SUZANNE LAVIN
1073 Oak Street Winnetka, IL 60093
Linkedin.com/in/suzannelavin/
224-246-5532
suzannejlavin@gmail.com
PASSION and DRIVE for TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP
Skillfully blends marketing savvy, change management expertise, and exceptional interpersonal style to
transform organizations into world-class brands and global industry leaders.
• Creative, yet data-driven strategist known for pioneering award-winning, “never-been-done-before”
marketing and branding initiatives and for creating engaged cultures driven to maximize growth.
• Respected “builder” and “fixer” often called on to manage organizations through crises.
• Persuasive communicator and ethical team leader who sets the bar high, coaching individuals from diverse
geographies to record success.
• Extensive international experience including the US, Canada, China, Japan, Taiwan, India, Germany and
Italy.
UNDERWRITERS LABORATORIES (UL) Northbrook, IL
2002 – 2014
A leading global, nonprofit safety science organization with a century of expertise innovating safety solutions.
Vice President, Corporate Marketing
Director, Marketing Communications
2010 – 2014
2008 – 2010
Promoted to introduce enhanced marketing infrastructure and initiatives, and to create a more cohesive, marketingdriven culture to support significant organizational change. Built the marketing function from the ground up, and
directed a 15-person team spanning four continents in executing integrated, multichannel initiatives that delivered
rapid ROI and won numerous industry awards. Reported to SVP and Chief Commercial Officer.
•
Partnered with executive team in successfully guiding UL through historic shift from a non-profit structure
to a for-profit, competitive market player with new strategic positioning, branding and marketing and
communications strategies designed to capture market leadership.
•
Reinvented the 125-year-old brand, designing new brand strategy, architecture, identity and global
rollout – visiting over 30 global offices, impacting 10,000+ employees, and receiving internal recognition
for organization’s most effective marketing effort in its history.
•
Formulated marketing strategy and plan for the Chinese market – boosting UL’s ranking as a testing and
certification organization from #10 to #2 in two years.
•
Devised company’s first-ever digital strategy, teaming with digital agency in re-architecting UL.com and
achieving double-digit YOY traffic growth and explosive mobile adoption from 0% to 10% in 12 months.
•
Convinced company to initiate social media efforts, achieving in two years from a standing start: 50,700+
Facebook fans; 22,100+ Twitter followers; 20,500+ LinkedIn followers; and 404,900+ views on YouTube.
•
Championed content marketing initiatives, most notably, inventing and serving as Executive Editor of a
proprietary annual thought leadership study, The Product Mindset, that received coverage in The New
York Times, Forbes, Fortune and Time Magazine and served as the basis for speaking engagements at
Fortune 500 companies and universities. (More info: http://productmindset.ul.com)
•
Spearheaded company’s first B2B campaign, creating 30,000,000 monthly impressions and 10,000 new
subscribers (i.e., leads) in the first year, and a consumer marketing program that reached 500,000,000+
audience members within two months of launch and increased targeted brand awareness by 25%.
•
Successfully steered company through major crises, moving media coverage for one crisis from 95%
negative to 95% neutral/positive in 12 months and earning a PR Newswire award for best crisis
management.
SUZANNE LAVIN
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Chief of Staff, Commercial Operations
2005 – 2007
Served as “right hand” to SVP and point person helping implement major transformation strategies and initiatives
requiring a strong communicator and change agent to support maintenance of engagement, morale and business
operations during these transitions.
•
Established and executed company’s first-ever communications strategy, process and tools for
announcing and implementing mergers and acquisitions, which served as the basis for 15 acquisitions
completed in rapid succession, as well as for managing crises.
•
Maintained productivity levels during workforce reduction and major office closure through crafting an
effective communications plan. Migrated customers to other offices without attrition.
•
Developed and implemented integrated change management plan supporting the rollout of Oracle CRM
and Financials to 4,000 people globally.
Business Development Manager, Knowledge Solutions
2002 – 2004
Led business development activities for a newly created unit established to package and commercialize UL proprietary
safety engineering knowledge and offerings that had previously been provided without charge.
•
Launched the new business unit, co-developing business plan that outlined financial projections,
marketing strategy and service offering. Established the infrastructure, operations and go-to-market
approaches, and coached engineers on effective methods for selling their knowledge.
ARTHUR ANDERSEN BUSINESS CONSULTING Chicago, IL
2000 – 2002
Management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company that was acquired by KPMG in 2002.
Senior Consultant within Strategy, Organization & People Practice
Following events of 9/11, many organizations needed to restructure or downsize their operations due to disappointing
sales growth – and to retain top talent, boost productivity and maintain a strong culture while doing so. Consulted with
diverse clients, formulating actionable change management strategies. Select engagements:
•
Co-led change efforts – from cost reduction to creating customer-driven cultures – for five major clients.
•
Helped major insurance company reduce costs by $1 billion through a restructuring – included
overseeing the efforts of a 70-member team and driving all related communications.
•
Worked with a major retail chain to implement communications that supported a workforce reduction
impacting 10% of headquarter staff.
ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCE
Earlier career included positions as: Senior Account Manager, BOZELL WORLDWIDE, Chicago, IL (1997-1999);
Account Manager, SLACK AND COMPANY, Chicago, IL (1996-1997); Account Coordinator, RUDER FINN,
Chicago, IL (1995-1996)
EDUCATION | PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Master of Science, Integrated Marketing Communications
Northwestern University, Evanston, IL
Bachelor of Science, Journalism Ohio University, Athens, OH
Executive Leadership Program, Yale University (2010)
UL Global Leader Training Program, Northwestern University (2008)
Integrated Marketing Executive Training Course, Northwestern University (2007)
SUZANNE LAVIN
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CIVIC LEADERSHIP
PLAYWORKS
Chicago, IL
2014 – Present
A national nonprofit organization that transforms schools by providing play and physical activity at recess and
throughout the school day. Organization currently serves 380+ schools in 23 cities, and ultimately expects to reach
nearly 425,000 students.
Board Member, Nonprofit
Provide strategic direction and counsel to Executive Director to help ensure organization fulfills its mission efficiently
and effectively. Offer marketing guidance – from helping organization assess and understand its diverse “customer”
segments – to defining, targeting and communicating its brand and value proposition to each segment.
AWARDS | RECOGNITION | INDUSTRY LEADERSHIP
BMA B2’s, Best of Category Winner – UL New Science (2014)
Webby Awards, Official Honoree – Web Applications, UL Brand Hub (2014)
AVA Digital Awards, Platinum Winner – UL Guardians of Safety PSA (2014)
Hermes Platinum Creative Award – New Science Integrated Marketing Campaign (2013)
MarCom Platinum Award – UL New Science Overview Video (2013)
W3 Awards, Silver Winner – New Science Videos and Web Video Animation (2013)
MarCom Gold Award – UL Corporate Film for Fire Dynamics (2012)
Finalist, Big Apple Awards – “Best integrated campaign” (government, non-profits) (2010)
Speaker at multiple events and conferences: PR Newswire, University of Chicago,
UL Responsible Sourcing Summit, Nevada Environmental Health Association Conference,
B2B Multichannel East and Business Marketers Association. Guest lecturer at Northwestern
University’s undergraduate marketing program.