Meet Sydney Sallabanks

What's your job?
I'm the corporate communications manager for the J.R. Simplot Company. I handle mainly internal communications, which involves a lot of writing and reporting news, running the corporate speakers bureau and our PAC campaigns, and serving on our sustainability task force. We have more than 10,000 employees across 13 countries, with more than 3,200 in Idaho alone. So we need to create a sense of community across the globe. We currently do that using an intranet, and we're looking at making it more of a social platform for better collaboration and increased innovation among our employees.

Read more: Member Spotlight - Sydney Sallabanks

Meet Hobart "Hobie" Swan

What's your job?

I'm a freelance writer and public relations professional. I worked in-house in San Francisco for a long time; first with a medical organization and then with a high-tech company. I've also written for radio, and for various Bay Area weeklies and monthlies. After moving to Boise in 2005, I worked remotely with the tech company for a couple of years (flying to SF every ten days for four days...ouch), and then jumped at the opportunity to write interactive health care scripts for Healthwise. I found myself yearning for more varied, creative work, and so took the plunge, cut the umbilical cord, cast my fate to the winds... how else can you say this... and am glad I did.

Read more: Member Spotlight - Hobart Swan

Meet Dan Black

What's your job?

I'm the Communications Director for the Idaho State Bar, a self-governing state agency that manages the practice of law. I'm also the managing editor for The Advocate, a magazine published nine times a year that goes to every attorney in the state. As editor, much of my work involves organizing a small army of volunteers from the legal community who contribute various kinds of writing for the magazine. The Advocate is usually 72 pages long each time. It's a huge project to organize nine times a year. We have ads, echnical peer reviewed articles, announcements, news about the profession, and lots of other kinds of information. I work with board of 12 attorneys to review articles. I also write for the magazine in addition to organizing it. I do a little PR for the bar too. But most of the time I'm either working on the magazine or serving as in-house editor for the Bar's pamphlets, brochures, and extensive web site.

Read more: Member Spotlight - Dan Black

What's your job?

I'm a Senior Health Education Specialist for the Dept. of Health and Welfare's Idaho Tobacco Prevention and Control Program, also called "Project Filter." I develop, evaluate and manage the social media communications, as well as the print communications projects, for the program. I also represent my program at community events across the state. And I squeeze in writing and graphic design for my program, too. I'm very, very busy.

Read more: Member Spotlight - Jean Calomeni

Meet Leiann Bonnet

What’s your job?
I’m currently senior account manager for Byrnes Communications. I manage various projects we support through customer reference marketing. Our largest client is HP’s Enterprise Server Storage and Networking group. I’m also principal of my own firm, Reference Marketing Group, which also develops customer reference programs for high tech firms. In addition to technology marketing, I also consult with Boise Urban Garden School (BUGS), for a number of grant writing and fundraising programs. Although quite different from technology, working with nonprofits is extremely rewarding on a personal level.

What is customer reference marketing?
It’s all about helping companies tell stories about how their customers improve their business, and often achieve a return on investment by using the company’s products or services. We develop case studies or success stories, as well as customer videos. We work with sales and marketing departments who identify happy customers willing to showcase their stories. These success stories are used for everything from sales support to demand and lead generation. Customer references are often used by sales reps as “proof points” when approaching new or prospective customers.

Read more: Member Spotlight - Leiann Bonnet