Ben Rand
Content Marketing | Communications | PR | Brand Journalism | Social Media
Rochester,NY
Summary
Skilled in PR, media relations, social media, content marketing, and corporate communications. Polished communicator with a proven track record of accomplishment. Consistently exceeds expectations. Possesses superb writing skills and a persuasive style to achieve communication goals effectively. Strong ability to manage deadlines and coordinate resources. Excels at building relationships and crafting compelling content. Experience extends across private companies, academia, and law, making for a skilled collaborator and project manager.
Overview
18
18
years of professional experience
Work History
SENIOR BRAND NEWSROOM JOURNALIST
Quad
Milwaukee, Wisconsin (Remote)
10.2023 - 02.2025
- Boosted brand engagement by creating timely content on emerging marketing trends and showcasing Quad's thought leadership and brand values.
- Contributed to exceeding marketing lead goal of 850+ by developing byline articles, social media posts, and interactive features.
- Built strong relationships with internal experts for story ideas and insights.
- Enhanced content shareability with imagery, infographics, and market research.
- Optimized content with SEO principles for better search engine rankings; adapted writing for diverse target audiences.
- Proposed and initiated a weekly column on AI, MarTech, and AdTech.
- Designed workflow for, and wrote and oversaw monthly newsletter on postal issues.
- Covered special events, highlighting client stories and industry thought leadership.
- Coordinated with photographers, videographers, and graphic designers to complement stories with multimedia content.
- Skilled in working independently and collaboratively, including in remote work settings.
SENIOR MANAGER, COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC RELATIONS
Harris Beach PLLC
Rochester, NY
05.2018 - 09.2023
- Enhanced firm visibility with strategic communication plans and crisis management for a nationally recognized law firm.
- Managed internal, external, and crisis communications, maintaining relationships with state, local, and national journalists.
- Pitched attorneys as thought leaders in various legal fields, increasing media coverage with compelling press releases and media statements.
- Boosted public engagement through social media campaigns and community management on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
- Developed operational standards, policies, and procedures, and coordinated sponsorships to raise the firm's local profile.
- Executed business development strategies, budgets, and plans for attorney teams in diverse New York communities.
- Collaborated with office managers, attorneys, and BD colleagues on marketing materials and messaging.
- Reduced costs, optimized resource allocation, and improved project efficiency.
- Mentored junior staff for skill development and career progression.
- Oversaw $250,000 in business development and $150,000 in PR and communications budgets.
PUBLIC AND MEDIA RELATIONS MANAGER
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY
09.2017 - 05.2018
- Led media and community relations for Cornell's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, its second-largest school.
- Built and maintained relationships with agriculture and science writers for coverage of Cornell research.
- Developed story ideas and wrote for the Cornell Chronicle, the institution's external storytelling platform.
- Contributed content to the college's social media networks (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn).
- Wrote and placed op-eds on agricultural marketplace issues.
- Responded to press inquiries, ensuring accurate representation of the school's viewpoints.
DIGITAL MARKETING & SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER
Xerox Corp. | Conduent, Inc. (spinoff)
Rochester, NY
08.2014 - 09.2017
- Created brand-level content to establish company in health, transportation, government, and graphic verticals.
- Led content strategy and execution for Xerox.com, generating hundreds of marketing-qualified leads per month.
- Managed corporate blogs, doubling subscribers in 2015-2016. Supervised blog manager.
- Served as managing editor for RealBusiness.com, a digital magazine for key verticals.
- Contributed to two web redesigns, generating 200,000 page views in six months.
- Managed external content marketing and PR agency teams, content budgets, and critical agency relationships.
- Optimized web content for SEO, boosting rankings and organic traffic.
- Analyzed website traffic and user engagement via content management systems.
- Curated and edited multimedia content, including eBooks, blog posts, and videos.
- Supported social media strategy and lead generation through demand generation teams.
- Continued role through October 2016 split of Xerox, transitioning seamlessly to Conduent Inc. with similar responsibilities.
- Managed Conduent's social media, monitored trends, and competitor activity.
- Conducted content audits and market research to optimize strategies and identify gaps.
MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER
Harris RF Communications
Rochester, NY
02.2007 - 08.2014
- Led media relations and PR strategy for a major defense contractor, securing global media placements monthly.
- Served as PR lead for a critical $1B military radio program, successfully opening the opportunity to competition.
- Built relationships with global journalists and analysts, preparing SMEs for weekly interviews.
- Pioneered social media use for corporate goals, developing policy manuals and building engaged communities.
- Managed and grew Frequency, a customer magazine that won multiple PRSA corporate awards.
- Represented the company at global trade shows, directing on-site PR strategy.
- Led agency relationships and managed marketing communications budgets.
- Oversaw $6M in budgets and a 10-person team during a 10-month period.
Education
Master of Science - Management
Nazareth College
Rochester, NYBachelor of Arts - Newspaper Journalism
Syracuse University
Syracuse, NYSkills
Work Availability
monday
tuesday
wednesday
thursday
friday
saturday
sunday
morning
afternoon
evening
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Timeline
SENIOR BRAND NEWSROOM JOURNALIST
Quad
10.2023 - 02.2025
SENIOR MANAGER, COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC RELATIONS
Harris Beach PLLC
05.2018 - 09.2023
PUBLIC AND MEDIA RELATIONS MANAGER
Cornell University
09.2017 - 05.2018
DIGITAL MARKETING & SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER
Xerox Corp. | Conduent, Inc. (spinoff)
08.2014 - 09.2017
MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER
Harris RF Communications
02.2007 - 08.2014
Master of Science - Management
Nazareth College
Bachelor of Arts - Newspaper Journalism
Syracuse University
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