Profile
- A broadcast senior executive producer and communications strategist with a track record of developing original concepts and successfully driving organizations and teams to achieve and surpass objectives
- Multi-faceted communicator with expertise in e-commerce, television and radio programming, production and management, advertising, marketing and PR
- An energetic and organized big-picture ‘ideas person’, innovator and problem solver who understands people and new technologies
- A witty, engaging and award-winning television host
Career Development
CTS TV – Toronto/Ottawa/London/Edmonton/Calgary 1998-present
A national/regional start-up TV service seen across Canada on satellite. An organization driven by a clear mandate to produce programming that serves a diverse audience.
Executive Director, Alberta Operations – July 1, 2008 to present
- Took charge of turning around two broadcast operations in Alberta. Inherited a situation where both operations were running in the red and without clear objectives.
- Immediately developed and executed a detailed recovery plan. Put in place one- to five-year-plans.
- Established financial equilibrium. Moved operations out of the red within five months.
- Built teams. Hired and developed teams in Calgary and Edmonton.
- Exceeded production objectives. Developed and produced new weekly programs reflecting each market; oversaw completion of studios in both markets; introduced inclusion of Alberta-originating weekly and daily content into Ontario programming.
- Employed zero-sum marketing strategy. Developed and advanced grassroots, guerilla marketing campaign to boost awareness significantly of the TV services and their channel locations
- Launched external relations campaigns. Developed relations with community, media, industry
Senior Executive Producer, Producer & On-Air Host – August 4, 1998 to present
- Took charge of launch schedule. In time for “sign on” developed a broadcast schedule. This included designing and creating concepts for seven new weekly TV series to meet mandate requirements. Negotiated contracts and hired producers, directors, hosts and crews for all programs – within budgets.
- Met and surpassed targets for budget and quality. Led team to build the "balanced" programming schedule – 20 hours of weekly primetime – within budgets.
- Built teams and relationships to accomplish organizational objectives. Created working relationships with United Nations TV, CNN and others. In charge of teams responsible for all aspects of pre- and post-production.
- Regulatory affairs successes. Led team to secure broadcast licenses in Calgary and Edmonton. Achievements singled out by the CRTC in rarely-granted broadcast license renewal without any need to appear at a hearing before the regulator.
- Designed award-winning productions. Hands-on producer and on-air host for two weekly primetime newsmagazine programs; Senior Executive Producer for 14 series. Won 26 international, 2 Canadian awards.
- Enhanced media approaches. Faced with a need to inexpensively create a first-of-its kind series, created Global Perspective, which actively relies on internet and broadband sources for entire program content. Created partnerships with NGOs to complete the series. Executive Producer, Producer & On-Air Host
DGD Group – Toronto – Contract 1995-2000
A new media/e-commerce and advertising company serving international clients. Fully integrated communications.
Vice President, Creative & Media
- Head of creative team producing video and audio, web, e-commerce, and print materials for a range of international and national clients.
- Responsible for driving early adoption of new media and methods – i.d. rom, new e-commerce applications, and broad application bandwidth, among others.
- Head of media team buying approximately $4 million per annum in radio, TV, print.
- Championed a profitable change in programming. Inherited a situation where only 60% of available airtime was sold. In three years, built a team, and employed strategies that increased airtime sales to 100% with an estimated additional 50% on a waiting list. This increased sales revenue from $3 million per annum to over $6.7 million. Successfully employed a five-year strategy to raise Canadian-produced content from 30% to 60%. Oversaw combined sales and programming valued at $15.6 million per annum.
- Resolved long-standing grievances. In 1992 Vision’s broadcast license was in jeopardy due to low standards and on-going history of controversy. Drafted and enforced new programming standards and practices, resulting in a decline of viewer complaints from 500 per annum to less than 20. Negotiated agreements and cordial settlements with communities and groups holding opposing positions – to the satisfaction of all parties.
- Introduced new initiatives. Developed strategies and new initiatives aimed at engendering support from 64 multicultural stakeholder groups: pioneered a co-production fund; created forums for broader representation of groups. This resulted in licensing over 75 new, community-based TV programs from six Canadian centres. Negotiated and co-produced with PBS an internationally acclaimed Canada-US co-production 26-part TV series, among many others.
- Heightened and improved organizational profile. To counter negative perceptions created prior to 1992, made presentations to the CRTC at public hearings and in camera, spoke on behalf of Vision in national French and English media. Represented Vision in consultations with foreign governments, ambassadors and broadcasters.
VISION TV – Toronto 1992-1998
A national TV network seen in more than 7 million households. As an independent service, with an annual operating budget exceeding $13 million and productions valued at an additional $15 million, the organization serves the interests of stakeholder multicultural groups and viewers, the CRTC, advertisers, independent producers, and international broadcast partners.
Executive Producer
THE GINGKO GROUP – Toronto Communications and public relations agency
Creative Director 1990-1992
RICHLAND CREATIVE – London, Ont. Full-service advertising agency
President & Creative Director 1983-1990
CORMARK COMM. – London, Ont. Full-service advertising agency
Copy Director 1982-1983
TVONTARIO – Toronto Provincial educational broadcaster
Coordinator, Advertising & Promotion 1980-1982
CCH CANADIAN LTD. – Toronto Publisher
Editor 1980
CADILLAC FAIRVIEW LTD – Toronto Land developer
Public Relations Manager 1979
CKO – Ottawa National all-news radio network
Executive Producer 1977-1978
Education and Professional Development
Advanced Internet course University of Toronto 1995
Master of Arts degree with thesis Carleton University 1979
Bachelor of Arts degree with honours University of Ottawa 1975
Interests and Activities
Independent Productions Current
Executive producer of docs and features
Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television 2007- present
Voting Member
Marketing & New Media
Various profit-driven websites developed 2000-present
Oxford Learning Inc. 1984-2008
Chief Marketing & Strategy Consultant for leading
supplemental education organization
College & Business Instructor
Business Development Bank, Fanshawe College 1983-2006
Curriculum development and instruction – various courses:
“Global Marketing”; “Internet Research & Application”; “E-Commerce”; “Business Communications”; “Advertising”
Political Strategist & Webmaster
Federal, provincial and municipal campaigns 1990-present
Author/E-Book Publisher, Major Works
What the World Needs to Know about Interfaith Dialogue, 2001 (ebook link)
Persuasive Force: how to keep your IT people on the job, 1999
The Willing Suspension of Belief, 1998
Videography: How to Make Videos, 1993
Milestones: An Organizational Goals Program, 1993
Jack Kerouac’s Unresolved Quest, 1979
Author, Scholarly Publications
Vol. 5, The Encyclopedia of Global Environmental Change (John Wiley, UK, 2000)
Editor
Performance: A Manager’s Guide to Leadership, 1995
Accounting for Damages: a framework for litigation support, 1982
Recent Public & Community Activities
Advisor, Community Relations UK Commonwealth & Foreign Office
White House Office of Faith-based
& Community Initiatives
Community Representative Halton Diversity Working Group 2002-2004
Awards
Crystal Communicator Award International award for TV excellence
2008 (3), 2007 (3), 2004, 2003
Telly Award International award for TV excellence
2009 (2), 2008 (3), 2007 (3), 2002
Videographer Award Broadcast excellence, 2009 (5), 2008 (3), 2007 (3)
Omni Award Excellence 2008, 2007; Bronze (2009)
Halton Award Chairman's Award, Cultural Awareness, 2001
Languages
Fluency in English and French
Interests
Astornomy,philately, popular culture/trends and shortwave radio.Sports include cycling, cross-country skiing, weight traning.
Selected Productions
- SOLOMON’S ESCAPE, feature production
Executive Producer, Currently in development
- HIGH PLACES, multi-part documentary
Producer, Currently in development
- BEHIND THE STORY, weekly TV series
Producer and host, 2003-present
- FAITH JOURNAL , weekly newsmagazine
Producer and host, 1998-present
- MICHAEL COREN LIVE , nightly live current affairs, phone-in program
Executive Producer, 1998-1999
- FAITH IN THE FIRST PERSON , 26-part TV series
VISION TV – PBS International Co-production
Producer, 1993-1994
- THE HUMAN FACE OF JUSTICE
Live national TV phone-in programs
Executive Producer, 1992
- AMERICAN EXPRESS CORPORATE CARD SYSTEM
Promotional video
Writer-Producer, 1992
- STAY IN SCHOOL
TV commercials, Canadian Minister of State for Youth
Writer, 1990-1991