Rob Ikard

• Chief executive of professional association consisting of members from all levels of Tennessee's food industry, from single-store operators to national Fortune 500 companies.
• President of 501(c)(3) foundation that issues higher education scholarships for families in Tennessee's food industry. Have overseen more than 1,100 scholarship awards and development of three new perpetually endowed scholarship funds.
• Accountable to Board of Directors (association) and Board of Trustees (foundation) consisting of high level leaders from member companies in retail, supplier and manufacturing tiers.
• Collaborate with staff and vendors to execute association functions and administer member services.
• Organize and execute revenue-generating events including industry trade show and convention. Revised event format for greater efficiency and profitability.
• Direct and execute awards ceremonies, industry informational functions, and sporting clay and golf tournaments in each of Tennessee's Grand Divisions.
• Directed closure of decades-long association office and transition to right-sized headquarters, mitigating risk and lessening expenses.
• Negotiate and administer strategic partnerships with benefit vendors for added member value and non-dues association revenue.
• Employ media outreach and communications strategies to affect public perception of industry concerns.
• Write, edit, and direct publishing of semi-annual magazine, weekly newsletter and annual member directory. Oversee ad sales for association revenue stream.
• Direct and Execute the association's government relations and advocacy program.

• Second-in-command manager serving in the Tennessee Secretary of State Division of Business services.
• Member of Secretary of State's leadership advisory council, advising the secretary on critical department matters.
• Managed agency's 63 employees and seven divisions in day-to-day functions, daily overseeing filing and processing of hundreds of thousands of business documents, including corporate charters, LLCs, UCC filings, trademarks, automobile liens, notary licenses, apostilles and authentications.
• Participated in personnel decisions and contributed to staff development through monthly and annual benchmarking and performance review processes for all managers and frontline staff.
• Maintained leadership role in strategic planning, including design, testing, and implementation of new proprietary department-wide filing software.
• Contributed to, executed and enforced management policies and directives.
• Maintained responsibilities assumed as Special Projects Manager, including concierge handling of high-level customer requests.

• Oversaw development, testing and implementation of new business filing software by serving as liaison between the Division and its consultant and outside programmers.
• Served as highest point of escalation for customer services issues, handling the most difficult problems and serving as the Secretary of State's personal customer service representative in division matters.
• Represented Secretary of State at public functions.

• Established a full-service public affairs firm specializing in government relations, lobbying, grassroots activism, public relations, business development and consulting.
• Serving as Finance Director, led fundraising efforts which raised $600,000 for a mayoral campaign, using candidate appeals, events, direct mail and finance committee techniques.

• Designed and executed all aspects of a national association's Tennessee program, including public policy, activism, communications/media, political involvement, and member development. Stationed at national headquarters with regular interface with national president and VPs.

• Gubernatorial executive service appointment.
• Reporting to member of governor's cabinet, directed all communications for state executive branch department, including media relations, public relations, publications, website.
• Managed staff of three communications professionals.

• Gubernatorial executive service appointment.
• Executive assistant to Commissioner of Economic & Community Development.
• Coordinated international marketing, export and relations activities for Tennessee in European, Canadian and African markets. Organized Governor-led trade mission to London and Munich in June, 1999.
• Governor's hand-selected representative on 9-day economic mission to Saudi Arabia.
• Department Liaison with the Tennessee General Assembly. Responsible for design and passage of administration-sponsored economic development legislation, and for defeat of legislation opposed by the administration. Member of elite, multi-department team responsible for governor's legislative agenda.
• Coordination of appointments to and activities of department’s boards and commissions.
• Specific industry recruitment efforts.

Coordinated invitations, reservations and ticketing for ten inaugural events. Established database and reservation system that managed information on 60,000 supporters.

Managed a statewide fundraising network of 13 regional and 95 county finance chairman. Coordinated personal solicitations. Organized large major donor events. Participated in raising a record-setting $7 million.

Directed telemarketing program, soliciting alumni, parents and friends of the University. Made personal solicitations, including major donors. Personally responsible for raising $1.5 million for University operating expenses.