TOD ROBERTS • ROBERTS COMMUNICATIONS
WRITER, EDITOR, RESEARCHER, AND CONSULTANT

Sarasota, Florida • EMAIL: • Commercial website: www.todroberts.com

SUMMARY

35+ years of experience as writer, editor, consultant, college teacher, and curmudgeon

B.A. in German & English, M.A. in English, A.B.D. in English

Clients include leading professional service and technology firms (Andersen Consulting, Computer Sciences Corporation, Deloitte Consulting, InterSyte Inc., i2 Technology, PricewaterhouseCoopers, and Cap Gemini Ernst & Young)

Fluent in the language of corporate logistics, e-commerce, information technology, manufacturing, service industries, retailing, and consulting

Creative, quick-witted, experienced, results-minded

 

DETAILED CREDENTIALS AND BACKGROUND

 

• Skills and experience in preparing ...

Professional books and research studies
Trade press and professional articles
Classroom guides, teaching syllabi, and business workshop presentations
White papers and "thought leadership" publications
Informational web sites
Capabilities and identity brochures, annual reports, and shareholder communications
Advertising copywriting (primarily business-to-business)
Programming documentation, software user manuals, and product bulletins
Speeches and seminar presentations
Research using both conventional and on-line information retrieval capabilities
Employee and customer communications such as newsletters and handbooks
Translations of English-written business communications into/from French and German

• Former employers

Cleveland Consulting Associates (now part of Computer Sciences Corporation), a firm specializing in logistics management consulting and information systems for Fortune 500 companies in consumer goods, retailing, and other industries (Writer/Editor and Director of Communications, 1983-87).

U. S. National Office of Ernst & Whinney (now Ernst & Young), major international accounting firm (Writer/Editor, 1978-83).

URS Consultants (formerly Dalton•Dalton•Newport), a large regional architecture, engineering, and planning firm (Manager of Editorial Department, 1976-78).

Various colleges and universities: instructor of composition, literature, and technical communications at University of Kansas, Western Michigan University, Kent State University, Cleveland State University, Case Western Reserve University, Lakeland Community College, Manatee Community College, and Ringling School of Art & Design.

• Academic degrees and professional activities

Ph.D. studies in English (completed all requirements except dissertation), Kent State University (1971-74)
M.A. in English (With Honors), University of Kansas (1968)
Graduate study in literature & linguistics, Christian Albrechts Universität, Kiel, Germany (1965-66)
B.A. in English & German (cum laude), University of Kansas (1965)
Leadership of workshops on business communications and technical writing
Active as writer and editor of history, fiction, poetry, and satire

• Conversant with on-line communications, research, and web site design/composition (use high-speed broadband access through @Home network); primary business software: Microsoft Office (Macintosh/Windows/cross-platform).

• Based in Sarasota, Florida but can travel as needed on client assignments. Willing to work as independent contractor, temporary employee, or as consultant on retainer. Not interested in full-time position or relocation.

 

SELECTED CLIENTS

GREATER CLEVELAND GROWTH ASSOCIATION (1987)
"Mission Statement" for this Chamber of Commerce serving thousands of businesses in northeastern Ohio.

C&A WALLCOVERINGS (1991-92)
Video script for CEO and newsletter (published in French and English) addressed to U.S. and Canadian employees.

ATTORNEY PROFILES INTERNATIONAL (1988-90)
Direct-mail promotional communications, registration literature, and videotape script for online, fax-linked lawyer listing service matching up business executives with specialized law firms in the United States and abroad.

ANDERSEN CONSULTING (1991-98)
Editor/writer of Logistics Perspectives (newsletter), Reconfiguring European Logistics Systems (CLM book), The Logistics Handbook, Mass Merchandising: A Growing Force in Distribution Management (for WERC), "Channel Strategies" (book chapter), and Synchronizing the Supply Chain Through Collaborative Design (monograph).

CLEVELAND CONSULTING ASSOCIATES (1988-91)
220-page user manual for OPTIMAL SCHEDULER, a software application designed to help large manufacturers perform master scheduling and production planning; four articles on electronic data interchange for EDI World and promotional publications on logistics re-engineering.

LESCO, INC. (1994-95)
Lesco Service Standards, a 30-page document detailing requirements to be met by vendors of this fast-growing supplier of services and products to the lawn and turf care industry.

PAUL COX ASSOCIATES (1988-89)
Copywriting for this Cleveland-based, minority-owned firm serving clients in special events promotion, urban affairs programming, and entertainment marketing.

COOPERS & LYBRAND (1994-95)
Document outlining new approach to quality control and business prospectus documents for a major client.

COTMAN CONSULTING (1988)
Marketing brochures, print ads, and seminar presentations for Ohio-based firm serving manufacturers throughout the United States.

CLARKE ADVERTISING (1995)
Ad copy for economic development commission campaign to attract businesses to Sarasota, Florida.

HILE MANAGEMENT CONSULTING (1987-94)
Marketing counsel, brochures, and promotional materials for this firm specializing in marketing and management consulting for various industries.

INTERSYTE, INC. (1998-2001)
Brochure, web-page, proposal copywriting, and distance-learning content for this Tampa firm providing Internet-based applications

BUDZAR INDUSTRIES (1989-1993)
Pre-acquisition business plan, product bulletins, and mission statement for this Cleveland-based manufacturer of heating/cooling devices for the rubber and plastics processing industries.

THE VENICE FOUNDATION (1996-2000)
Annual reports, press releases, research studies, and web site for this $165 million community foundation in Venice, Florida.

FREESE & ASSOCIATES (1989-95)
Client case studies and trade-press articles for consulting firm concentrating on distribution, transportation, and warehousing management for large and mid-size companies throughout the United States and Europe.

PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS (1999)
Professional article on e-commerce initiatives

MOORE & ASSOCIATES (1989-2000)
Business proposals, customer service surveys, and management presentations for this consulting firm serving manufacturing and retailing clients.

MERCER MANAGEMENT CONSULTING (1999-2000)
Writer of
THE SUPPLY CHAIN AT THE MILLENIUM: 2000 GMA Logistics Study, an update on grocery industry logistics trends for the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA).

JURY VERDICT RESEARCH, INC. (1989-90)
Brochures and direct-mail promotions for provider of legal reference books and software to attorneys and others.

SCOPE VISIONING PROCESS (1999)
Community profile for visioning workshops conducted for a comprehensive, long-range, grassroots planning effort for Sarasota, Florida; funded by three major community foundations.

IMPULS WERBUNG GMBH (1991)
Marketing brochure for this German consulting firm assisting U.S. companies starting business operations in Europe.

i2 TECHNOLOGIES / DELOITTE CONSULTING: Promotional pamphlet (prepared with The Grove Consultants) and white paper highlighting consulting and technology capabilities for retailers.

ROBBINS & ASSOCIATES (1991-2000)
Business proposals and marketing materials for this firm providing consulting to manufacturers and printers.

RAF WINGS OVER FLORIDA (1997-2000)
Editor of this book authored by Will Largent, my late father-in-law. The book presents reminiscences by World War II British and U.S. fliers who were trained as cadets at two bases in south-central Florida. Published by Purdue University Press in October 2000. (See
this link for more information.)

CLEVELAND SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMS (1990-2000)
Grant proposals, newsletter, annual report, and fund-raising letters for this nonprofit organization serving Cleveland-area high school seniors and adult students.

CASE STUDY AND WHITE PAPER ON ACTIVITY-BASED COSTING AND MANAGEMENT, CAP GEMINI ERNST & YOUNG (2000-2001)
Writer and editor of two pieces explaining the techniques and benefits of this approach to managing supply-chain operations in light of major hospital organizations and the distributors supplying them.

ENVIROCYCLE (1994-98)
Identity brochure, sales letters, and product bulletins for this minority-owned vendor of industrial chemicals.

"GETTING IT RIGHT," BANK OF MONTREAL (2000-2001)
Chief copywriter preparing background information and a training script for change management workshops developed by The Grove Consultants International for the Bank of Montreal. These materials have been presented to 20,000 of this major bank's employees in 2001.

Last updated 18 June 2002. For further information, see my commercial website, www.todroberts.com
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