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Lee F. Crumbaugh, SMP

President, CEO, Executive Director, Strategist, Marketer, Communicator

C-level executive, leader, management consultant, advisor and coach.

• Strategic planning, marketing and revenue-generation expert, certified strategist and excellent communicator.
   
• Builds boards, empowers staff, fosters teamwork, develops strong commitment in and outside the organization.
   
• Deep business, association, non-profit and consulting experience.

EXPERTISE

• Leadership. 
  Passionate leader with record of recruiting high-performing employees and excellent board members. Develops teams that think creatively, move quickly and drive growth.
   
• Strategic & Business Planning. 
  Highly effective at evaluating opportunities and developing strategic, business and marketing plans that align organizational priorities with operational objectives and growth and revenue expectations. Certified strategist.
   
• Marketing & Relationship Management.
  Deep marketing, branding, customer targeting, relationship building, selling experience. Great writer, speaker. Social media marketer. Strong networker. Skilled at getting buy-in of top decision-makers.
   
• Business Insight.
  Excels at managing P&L, generating income, assessing risk/reward, finding solutions and implementing plans. Experienced consultant and entrepreneur. Expert board leader and member.

TOP ACHIEVEMENTS

• Grew national association revenue 1.7X to $4.4 million: Guided Board and led staff to boost dues income and achieve 80% member retention; expanded trade show; revamped branding and marketing;; enhanced education and certification programs; attained ANSI SDO status; and launched standards development initiatives; and tripled publishing revenue by upgrading magazine and sales function, and adding publications, digital editions and online advertising.
   
• Rebuilt corporate communications function for seventh largest U.S. bank after near-failure and federal rescue: Worked with senior executive team, talented staff and new agency to change how and what bank communicated.
   
• Developed marketing programs fueling United Way fund-raising growth from $9 million to $26 million; advertising program (print, cable, outdoor) leveraged funds 2.5 times to produce on-going increases in awareness. 
   
• Co-founded and led entrepreneurship and economic development organization; recruited Board and 100 corporate members; developed publication, meetings and awards program; improved area business climate.
   
• Conceived and launched consumer publishing venture; wrote business plan; raised $750,000 from 27 investors; created high-quality magazine; led sales of 365 ad pages from 250 firms and acquisition of 9,000 paid subscribers.
   
• Led strategic / business planning for American Academy of Pediatrics and American Lung Association ventures, a community foundation, a college business institute, an international public affairs group and other organizations.
   
• Directed and edited financial trade magazine for bank management: Won First Place, General Excellence, in national competition and earned rave reviews; marketing, research and forecasting programs helped triple ad revenue.

FORREST CONSULTING, Glen Ellyn, Illinois 1988 –1996; 2011-present
President/Founder of management consulting firm serving companies, associations and non-profits. Provide counsel and services to management and Boards on planning, marketing, communications and business launch. www.ForrestConsult.com.

• Provided strategic / business planning for American Academy of Pediatrics and American Lung Association new ventures; a college business institute, driving performance; a community foundation, delivering stakeholder insight and growth strategies; and an international lobbying and public affairs group, producing a strategic vision and implementation strategies.
• Counseled ad agency principals on business generation and social media, and on-line eyewear retailer on pursuing a joint venture with an international eyewear brand.
• Developed Fast Track Strategic Planning System™, Customer Creation Process™, Ad Rate Analyzer™, Dues Analyzer™. 
• Conducted 2012 and 2013 Strategic Leader Surveys© on the "strategy gap" to understand how to foster strategic thinking and planning, and how to promote effective implementation.

CM SERVICES, INC., Glen Ellyn, Illinois 2004 – 2011
Leading accredited association management firm with 14 trade association partners and 22 employees.
Executive Director, American Fence Association (AFA) (2004-2011) and Vinyl Fence, Deck and Railing Manufacturers Association (VFDRMA) (2005-2011). Responsible for board relations; meetings, trade show oversight; member/chapter relations; web development. Vice President, Marketing, (2005-2011). Supported CM business development. 

• Led AFA volunteers and staff to double revenues and then limit contraction in recession: Unified national and chapter memberships, raised dues, added member recruitment and retention programs (achieved 80% retention), grew trade show.
• Facilitated strategic planning and budgeting; created 1,400-step Microsoft Project plan detailing time and tasks for 12 staff.
• Drove creation of program to brand contractor members using national radio, print and cable advertising and PR activities.
• Tripled publication revenues by recruiting/supporting ad sales representatives, upgrading fence trade magazine, launching deck and railing magazine and convention newspaper, and fostering digital editions and online advertising.
• Led program to "professionalize" contractors: Upgraded certification program; launched school/curriculum development for new certification; developed deck and railing school, achieved ANSI standards development organization status for AFA.

UNITED WAY OF SUBURBAN CHICAGO, Oak Brook, Illinois 1996 – 2003
Premier non-profit federation with 41 member United Ways; raised funds to support human care programs at 270 agencies.
Chief Operating Officer (1999-2003); Vice President of Marketing and Research (1996-1999).

• Spearheaded marketing programs to grow campaign from $9MM to $26MM, including $3.5MM in direct mail; produced on-going increases in awareness through ad program leveraging investment 2.5 times.
• Drove introduction of Community Fund and research and programs to develop and implement new brand strategy.
• Reorganized 40 person staff with President/Board; spurred introduction of team management and outcomes measurement.

DUPAGE AREA ASSOCIATION OF BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY, Glen Ellyn, Illinois 1988 – 1996
President/ Co-founder

• Recruited 100 companies, board; promoted entrepreneurship, economic development; created publications, meetings, awards. 

LFC PUBLISHING, INC., Glen Ellyn, Illinois 1986 – 1988
President/Founder; Editor and Publisher - DuPage Magazine.

• Formed Subchapter S corp.; wrote business plan; engaged attorneys, CPAs; raised $750K from 27 investors, recruited 18 employees and board; organized editorial, design, sales, marketing; opened office; hired printer, suppliers; managed company.
• Distributed prototype/15 issues to 125,000 homes, 400 newsstands, 9,000 paid subscribers; sold 365 ad pages to 250 firms.

CONTINENTAL ILLINOIS CORPORATION, Chicago, Illinois 1985 – 1986
Vice President, Corporate Affairs - Continental Bank, 7th largest U.S. bank, operating worldwide.

UNITED STATES LEAGUE OF SAVINGS INSTITUTIONS, Chicago, Illinois 1971 – 1985
Vice President, Editor, Savings Institutions (1980 1985); Marketing Director (1973 1979); Special Projects Editor (1977 1979); Marketing Research Analyst (1971 1972). National banking trade association in Chicago and Washington, D.C.

EDUCATION

Master of Business Administration, University of Chicago Booth School of Business 

Marketing management concentration, finance emphasis.

Bachelor of Science, University of Illinois College of Communications, Champaign Urbana
News editorial journalism major, magazine concentration. Internships: Chicago Daily News, Hinsdale Doings, Chicago Title.

Colorado State University, Fort Collins. Technical journalism major.

Keyholder, Institute of Financial Education, Graduate School of Savings & Loan, Indiana University 

CERTIFICATION

Strategic Management Professional (SMP) certification (highest level), Association for Strategic Planning, October 2011.