30% through strategic marketing initiatives, while driving a 10% reduction in marketing budget
- Developed the organization's in-house stylebook for branding, style and usage, establishing and upholding standards throughout the organization
- Led media relations and communications efforts with local and national media on behalf of the organization, including COVID-19 communications, national merger talks in 2019 and major state news in 2016 and 2017
- Maintained external and internal communications channels for employees and residents
Recognition and Continuing Education
- Team Member of the Year 2020, Community Support Services
- Westminster Communities of Florida Legendary Service Awards: 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2014, 2013
- University of Pennsylvania, "Introduction to Marketing." Completed April 2014.
- Advanced Sales and Marketing Summit. Completed December 2013.
- Orange County Commission on Aging, "Communicating with the Media and Stakeholders." Completed October 2013.
Skills Acquired
Advanced marketing and corporate communications skills, sales and occupancy analysis, Movable Type content management system, Unix server management, event planning, internal communications platforms, compliance with regulations in Florida Statutes Section 651 and Office of Insurance Regulation
Information Design Editor, Orlando Sentinel
Orlando, Fla., 2010–2012
Managed strategic presentation, story selection and copy editing for daily newspaper. Created and directed interactive projects for spot news and special projects, working in concert with Marketing Department and Advertising Department. Maintained newsroom production and archive systems. Identified new tools and storytelling techniques for OrlandoSentinel.com and iOS and Android products.
Senior Designer, Orlando Sentinel
Orlando, Fla., 2008-2010
Promoted to lead designer for daily and Sunday A1. Responsible for coaching, proofreading stories, and online channel management and curation. Managed newsroom content management systems for print and online.
Designer, Orlando Sentinel
Orlando, Fla., 2006-2008
Responsible for page design, copy editing and news production tasks for A1, Metro and National & World coverage.
Freelance Writer
Chicago, Ill., 2005-2006
Wrote front-of-book and back-of-book feature-length articles assigned, including cover stories on US Airways-America West merger:
- Popular Mechanics
- Arizona Business Magazine
- Experience AZ
- AZ|RE
Skills
Marketing and Copywriting
Copywriting, copy editing, digital marketing, branding, market analysis, media relations, Associated Press style, marketing copywriting, social media management, media placement, digital reputation management
Interactive Design
HTML5/CSS, JavaScript, jQuery, Google Maps API, PHP, MySQL, Movable Type, and Adobe ActionScript
Print Design
Adobe InDesign, Illustrator and Photoshop; CCI NewsGate and NewsDesk, as superuser; QGIS and MAPublisher
Foreign Languages
Spanish (proficient)
Awards
- 2008: Orlando Sentinel Employee of the Year/Design
- 2009: Society for News Design Award of Excellence; Florida Society of News Editors, First Place, Election Coverage
- 2010: Orlando Sentinel Employee of the Year/Systems for NewsGate rollout; Florida Society of News Editors, First Place, Front Page design
- 2011: Society for News Design, Award of Excellence
- 2013: Westminster Communities of Florida Legendary Service Award
- 2014: Westminster Communities of Florida Legendary Service Award
- 2015: National Mature Media Awards, Gold and Silver awards.
- 2017: Westminster Communities of Florida Legendary Service Award
- 2017: National Mature Media Awards, Gold, Silver and Bronze awards
- 2018: National Mature Media Awards, Silver and Merit awards
- 2019: National Mature Media Awards, Silver awards
- 2019: Westminster Communities of Florida Legendary Service Award
- 2020: Team Member of the Year, Westminster Communities of Florida Community Support Services