For four years running, True North Brand Group has been voted one of the top PR firms in the outdoor industry by SNEWS, the leading information source for the outdoor and fitness industries. In October of 2004, True North Brand Group greatly expanded its overall capabilities by adding a marketing division to its services. Headed by outdoor industry branded veteran, Michael Coogan - who brings almost 30 years of diversified marketing and brand-building experience to True North. Mark Tedeschi was a founding partner of Meridian Communications in 1996 and launched True North Brand Group, Inc., in 2002 with the goal of using his editorial and newsroom experience to help small and medium sized business maximize their publicity opportunities. Mark has 15 years of experience working as a reporter and editor. Mark spent nearly 10 years covering business developments in a range of consumer markets from sporting goods to outdoor products to fashion accessories. During this time, calling on a range of sources from retailers to industry analysts, Mark closely followed public and private companies ranging from brands like Nike and Reebok to Tommy Hilfiger and the Gap to The Sports Authority and Banana Republic. Prior to his experience covering business developments Mark worked at newspapers such as the Boston Globe and Chicago Tribune. His news coverage includes a stint covering a presidential campaign as well as local and regional politics and news ranging from city hall to police beat coverage. Mark's journalism background has helped to position True North as a firm that members of the media can count on to assist in their compilation of gear, trend and news stories. Mark has built a team of seasoned professionals, including some who pitched stories to him when he was a journalist, who all possess an understanding of the media’s unique needs and tight deadlines. Sue Killoran has an extensive background in public relations and marketing in a variety of fields. Most recently she managed the marketing and public relations program for the outdoor division of Tecnica USA. Prior to that, she spearheaded the public relations program at King Arthur Flour, including The Baker's Catalog, and Old Sturbridge Village. Sue began her career as a Parks and Recreation Director in a community setting and at resorts. She not only has experience in working with print and electronic media from around the world, she has organized professional level to community wide special events, co-op marketing, point of purchase, dealer based programs and more. An avid athlete, Sue will play an integral part in our media relations and marketing activities. Gigi deYoung spent the past 12 years at JanSport, a $300 million company, most recently serving as the Public Relations Manager. At JanSport she developed and implemented the PR strategy for a range of categories spanning from technical outdoor packs to teen fashion packs to travel accessories. Within each category, deYoung oversaw product placement, crises PR and worked with sponsored athletes to leverage their partnership with the brand. deYoung started in the customer service department at JanSport, where her experiences taught her a great deal about the needs of outdoor retailers; a valuable insight for an outdoor company. deYoung's successes with retailers earned her a promotion into the consumer research marketing department where she built business strategies to help clients understand why their customers buy, and turn that knowledge into productive, measurable marketing programs that drive leads, revenue, and growth. Michael Coogan is a marketing, product and sales veteran with almost 30 years of experience developing consumer brands in the casual lifestyle and outdoor footwear segments. He heads up the marketing division at True North. After starting his career as a retailer, Mike has spent the past 20 years on the wholesale executive side of the business working for brands that include Stride Rite, Keds, Sperry Top-Sider, Dunham and Kamik. In his diverse career, Mike has experience in all phases of bringing a brand and its product to market, then selling it through. He combines an understanding of the retail business, with a successful history in marketing and product development. His expertise extends into motivating the selling effort put forth by sales forces the brand's and the retailer's. Lauren Curley has more than 15 years of high tech and consumer marketing communications and public relations experience as both a public relations client and practitioner. Having worked with start-up and Fortune 1000 companies to develop global marketing campaigns, she understands what it takes to succeed in the ever-changing, fast-paced high tech market – capture market share and build new market categories, set industry agenda, establish thought leadership, launch new products and companies, raise venture capital, and prepare for divestitures and acquisitions. She partners closely with her clients to develop aggressive media, analyst and investor strategies surrounding product launches, investor/analyst relations, crisis communications, strong market positioning and overall media relations – she has established proven relationships with media contacts at leading business, IT, and vertical publications; news syndicates; and broadcast outlets (television, radio). Lauren has worked on a broad spectrum of client programs in the consumer, general intere st, high technology and professional services markets, including: CRM, e-commerce/e-business, ERP/back-office applications, information security, and supply chain management to name just a few. She has created award-winning communications strategies for some of the industry's most visible technology and services companies, including the launch of Send.com (winner of a Golden Anvil from the Public Relations Society of America), Mobil and Host Marriott. In 1997, Lauren joined Horn Group, Inc. to help establish the firm’s Boston office and build key accounts. As managing director, she guided the business development, and management and operations of the office, as well as developed and managed CXO-level strategic counsel on both communications and investor relations issues. Lauren leveraged her creativity and commitment to client service to provide teams with the tools needed to set strategy and exceed client goals. Emerging growth companies, market leaders and business service organizations, such as AMR Research, Cambridge Technology Partners, Cognos, EXE Technologies, Idiom, InternetWeek, NationStreet, Netegrity, PeopleSoft, and webHancer benefited from Lauren’s relentless pursuit of client satisfaction. Lauren's past positions include marketing communications manager at Strategic Networking Consulting, where she managed the consulting firm’s corporate and internal communications; promotion of the firm’s lab tests, conferences, and studies; direct marketing and advertising. A key contributor to the firm’s sales efforts, her marketing programs drove double-digit increases in conference attendees, as well similar increases in paid client relationships with companies in the networking and telecommunications markets within the firm nine months of implementation. Lauren held various public relations account management positions with high technology PR firms Creamer Dickson Basford and Brodeur & Partners, serving clients such as IBM Software Solutions, Mobil, Host Marriott, and ComputerWorld. She began her public relations career at Rourke & Company where she worked with PictureTel and Network World. Merideth Sullivan McNally has worked in event promotion and production in New Orleans, Philadelphia and most recently Boston where she worked for Clear Channel Entertainment in the theatrical division. Merideth oversees the publicity efforts for a number of True North accounts and has obtained client placements in publications such as Shape, O Magazine, Men's Health, Women's Health, Travel & Leisure, Prevention & Runner’s World. Merideth also assists in the planning and execution of True North media events. She is a graduate of Tulane University in New Orleans and now resides in Cambridge, MA. In her spare time she enjoys writing, yoga and running. Write us at: True North Brand Group P.O. Box 176 350 Lincoln Street Suite 105 Hingham, MA 02043 Tel: (781)740-4050 Fax: (781)740-9650