Linda J.

Hinkle, MBA
Houston, Texas 77080 832-372-3452 (CELL) lindahinkle@gmail.com

Qualification Highlights
Senior-level professional with two decades of successful marketing, sales, PR, community relations, publications, project management and supervisory experience Experienced in advertising, editorial management, social media, media relations, customer service, print production and special events Industry Experience: Sales, Healthcare, Publishing, Associations, Education, Retail, Energy, HR Info Technology, Insurance and Small Business Team-, deadline-, and detail-oriented; productive, organized, and creative communicator

Professional Experience

Account Manager, Lionheart Assurance, June 2010 present Facilitated group benefits enrollment through sales prospecting, appointment setting, closing sales through one-on-one and group presentations Market included employer groups, small business owners and individuals Communications Manager, University of Houston College of Optometry, July 2007 April 2010 Increased # of new patients by 11.5%, bringing preferred new & former patient percentages in line with industry standards during economic downturn. Executed $70K marketing budget, wrote copy for all advertising and rewrote content for redesigned college web site Responsible for community relations, internal and external communications, marketing and special events Director of Marketing and Business Development, HT Business Solutions, LLC, August 2005 June 2007 Responsible for business development, marketing, operations, ad sales and creative, channel acquisition and web site copy for weekly consumer publication Marketing writer/editor for local businesses such as Halliburton, Houston Chronicle, UT Health Science Center, Texas Southern University, Med-Cure, etc. Sr. Marketing Communications Specialist, St. Lukes Episcopal Hospital, Houston, April 2000 July 2005 Managed $300K marketing budget for Magnet designation, Managed Care Sales Kit, Patient Information Resource Guide, print and yellow pages marketing Supervised sponsorship and event coordination for 2004 Baby Expo, which resulted in 569 contacts, 52 admissions and $373K in gross billings for hospital Coordinated Commit for Life marketing campaign for employees, which increased employee blood donations by 54% Coordinated crisis communications efforts during 2001 Houston Flood and 9/11, bioterrorism and patient abuse allegation); revamped departmental crisis

communications plan; served as departments #2 media on-call contact; supervised editorial intern; evaluated media coverage, software and clipping; and developed PR planning resource guide AE for 7 service lines and contributor to hospitals marketing, advertising, web-based marketing programs; member of System merger communications team; departmental coordinator for internal and external communications projects Editor of external patient magazine and script researcher for Emmy-winning TV program Communications Director, Rector-Duncan & Assoc., Austin, Texas, September 1996 April 2000 Served as Executive Director for 4-state office of the Tenth District American Ad Fed and Managing Editor for 9 association trade publications Increased communication between association clients Executive Committee and 2,400 members; supervised web site development; published first-ever membership directory; supervised volunteer committees, and presented at regional leadership workshops Managed $100K budget, including accounts receivables/payables and achieved multiple simultaneous production deadlines Supervised work of freelance editors, staff designers and volunteer authors who were international subject matter experts; worked with ad sales reps to coordinate production Developed editorial style guidelines (thus improving submission quality) and coordinated annual international editorial board meeting Hinkle Communications, DBA, Round Rock & Austin, Texas, January 1995 September 1996 Freelance writer/editor for variety of local businesses and publications Communications Coordinator, McCaw Cellular, Austin, Texas, March 1994 December 1994 Supervised rewriting and redesign (and monthly print production) of marketing sales collateral for 10-city, 2-state sales district Wrote monthly customer newsletter, message pages and sales marketing bulletins Administered programs for yellow page advertising, "on-hold" messaging, sales promotions and community relations PR Specialist, N.E. Medical Center Hospital, (now Memorial Hermann Northeast Hospital) Humble, Texas, October 1990 July 1993 Executed marketing campaign that reduced expected loss in hospital utilization (due to new competitor) and received national recognition in healthcare marketing trade press Increased weekly new coverage in local papers achieving 95% placement Wrote, edited and designed newsletters, brochures, advertisements and marketing collateral; wrote executive speeches and op-eds; conducted communications audit Supervised vendors, meeting production deadlines and budget goals Coordinated special events and community relations activities; took photographs Communications Representative, Tenneco Gas, Houston, Texas, October 1989 April 1990 Coordinated writing and design of monthly employee wellness newsletter; increased size and improved design for quarterly retiree tabloid

Information Specialist, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, April 1987 October 1989 Field Media Researcher, Burrelles News Express, Houston and Austin, 1989-2000 Junior AE, Gibbs & Soell, Inc., Kingwood, Texas, June 1986 February 1987

Education
MBA, Marketing, University of Phoenix, 2005 APR Certificate, Public Relations Society of America, 2003-2009 Volunteer Management Academy, Austin, Texas, 1999 Medical Writing Certificate, American Medical Writers Association, 1988 B.A., Journalism, University of Houston, 1986

Computer and Customer Service Skills

Proficient in MS Word, PowerPoint; Knowledge of Quark, Excel, ACT, Indesign Retail Customer Service Manager, Kroger, 1983-1985

Professional Honors
Chrysalis Award Finalist, Success in the City, 2005 Lone Star, Innovator Magazine, Houston Press Club, 2002 Excalibur, Prescriptions for Health, Marketing Consumer Products and Services, PRSA, 2001 Crystal, Prescriptions for Health, Integrated Marketing Program, AMA, 2001 Gold Academy, Blitz PR Campaign, Academy for Health Services Marketing, 1992 Gold Excalibur, Images Radio Show, PRSA, 1989 Grand, Images Radio Show, Council for Advancement & Support of Education, 1989 Bronze, "Changing Minds" TV PSA, PRSA, 1989

Community Involvement
Served on various local & regional boards/committees for TMC PR Council, Cancer Society, Heart Association, WICI, PRSA, Austin Ad Fed, Tenth District Ad Federation, Five years as phone counselor for local crisis hotlines & one year as public affairs volunteer for Greater Houston Area Red Cross

References available upon request