Anne Nicolai

Current

Writer, Program Developer, Producer, Marketer at On Air Media, LLC (Self-employed)

Past

Manager-Services Partnerships at Best Buy
Senior Executive Writer at Best Buy Co., Inc.
Board Member at Illusion Theater

Host/Producer, Night & Day with Anne Nicolai at On Air Media LLC (Sole Proprietorship)
Writer/Public Relations Consultant at (independent) (Self-employed)
Host/Producer, Singles Party with Anne & Friends at On Air Media LLC (Sole Proprietorship)
Co-CEO at DinaWorld Adventures LLC
Co-Host, Twin Cities Business with Vance Opperman at KCCO Radio
Account Supervisor at Karwoski & Courage (Martin Williams)
Account Executive at Yeager Pine & Mundale (Ruhr/Paragon)

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Education

College of St. Benedict
Austin High School
Robinson Barracks

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Recommended

7 people have recommended Anne

Connections

316 connections

Industry

Writing and Editing

Websites

Anne Nicolai’s Summary

Relationship development, innovation and writing skills are at the core of my career path. Before joining Best Buy in May 2005, I ran entrepreneurial ventures including 20 years of marketing/communications consulting and speechwriting for retail and other clients. Over the years, my client list included Target Corporation (Target Stores, Marshall Field's, Mervyn's, Dayton's, Dayton Hudson Foundation, Target Foundation, AMC), Jamba Juice, M&I Marshall & Ilsley Bank, National City Bank, Morton's of Chicago, Select Comfort Corporation, Faegre & Benson, Hormel Foods, 3M, General Mills, National Association of Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies (NACCRA), Thermo King, University of Minnesota Continuing Education, Minneapolis Public Schools Transportation Services. From 1989 to 1993, I worked at two PR firms and taught public relations writing courses at University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota. From 2001 to 2003, I was co-CEO of a U.S.-China venture bringing entertainment and fashion merchandise to armchair travelers in 10 U.S. states.

Anne Nicolai’s Specialties:

Business development, relationship development, strategic planning, contract negotiation, sales, writing/editing, marketing, communications, sponsorship development, program development.

Anne Nicolai’s Experience

Writer, Program Developer, Producer, Marketer
On Air Media, LLC (Self-employed)

(Self-Employed; Myself Only; Media Production industry)

October 2007 — Present (1 year 1 month)

Writing for radio, television and interactive media, program development, executive speeches, book editing. corporate communications.
Manager-Services Partnerships

Best Buy

(Public Company; 10,001 or more employees; BBY; Consumer Electronics industry)

May 2006 — October 2007 (1 year 6 months)

Bringing Best Buy services to customers through partnerships with telco, cableco, wireless, hardware, software, online, entertainment and membership organizations. Best Buy services include Geek Squad (nationwide 24-hour computer support task force), Magnolia Home Theater Installation, and Best Buy Mobile Installation (car audio, GPS, mobile office).
Senior Executive Writer

Best Buy Co., Inc.

(Public Company; 10,001 or more employees; BBY; Public Relations and Communications industry)

May 2005 — May 2006 (1 year 1 month)

Work with executives to communicate messages at the strategic level to external audiences. Provide support to the PR/IR team and to anyone else in the company who wants feedback on their presentations, speeches and written communications.
Board Member

Illusion Theater

(Non-Profit; 11-50 employees; Fine Art industry)

2003 — 2006 (3 years)
Host/Producer, Night & Day with Anne Nicolai
On Air Media LLC (Sole Proprietorship)

(Sole Proprietorship; Myself Only; Media Production industry)

2006 — 2006 (less than a year)
Writer/Public Relations Consultant
(independent) (Self-employed)

(Self-Employed; Myself Only; Public Relations and Communications industry)

January 1986 — May 2005 (19 years 5 months)

Speechwriting, public relations strategy, media relations and event management for Target Corp (Mpls), Marshall Field's (Mpls), Mervyn's (Hayward, CA), Jamba Juice (San Francisco), M&I Bank (Milwaukee), PACER Center, and other clients. Also significantly involved in promoting funding for early childhood development, including coordination of a White House conference on behalf of a large advocacy agency in Washington, D.C.
Host/Producer, Singles Party with Anne & Friends
On Air Media LLC (Sole Proprietorship)

(Sole Proprietorship; Myself Only; Media Production industry)

2003 — 2005 (2 years)
Co-CEO

DinaWorld Adventures LLC

(Privately Held; 1-10 employees; Apparel & Fashion industry)

2000 — 2003 (3 years)

A U.S.-China venture bringing entertainment and fashion merchandise to armchair travelers in 10 U.S. states.
Co-Host, Twin Cities Business with Vance Opperman

KCCO Radio

(Media Production industry)

2001 — 2002 (1 year)
Account Supervisor

Karwoski & Courage (Martin Williams)

(Privately Held; 11-50 employees; Public Relations and Communications industry)

January 1993 — June 1993 (6 months)
Account Executive

Yeager Pine & Mundale (Ruhr/Paragon)

(Privately Held; 11-50 employees; Public Relations and Communications industry)

May 1989 — December 1992 (3 years 8 months)

Anne Nicolai’s Education

College of St. Benedict

BA, English, Business Administration, 1980 — 1984

Activities and Societies:

Freshman year: Honors Symposium and played French horn in Symphonic Band, Wind Ensemble and other groups. Sophomore year: resident assistant (RA). Junior year: studied abroad for a semester and staffed the writing workshop for the St. John's University English Department. Senior year: assistant manager at the Seifert's women's boutique in Crossroads Shopping Center, St. Cloud.
Austin High School
Robinson Barracks

Additional Information

Anne Nicolai’s Websites:

Anne Nicolai’s Interests:

Arts and cultural activities, travel, radio programming, public speaking, writing, business and social networking, global community-building. Infiniti driver, avid reader, crossword puzzle fiend, and fan of independent movies and my brother Mike Nicolai's music.

Anne Nicolai’s Groups:

American Women in Radio and Television; Twin Cities Media Network; Twin Cities Licensing Group; Minneapolis Downtown Network; Twin Cities Discussion Group; Algonquin Hotdish. Past board member for Illusion Theater and advisory board member for Donald McNeely Center for Entrepreneurship at College of St. Benedict and St. John's University, and for a chapter of TEC (The Executive Committee)., Digital People, Media, Austin MN, Creativity, Ladies Who Launch, Arts connection and Michael Trosman, Mastermind, College of St. Benedict/St. John's University