Profile & Portfolio

Lauren Vargas is a public relations professional in Dallas, TX. She is author of Communicators Anonymous and Marcom Colloquy blogs and is a contributor to This Mommy Gig and Now is Gone blog. Despite initial deer-in-the-headlights expressions, Vargas incorporates social media tools into her marketing communications classes as a professor at Northwood University. Born on the cusp of Generation Y, Vargas is anything but a slacker and approaches life with tremendous vim and vigor! Growing up as a military dependent gave Vargas the opportunity to live and experience different cultures. She views the world with an openness and acceptance to adapt to new situations, viewpoints and environments. Vargas talks communication theory versus practice and how to develop the next PR generation.

12comm@sbcglobal.net

Work experience

Oct 2007 - Present Army & Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES)***

***AAFES is a big box retailer similar to Wal-Mart and Target providing quality merchandise and services to active duty, guard and reserve members, military retirees and their families at competitively low prices. AAFES returns earnings to the Army and Air Force to improve troops’ quality of life and to provide a dividend to support MWR programs. AAFES may be part of the government structure, but functions as a leading $9B retailer.

Customer Relations Communications Manager – Marketing Directorate

§ Responsibility for focus areas at the customer segments, industry verticals and/or business unit levels

§ Provides relationship marketing council to the integrated marketing team-supervision/guidance to team members regarding strategic communications disciplines

§ Ensure the tactical elements of the integrated plans to include the necessary relationship communication elements to make the material more effective-Expand social media tools and execution

2006 - Oct 2007 Army & Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES)

Strategic Marketing Communications Manager – Advanced Technology Unit

§ Establish strategic partnerships with related internal organizations to pursue common objectives

§ Institute communication process for existing telecommunications business in the Pacific, resulting in an increased share of positive media coverage

§ Plan and coordinate brand name and corporate identity change for new technology/telecommunications AAFES business

2004-2006 Army & Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES)

Strategic Marketing Design Manager – Strategic Marketing Unit

§ Worked hand-in-hand with top corporate executives of member companies to shape policy and manage industry reputation at the national and local levels to deploy top-level Strategic Communications Plan for Brigadier General Kennon

§ Conducted numerous successful international media military outreach campaigns, including: Back to the Homefront Banners

§ Developed and maintained Intranet marketing, business manager, and specialized marketing campaign portals and facilitated discussion areas

§ Developed and maintained the 2005-2007 Marketing Balance Scorecard with measurements directly related to AAFES top line

§ Successfully coordinated numerous work groups and committees

2002-2004 Army & Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES)

Marketing and Advertising Specialist – Cyber Directorate

§ Planned and coordinated brand name and strategic launch of EX, The Exchange Online Store

§ Managed the development and upkeep of Web content for AAFES.com and EX in close coordination with key staff and vendors

§ Controlled annual $500,000 advertising budget for AAFES.com, EX, Centric Mall and Military STAR Credit Card; Results included 75% increase of marketing activities and 70% increase of repeat online customers

§ Produced collateral material and executed media buys for communication campaigns

2001-2002 Texas House of Representatives Election

Political Consultant – District 109

§ Conducted media training and provided counsel for media interviews

§ Produced collateral material

2001-2002 Wilson & Co. Public Relations

Account Executive

§ Produced collateral material and executed media buys for communication campaigns specializing in the healthcare industry

§ Wrote scripts and produced informational videos

§ Organized first post-911 Christmas tree delivery to Camp David for the President of the United States and his family, courtesy of the Texas Christmas Tree Growers Association

2000-2001 Oklahoma Public Employees Retirement System

Public Information Officer

§ Developed statewide training program for retirement coordinators

Social Media experience

Maintain a public relations blog, Communicators Anonymous, which is ranked in the top 100,000 of over 74 million active blogs indexed by Technorati.

Maintain a marketing communications blog, Marcom Colloquy, for Northwood University Marketing Major/Minor students.

Education

2005-2006 Lacrosse University

MS Communications

§ Summa Cum Laude

2002-2003 Texas Wesleyan School of Law

1998-2001 University of Central Oklahoma

BA Journalism/Public Relations

§ Mortar Board Honors

Accreditations

Accredited Public Relations (APR) Certification, est. October 2007

Six Sigma Black Belt Certification, est. October 2007

Applied Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Strategy Certification, 2006

Professional memberships

Social Media Club, 2007 – Present

Texas Public Relations Association (TPRA), 2005-2006

Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), 2001-2002

Professional and community service

Volunteer, National PRSA Advocacy Committee, 2007

Assistant Manager, Federal Women's Program – AAFES, 2005-2006

Committee Member, Think Tank Advocacy – AAFES, 2005 – Present

Awards received

Superior Accomplishment Award – AAFES, 2006

§ Superlative performance of the implementation of the Marketing Playbook, Military Outreach campaigns and overall AAFES Strategic Communications Campaign

Excellence Award – AAFES, 2005

§ Instrumental in implementation of Balance Scorecard, Value Story Campaign and fiscal year 2005 strategies

Excellence Award – AAFES, 2004

§ Instrumental in design of Balance Scorecard and Value Story Campaign

PRSA Zenith Award, 2001

§ Public Relations Campaign for the Oklahoma Farm Workers Health Initiative