Janet Farness

Experience

• 

  MAP - Management Action Programs

  Jan 1993 - Dec 1993

  Staff Consultant

  Secured new consulting clients by calling on presidents and CEO's and conducting business S.W.O.T. analyses. Client profiles included a range of business size (revenues from $1M to $60M) and industries, e.g., bio-medical, engineering, natural medicine, skilled nursing, travel and retail/wholesale food firms.

• 

  Long Beach Press-Telegram

  Jan 1994 - Jan 1998

  Research Manager

  In addition to the full responsibilities of creating a research resource for the various departments of the company, specific areas of success include: product improvement, project management, team building, new hire coaching and business development.Product Improvement• Directed newsroom Pew-funded community research study to determine the core concerns of citizens. Resulted in an 8-day front page series that boosted single copy sales and developed ongoing community contacts for reporters.• Applied primary research findings to newspaper re-design; tested prototypes by moderating consumer focus groups. Resulted in retention of core readers.Project Management/Team Building• Led an inter-divisional team executing database-marketing projects. Within eight months had developed 15 projects aimed at increasing circulation and advertising revenue. In targeted communities, exceeded circulation and advertising goals.• Brought together goals of marketing and advertising to promote the diversity of the market by developing a compelling “Mosaic of Lifestyles” marketing booklet. Resulted in additional major accounts revenue.New Hire Coaching and Development• Coached new hire in research principles and their application to business development and the result was an increase in advertising revenue of over $350,000 within a 16 month period. Show less

• 

  The Seattle Times

  Aug 1998 - Dec 2014

  Direct proprietary research studies, customize syndicated research, develop additional research sources and strategically apply market and media intelligence across the enterprise.Areas of success include: digital audience development, segmentation strategy, product improvement, product development, team and capacity building, strategy transformation, marketing excellence, budget and contract management.Customer Insight• Built a subscriber online research panel to facilitate valuable and timely insight to content, consumer activities and brand assessment.• Developed a collaborative relationship with the Business Intelligence team to support more effective storytelling about audience behavior including engagement.Product Improvement/Product Development• Conducted qualitative and quantitative research to successfully move the afternoon Seattle Times into the morning field. Research findings had a significant impact both on the content and the marketing strategy. • Conducted focus groups to inform re-design of seattletimes.com and the print editions. Team and Capacity Building• Created a competent and client-focused strategic research department whose members have become consultants to all divisions of The Seattle Times and to its clients.• Created a collaborative cross-functional audience team consisting of previously siloed divisions to address changing media behaviors and interests.• Mentor, 10+ years, The Seattle Times Mentor Program.Marketing Excellence• Brought Nielsen/Claritas into the research department to execute market analysis, customer list analysis and inform advertising direct marketing strategy and efforts. • Partnered with advertising to develop media planning capability fueled by media research specialists using Scarborough, Comscore, Kantar and Media Monitors tools. Efforts achieved $4M+ in new revenue capture in 2007 and more than $13M since its inception in 2004. Show less

  • Strategic Research Director

    Apr 2006 - Dec 2014

  • Strategic Research Manager

    Aug 1998 - Apr 2006
• 

  Friends of Lake Sammamish State Park

  Mar 2015 - Jul 2017

  Executive Director

  Support and maintain the vision, mission and strategic goals of Friends of Lake Sammamish State Park, a recently founded 501(c)(3) that strives to revitalize and enhance the beautiful 512-acre Lake Sammamish State Park.Partner with local city councils of Issaquah, Sammamish, Bellevue, Snoqualmie, North Bend and Newcastle to strengthen the bonds of community in a beautiful outdoor space.Partner with the talented Park Staff to provide valuable and enjoyable educational programs and events.Reach out to community members and business owners to explore their desires for park events and enhancements.Collaborate with the State Parks Commission to continue to rebuild and revitalize the treasured state park system. Show less