COMPANY OVERVIEW » The FEC Team

First Experience Communications is a different kind of company. We’re not an agency, firm, or practice. Rather, we’re a community of smart-minded in-house and outside specialists – strategists, project managers, designers, writers, researchers, programmers, photographers, and artists. For each client project we hand pick a creative team customized to meet your specific needs and goals.

By connecting the best talent, we’re able to develop the most powerful solutions and results for our clients.

Ira W. Yellen, APR, President & CEO, First Experience Communications
With a background in public relations, marketing and design, he oversees through his firm, First Experience Communications (FEC), a wide range of public relations and marketing communications projects and provide strategic counsel for clients ranging from Fortune 500 companies to non-profit organizations. Clients include: Deloitte & Touche, LLP; Connecticut Association of Nonprofits, Connecticut Primary Care Association, Harold Leveer Cancer Center, Laidlaw Transit, Inc.; ADVO, Inc.; CIGNA; Connecticut Community College System; University of Connecticut; Charter Oak College; Hartford Hospital; United Healthcare; and Hartford Foundation for Public Giving.

While working with Margaret Mead, 1971-72, he explored the relationships that intertwine commerce, civic institutions, society and human nature — a perspective that continues to influence my approach to work today.  His professional career is grounded in studying human interaction and change through objective research, strategic planning and creative implementation.  He uses integrated marketing communications, public relations counsel, community and interpersonal engagement as core tools in achieving measurable results in public and private sectors.

First Experience Communications, founded in 1983, has its niche in providing marketing, communications, public relations, public policy and advocacy for business-to-business, non-profit, and educational institutions. He has developed strategic initiatives for companies in high technology, precision manufacturing, insurance, healthcare, transportation and financial services. FEC also specializes in marketing and public relations programs for early childhood education, public and private schools and higher education. He has counseled more than 50 boards of education and superintendents on how to garner community support in capital bonding and budget referendums.

As a chronicler and fund-raiser for the Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island restoration project during the 1980s, he applied his entrepreneurial skills to help raise more than $100,000 for the preservation of this important national monument, the creation, implementation and promotion of a national youth campaign and supplementary curriculum development for public schools.

Articles, Position Papers, Presentations, and Professional Activities

1. Articles and Position Papers
Position Papers:

• Use The New Communications Channels Or Perish: Reaching Your Stakeholders Throughout Their Decision-Making Process, January 2006, First Experience Communication, Publisher >
• Making Your School District Website more Than An Information Dumping Ground, October 2005 >
• Community Colleges: Bridging Access To Success Through Collaborative Branding, April 2005 >
• Public Education In America: The Tide Is Turning...Is Your District Prepared? October 2004 >

Articles:

• Branding and Technology, Line56, February 2004
• Building Trust in Your Community  — The Role of Public Relations in Times of Change and Uncertainty, Article in Connecticut Association of Boards of Education Journal CABE, October 2004
• Ensuring Your Brand Equity Stays Strong in Economic Downturns, Hartford Business Journal Article, September 9, 2002

2. Speeches and Presentations
From 1984 to 2006 he has given presentations on more than 100 occasions to business professionals, public relations professionals, civic groups and non-profit organizations on such topics as effective communication in business, what is public relations, integrated marketing communication, on-line communication planning. Examples include:

• Smart Marketing and Public Relations for Community-based Organizations: Building Brand for Success, Community Leadership Association Annual Conference, April 2006, Hartford, CT
• A Website Should Be More than an Information Dumping Ground, Smart Marketing for Non-Profits & Small Businesses Seminar, November 2005, Hartford, CT and the National School Public Relations Association, July 2005, Boston, MA
• Bridging Access to Success, American Association Community Colleges Annual Conference, April 2005, Boston, MA
• Managing Customer Service Training Session – You are the Face and the Voice of Your Institution: The Making of a Customer-Driven Organization, April 2003, Capital Region Education Council, Hartford, CT
• Managing Communications in Times of Change: It Could Be Your Best Friend During TQM Initiatives, October 1998, Connecticut Quality Council Annual Conference, Hartford, CT
• How Much Is Interactive Marketing Worth? March 1996, Gartner Annual Conference, New York,
• Crisis Communications, March 1996, SMPS Connecticut Chapter, Farmington, CT
• Channeling Brand Identity Through Technology, 1996, New York, NY
• Adjunct Instructor, Community Relations, Executive Leadership Program and Advisor for doctoral dissertation candidate for primary community-based research models, University of Connecticut Neag School of Education

3. Contributions to PRSA and other Communication Associations (1987 to present)
Connecticut Valley PRSA Chapter

• Communication Committee Chair, 1989 to 1992: Board Member and Officer, 1993 -1998: Chapter President, 1997
• Initiated the establishment of Connecticut’s first PRSSA Chapter at the University of Hartford, 1997: Established first awards program (Mercury Awards) for three PRSA CT Chapters, 1997
• National Assembly Delegate, 1996-1999
• 1997 Distinguished Chapter Service Award PRSA CT Valley Chapter: Named 2002 Practitioner

PRSA National, District, Sections

• Assembly delegate-at-large, 1998: Tri-State District Chair, 1998, Seminar — Integrated Marketing Communication, Sturbridge, MA 1998: Professional Services Section Chair, 1996
• Conference Presentations: Counselors (Savannah 2006; Phoenix 2005; La Quinta 2000); National (Anaheim 1999; Boston 1998)

National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA) Presentations:

• Making Your School District Website More than an Information Dumping Ground: Building Value that Builds Effective Relationships, Annual Conference, July 2005, Boston, MA
• Turning a School District’s Budget Increases into an Advantage: The New Way to Position A School District’s Value, Annual Conference, July 2004, Nashville, TN
• Creating and Supporting an Effective School District Website and HTML Newsletter that Supports Funding, Illustrates Achievement and Promotes the Value of a Public School Education, Annual Conference, July 2004, Nashville, TN
• Leadership Communication Workshop for School Districts Presentation, Annual Conference, July 2002, San Diego, CA

Connecticut Marketing Communication Steering Committee, 1996-2000
Initiated a consortium made up of Connecticut’s IABC, American Marketing Association, PRSA, SMPA, Advertising Club of Connecticut whose purpose was to coordinate professional development seminars and workshops on an annual basis. In 1996, he created the “Smart Marketing for Nonprofits” annual seminar and workshops.

Awards and Community Service
1. Recognition

• April 1985 – Annual Connecticut Associated Press Broadcasters Association Outstanding Achievement in Broadcasting Award with WFSB Eyewitness News Feature "Ellis Island", a five part series illustrating the role immigrants contribution to Connecticut's economic growth. He provided the background for interviewing Ellis Island immigrants, historical data, and visual information. This was done in conjunction with the creation of supplementary education curriculum around the State of Liberty/Ellis Island Centennials
• December 1997 – Annual Service Award for Outstanding Service to the Connecticut Valley Chapter PRSA for over 12 years of service and leadership to the chapter and the profession. During his 12 years of leadership the: chapter's by-laws were rewritten, Mercury Annual Awards was created and modeled after the Silver and Bronze Anvils, membership increased by over 15%, creation of a Connecticut's first PRSSA chapter at the University of Hartford, and the recruitment of future officers and committee chairs.
• May 2001 – International Community Leadership Association Distinguished Leadership Award for Exemplary Service and Commitment to the Community, Annual Conference, and Greensboro, NC Note: For background see number 3 in the professional exemplary section.
• December 2002 – Annual Outstanding Practioner Award by the Connecticut Valley Chapter
• October 2003 – Annual Award from the Connecticut Association of Non Profits for helping and supporting Connecticut's non profits efforts in the statewide campaign "Face of Nonprofits"

2. Awards

• PRSA Bronze Anvil: Application of New Technology, 1994; Brochures, 1996
• PRSA Connecticut Valley Chapter Mercury: Community Relations, 1997; Collateral Material, 1997; Collateral Material, 1998; Integrated Campaign, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005; Research, Best in Show, 2004

3. Community Service
He has been committed to community service for over 20 years. A combination of volunteering, sponsoring, internships, and mentoring has been core values of mine. Currently He is currently the chairman of the Glastonbury Education Foundation where over $180,000 has been raised during the past 18 months for pilot programs.

Current Leadership Roles, 2006
Board of Directors –

• Glastonbury Chamber of Commerce, Chair Vision Committee; Connecticut Technology Council, Chair, Communication and Marketing Committee; and Glastonbury Education Foundation, Chairman

Past Leadership Roles –
Board of Directors

• Leadership Greater Hartford, 1999-2005; The Connecticut Quality Council, 1996-7; and Literacy Volunteers of America/Connecticut, 1997-1999

Current Committee Member 2006

• Foodshare, Public Relations; United Way of the Hartford Area, Marketing and Public Relations; and Consortium for Education Foundations, Public Relations and Fund raising

Past Committee Member
Special Olympics World Games Communications Committee, 1995; Greater Hartford Marketing and Communication Council, 1996-2000; and School/Business Partnerships Advisory Board of Manchester Community College, 1998-99

iwyellen@firstexperience.com

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SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE
Sheri Waltman, Vice President, First Experience Communications
With over 14 years experience in market planning, creative problem-solving, Website and project management, new business and product development, Sheri has worked on award winning projects ranging from strategic market planning and collateral materials to extensive image and branding campaigns.

She has seen her lead account – Open Solutions Inc. – a fast-growing, technology firm located in Glastonbury, CT through tremendous growth. Beginning in 1996, the company had 50 employees and $10 million in revenues, today they have 500 employees and nearly $200 million in revenues. During this tremendous growth period, FEC was called upon to re-brand the company in preparation of an initial public offering and national recognition. The initial public offering was successfully completed in the fall of 2003.

A true believer in forming relationships built on trust and a high level of commitment and service, Sheri has an established track record of results with various clients in the corporate, health care, accounting, high-tech and manufacturing industries. Clients served include Cigna, Deloitte & Touche LLP, Hartford Hospital, Open Solutions Inc., Infiltrator Systems, Merrow Machine and Sound Software.

waltman@firstexperience.com

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SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE
David Kluskiewicz
As a senior account executive, David Kluskiewicz will use his background in business and technology to work with existing FEC clients and to bring new clients to the firm. Prior to joining FEC, he was the business and technology manager for the Boston College Center for Work & Family. While there, he solidified its financial standing with the University and helped expand it to accommodate new projects. He also developed web databases and survey instruments that allowed the Center’s nationally diverse constituents to communicate and access research related to work/life strategy in organizations. Prior to his work at Boston College, he managed real estate in New York City, including one of the city’s largest mixed income housing projects, West End Towers in 1994. David holds an MBA from Boston College and a BA from Fordham University. He recently moved to Connecticut with his wife and two daughters.

kluskiewicz@firstexperience.com

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GENERAL MANAGER
Laurel Pepin
Laurel’s resourcefulness, organization, keen management skills and results-oriented mindset are an integral part of daily tasks at FEC. She’s able to develop relationships with a broad range of our clients to meet general account needs and manage day-to-day office operations. Thanks to Laurel’s background in photography, FEC is able to offer in-house quality photography services to our clients. Prior to joining FEC, Laurel held positions as general manager at Roxbury Twain Publishing in Suffield and as general manager for bePuzzled, a Bloomfield-based manufacturer of specialty jigsaw puzzles.

pepin@firstexperience.com

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DESIGN & PRODUCTION MANAGER
Dawn Nielsen
Dawn’s expertise and talent in graphic design and web development makes her a key player on the FEC creative team. Her career began with our company in 1988 after she received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Western Connecticut State University. In 1997 she transitioned to Maier Advertising in Farmington. Dawn returned to FEC in 2002 to put her creative design concepts to use on web development and online marketing projects. Dawn is also responsible for the project management of all print and mail prep vendors.

Dawn served two years on the Board of Directors of the Connecticut Art Directors Club (CADC) as Web Chairperson from 2001 to 2003. She continues to be involved in the CADC helping out with the newly designed and developed online newsletter and she is currently responsible for keeping the CADC Website up-to-date with timely information for it's members.

dnielsen@firstexperience.com

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DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC RELATIONS, MARKETING AND RESEARCH
Alison Karam, APR
Alison has more than 20 years experience helping corporate, nonprofit, government and educational institutions build relationships with their publics and strategize marketing initiatives to maximize growth and enhance customer service. She has worked directly for non-profit, high-tech, manufacturing, health care, government and service organizations from North Carolina to Connecticut, including Martin Marietta Data Systems, United Way of America, United Technologies, Chesapeake General Hospital, Town of West Hartford and WRAL-TV.

Alison is an accredited public relations practitioner, past president of the Public Relations Society of America's Connecticut Valley Chapter and current Ethics Officer. Her background includes the development arena, where she managed leadership and major giving on local and national levels. Alison was a member of the Pratt & Whitney team that helped design the Tech Prep educational program in Connecticut and also developed the company's workforce diversity training program. She has won awards nationally and regionally for her work in social marketing research, crisis communication, benchmarking research, public affairs, community relations, video production, newsletters, annual reports, advertising and integrated marketing communications campaigns. She was a volunteer broadcaster/ producer at CRIS radio for the blind and print handicapped for more than five years and a volunteer English tutor for New Britain middle school students. Alison received her Bachelor of Science degree in resources management and Bachelor of Arts degree in liberal arts writing and editing from North Carolina State University.

karam@firstexperience.com

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CREATIVE DESIGNER
Holly Pelton
As a creative professional, Holly strives to instill originality, ingenuity and functionality in all her work. She applies the benefits of 10+ years of experience, technical abilities and adept problem solving skills to develop effective design solutions for all clients and projects. Holly’s portfolio of work includes corporate image design, collateral materials and brochures, illustration and fine art printing.

She began her career working for a photography and graphic design studio. Later she moved into the realm of digital fine art printmaking. Holly’s work today focuses mainly on providing creative solutions for marketing and communications.

peltongraphics@comcast.net