Tim O'Connor

Experience

• 

  Purdue Exponent

  Jan 2004 - Dec 2007

  Reporter/Assistant Editor

  Coverage of University and community-wide events including Board and Trustee meetings, local politics, safety issues, and entertainment events to inform student body.Uploaded multimedia for website to increase readership.Worked with writers to develop stories, refine writing and better their journalism skills.Copy edited articles to improve readability.

• 

  La Porte Herald-Argus

  Mar 2008 - May 2009

  Reporter

  Reported on the news in La Porte County, Ind., including local government, court, police and feature stories.Covered a high-profile, multi-week murder trial in summer 2008 in which a woman was accused of hiding her pregnancy and killing her newborn. (Found not-guilty despite DNA evidence. Fascinating trial.)Copy-edited stories for print and web publication.Took photos.

• 

  Journal & Topics Newspapers

  Nov 2009 - Apr 2015

  Reporter

  Reported on Chicago’s Northwest suburbs for a group of 16 weekly and twice-weekly newspapers.Worked with the public, government officials and other organizations to cultivate sources and find news stories.Managed communications with the public and readership through social media accounts.Covered government meetings, community events and criminal trials. Also researched and wrote investigative reports on potential corruption, such as a series of articles on a local alderman’s alleged efforts to short sell his home to reduce property taxes.Laid out the newspaper using Adobe InDesign.Copy-edited content for both print and online editions.Took my own photography for assignments. Show less

• 

  Knighthouse Publishing

  Apr 2015 - May 2018

  Senior Editor

  Interviews C-suite executive and managers to develop content covering best practices and company profiles for more than a dozen industry-focused business-to-business publications, including Supply Chain World, Construction Today, Retail Merchandiser, Modern Home Builder and Inside Healthcare.Acts as the editor-in-chief for Supply Chain World magazine.Posts articles to magazine websites using a content management system (CMS).Cultivates relationships with outside article contributors and communicates deadlines.Copy-edits stories for both print and web publication.Manages multiple social media accounts: grew Supply Chain World Twitter followers by 55 percent, increased website Alexa rating by more than 500,000 places in less than a year.Works with Adobe InDesign, Photoshop, Hootsuite, and a content management systemTravels to industry events and press tours to build relationships with potential sources and identify coverage opportunities.Helped sales team research rates and devise a method for selling social media partnerships to clients. Show less

• 

  Foodservice Equipment Distributors Association (FEDA)

  May 2018 - now

  Communications Manager

  • Manages external communications for a national trade association representing foodservice equipment distributors and dealers.• Serves as the editor for the association's quarterly magazine, FEDA News & Views• Writes and edits articles for the association's website, magazine, and weekly newsletter.• Interviews C-suite level executives about the challenges and solutions facing the foodservice equipment and supplies industry.• Authors press releases.• Spearheaded the redesign of the association’s website.• Designed and launched the association’s legislative and regulatory advocacy center.• Leads the branding and marketing of the association’s initiatives and external outreach through the creation of marketing materials and videos.• Coordinates special projects with the CEO and director of programming to engage association members and the wider industry in ongoing initiatives, such as special sessions at the association’s annual conference.• Leads the production and execution of public webinars.• Assists in the planning, promotion, and execution of the association's annual conference.• Manages the association’s social media strategy and evaluates its effectiveness.• Cultivates relationships with outside freelancers and article contributors. Helps contributors develop articles that match the association’s mission.• Writes scripts, produces, and edits videos for the association’s marketing initiatives and learning management system.• Responds to requests from media outlets, members, and individuals in the foodservice equipment and supplies industry. Resolves those requests independently or works with the appropriate staff member to find a solution.• Developed a new workflow for the production of FEDA News & Views magazine.• Posts articles, educational content and other updates to the association’s websites on a daily basis using a content management system (CMS). Show less