Writer / Editor with management and marketing experience
Greater Philadelphia Area
- Current
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- Senior editor at phillyBurbs / Calkins Media
- Entertainment content editor at phillyBurbs / Calkins Media
- Past
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- Freelance writer/editor/proofreader (Self-employed)
- Marketing Manager at Jade Tree Records
- Special Projects Editor at CDNOW
- Senior Editor – Cosmic Media Network at CDNOW
- Editor/Publisher at Yakuza Magazine
- Assistant Editor at CDNOW
- Associate Editor at Suburban Marketing Associates
- Education
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- University of Delaware
- Archmere Academy
- Recommended
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2 people have recommended Dave - Connections
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60
connections
- Industry
- Online Media
- Websites
Dave McGurgan’s Summary
EDITOR/WRITER: Skilled in research and industry sourcing, as well as writing, proofreading and editing articles, reviews, blogs, features, marketing materials, ad copy and press releases. Experienced in managing all areas of publishing including coordinating of editorial staff including freelance writers, design and production, distribution, accounting functions, combined with customer, advertising account and vendor relationship management.
MANAGEMENT: Full operational management capabilities. Experienced in long- and short-term planning, staff supervision, assigning and monitoring workflow, cost maintenance and consistently implementing process improvement.
MARKETING: Background in marketing research, strategy development, implementing publicity and promotional campaigns, as well as designing, producing and/or placing Web-based advertising, print, radio, and TV advertising.
Dave McGurgan’s Specialties:
Proofreading, writing, editing, mentoring, motivating colleagues, workflow management.
Dave McGurgan’s Experience
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Senior editor
phillyBurbs / Calkins Media
(Online Media industry)
2007 — Present (1 year)
Maintain and consistently improve editorial content to maximize user experience, cultivate reader loyalty and increase user retention. Proactively create, develop and deliver cost-effective content solutions that increase traffic, drive ad sales and contribute to company revenue. Supervise, direct and lead writing staff including freelance writers and interns. Help develop workflow schedule, determine responsibilities and ensure deadlines and goals are met. Plan and accomplish entertainment editorial goals while utilizing proactive budget maintenance. Build inter-personnel relationships while acting as motivator, mentor and facilitator. Identify, interview and recruit qualified editorial candidates, freelance writers and interns.
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Entertainment content editor
phillyBurbs / Calkins Media
(Online Media industry)
2003 — Present (5 years)
Prepare articles, guides and blogs based on extensive knowledge of entertainment, pop culture and American Idol, supplemented by additional study and research. Perform daily updates to entertainment sections using HTML, WordPress and TMS content management system. Edit and manage pets and education guides, providing audience-specific content including tips, trends, resources and affiliate offers.
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Freelance writer/editor/proofreader
Self-employed
(Self-Employed; Myself Only; Publishing industry)
2001 — 2007 (6 years)
Write profiles and features for Delaware Today, Delaware Today Medical Guide, Pennsylvania Super Lawyers and Key Professional Media. Fulfill independent contracts for proofreading direct mail campaigns, press releases, medical literature displays, poster, presentation, business proposals, reports and articles for diverse organizations including Aramark, Comcast, DuPont, BASF, Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, Brown and Partners.
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Marketing Manager
Jade Tree Records
(Privately Held; 1-10 employees; Entertainment industry)
2000 — 2001 (1 year)
Developed and implemented marketing strategies to promote recording artists and releases. Provided customer relationship management, managed marketing and administrative staff and mail order fulfillment. Developed key marketing messages and press materials including new release announcements, press releases, biographies as well as Web content such as artist news, biographies and merchandise descriptions. Created regular mass Email schedule and tracked and analyzed customer response. Created and managed official band mailing lists and internal press databases.Increased sales by maintaining message boards, chat rooms, advertising promotions, surveys, contests and reward programs. Managed relations with media contacts. Maintained direct contact with artist booking agents, domestic and foreign distributors, retail outlets and radio and press promotions regarding print and web-based media.
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Special Projects Editor
CDNOW
(Public Company; Internet industry)
2000 — 2001 (1 year)
Reviewed and edited editorial features for submission to national publications to gain media attention for online music retailer. Developed weekly and monthly editorial calendar scheduling. Prepared weekly Email forwarded to the entertainment industry and customer base that encompassed writing promotional copy. Scheduled and wrote content for weekly TV Guide Web site listing to promote CDNOW. Wrote artist outreach Emails, which included teaser copy and selection of quotes and editorial content. Continued responsibility for editorial content and copywriting for ad-hoc projects.
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Senior Editor – Cosmic Media Network
CDNOW
(Public Company; Internet industry)
1999 — 2000 (1 year)
Supervised three full-time employees, one intern and a team of freelance writers. Created and managed editorial content for CDNOW's online music community and syndicated affiliate program, the Cosmic Media Network. Developed daily compelling editorial content syndicated to over 100,000 affiliate sites designed to drive traffic back to CDNOW. Designed and maintained an online resource for independent musicians. Managed licensing of third-party content from over 200 online and traditional print music publications. Created, developed and edited CDNOW's own in-house Web zine focusing on the independent music culture comprised of gossip column, interviews, reviews, brief features and artist picks. Contracted with freelance writers to create artist interviews and reviews. Conducted interviews with worldwide recording artists.
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Editor/Publisher
Yakuza Magazine
(Publishing industry)
1992 — 2000 (8 years)
Conceptualized and launched the publication of a financially successful independent arts and travel 'zine including design, production, sales, distribution and financial functions. Researched, wrote, proofread and edited articles and biographies. Conceived/planned production of audio compact discs as magazine promotional inserts to increase sales. Promoted magazine sales through preparing and distributing press releases, designing media kits, scheduling promotional interviews, placing strategic print advertising and facilitating publicity campaigns. Managed advertising account relationships, coordinated magazine sales to distributors, subscribers, retail outlets and newsstands. Managed all accounting, collections, banking and tax filing functions.
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Assistant Editor
CDNOW
(Public Company; Internet industry)
1998 — 1999 (1 year)
Coordinated and assigned daily writing workflow. Managed the development of all proprietary editorial content for the World and New Age genres including reviews, interviews and features.
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Associate Editor
Suburban Marketing Associates
(Publishing industry)
1997 — 1998 (1 year)
Coordinated magazine content, which included staff production, research, interviewing, writing and editing articles for Delaware Lawyer, a publication of the Delaware Bar Foundation. Developed topics schedule and conducted interviews for special quarterly promotional supplement covering a variety of legal and personal subjects.
Dave McGurgan’s Education
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University of Delaware
B.A., Engligh, Literature and film, 1986 — 1991
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Archmere Academy
1983 — 1986
