Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Resume

Jessica Burdette

Montgomery, AL
jburdet2@aum.edu

Objective: I am a Senior Marketing student at Auburn Montgomery, seeking an entry level position in Advertising and Sales.

Qualifications:

  • Typing speed of 50 to 60wpm.
    Excellent communication skills, able to make presentations, help with customer needs, and effectively communicate both verbally and in writing.
  • Sociable, with good sense of humor, a team player.
  • Assertive and independent, a self-sufficient worker with a positive attitude and willingness to learn new skills.

Education:

  • Graduated Prattville High School, May 2003

Current student of Auburn Montgomery, majoring in Marketing.

Employment:

March 2007 to present: Licensing Agent for Leadership Alliance in Montgomery Alabama. Responsible for Licensee application processing for the Alabama State Boards of Home Medical Equipment, Respiratory Therapy and Marriage and Family Therapy.

  • Developed a state-wide Bill Board Campaign for the Board of Home Medical Equipment.
    Website redesign, improving user-friendliness and visual appeal for the Board of Respiratory Therapy, The Board of Home Medical Equipment and the Board of Marriage and Family Therapy.
  • Represented the Home Medical Equipment Board at the State Quarterly Association meetings.
  • Organize State Board Meetings; assist the Executive Director and President of Leadership Alliance. Assist applicants and other callers with trouble shooting, and various questions with policies and procedures based on State Law and Rules and Regulations. Data entry and other various clerical duties.
  • Planning a 5-year mark celebration for the company; developing a guest list, invitations, and issuing press releases to Montgomery Advertiser, Montgomery Living, and RSVP Montgomery magazines.

December 2004 to March 2007: Colonial Bank, Montgomery, Alabama. Sales Associate and Administrative Assistant.

  • Responsible for helping customers with various account needs and problem solving. Took care of basic transactions and large deposit accounts.
  • Responsible for bringing in new business, and keeping good relationships with long time customers.
  • Later promoted to be the Administrative Assistant to the Merchant Services Department. Responsible for assisting the head of the Department, helping customers with credit card terminal problems, keeping up with inventory and customer business accounts.

Extra Curricular Activities:

  • Award Recipient of the Auburn Montgomery Marketing Department Scholarship and the Montgomery Area Panhellenic Scholarships for 2009
  • Zeta Tau Alpha: Currently serving as Alumnae/Collegiate Coordinator.
    Started a Parent and Alumnae Club for the Chapter to increase awareness and support of the chapter and its achievements.
  • Created monthly newsletters that were sent to parents, alumnae, national officers and collegiate members, highlighting organizational and individual successes.
  • Organized a spaghetti dinner for parents and alumnae to say “thank you” and give a final update for the semester.
  • Zeta Tau Alpha: Former President of Theta Nu Chapter for the 2008 year.
    Responsible for setting chapter goals; and organizing and motivating Chapter to achieve individual and chapter-wide goals.
  • Organize Executive Council Meetings and Chapter meetings. Uphold National and Chapter policies and procedures.
  • During my term, Theta Nu chapter became a more unified and effective campus organization, doubling in membership and increasing involvement with other campus organizations
  • Panhellenic Vice President 2007: Vice President of the AUM Campus Regulatory body of Panhellenic Greek Sororities. Responsible for planning and executing Fall Sorority Recruitment for all campus sororities.
  • Responsible for organizing and motivating members of all sororities on campus for recruitment, maintaining good communication between advisors from all groups, planning promotional events, and drumming up interest of Greek life.
  • In Spring of 2008 received a “Top Ten of Student Life” from the Auburn Montgomery campus, for leadership and enthusiastic participation with student organizations on campus.

References:

  • Paula McCaleb, President of Leadership Alliance and Executive Director
    334-215-7233, Paulascout@aol.com
    7550 Halcyon Summit Drive, Suite 125, Montgomery, AL 36117.
  • Kirby and Missy Thompson, Long time friends of the family.
    334-358-4193, mtndewmiss@juno.com
    1961 Calumet Parkway, Prattville, AL 36066
  • Kendra Morris, Student Activities Coordinator, AUM.
    334-244-3279, kmorris7@aum.edu, Room 102 Taylor CenterP.O. Box 2440233, Montgomery, AL 36124

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Other HME Projects

In addition to the bill board campaign, I have other projects that I have done and will be working on for the Board of Home Medical Equipment Services Providers.

Presentation at the ADMEA meeting
  • ADMEA is the Alabama Durable Medical Association, which basically advocates for a lobbies for the industry, where as the ABHMESP serves to protect the consumer.
  • The chairman and myself, represented the Alabama Board of Home Medical Equipment Services Providers at the quarterly ADMEA meeting in April.
  • The general theme of the meeting centered around protecting the industry against unlawful businesses operating within the State of Alabama. I presented to the association our upcoming consumer education plans, and discussed the licensure process with the members of the association. The chairman spoke about the complaint process and the Board's jurisdiction and lawful role in promoting legitimate businesses and discouraging illegitimate businesses. We answered questions, passed out brochures and helped with any issues presented, if possible.

Website

Another project that I am currently working on is redesigning our Board Website using the Alabama Information Systems Department. We want to upgrade it from the standard, beginner website to make it more visually appealing and user-friendly.

  • To begin, we are going to divide our information up into 3 large segments: Board, Licensees, and Consumers. This will better aide visitors in information search and moving them in the right direction depending upon the user and what they need to know.
  • Under the "Board" tab we will have the list of Board Members, with their photos and their name hyperlinked to their biography. This will allow viewers to become better acquainted with members and know their purpose for serving and how they are making a difference for the State of Alabama. We will also have the same for staff.
  • Also under the Board tab will be our press releases and we will be using a program that all allows for quicker, more efficient posting of press releases, and will allow for them to be found through search engines such as google which could potentially increase consumer awareness.
  • Under the Licensees tab will be applications, rules and regulations, helpful resources for becoming compliant with State law, licensees roster, and other resources.
  • Under the Consumer tab we would like to develop a Consumer Bill of Rights and other resources giving consumers more knowledge and empowering them to protect themselves against fraudulent activity. We would also like to include the licensee roster, complaint forms and other literature, as well as disciplinary actions carried out by the Board.
  • The website can be our most powerful tool in getting information out to consumers and licensees, and improving our ability to protect the public.

Home Medical Equipment Bill Board Campaign

This is one of the projects I am currently working on for the Alabama Board of Home Medical Equipment Services Providers, (HME). Just to give some background information on HME, they are one of the regulatory boards managed by Leadership Alliance. They are responsible for issuing permits allowing businesses to supply what is known as Durable Medical Equipment, i.e. walkers, oxygen and respiratory equipment, hospital beds, wheelchairs and power wheelchairs, all for consumers to use at home.

HME Projects:
  • Bill board campaign: This is my first experience with bill board advertising. This is a state-wide campaign that will run over the course of the next two years, (2009-2010). The purpose of the advertisements is to first create public awareness of the existence and purpose of the Board; and second, to increase awareness of fraudulent activity that can occur by not using a licensed provider.
  • To get an idea of current industry trends and market demographics I created a survey for our licensees because they are currently in the industry and know the current issues being faced and trends that are happening within the industry. I also polled several Board members who represent different aspects and viewpoints of the industry, i.e. public, medical staff, HME business owners, etc. on their knowledge of current issues and trends. I also collected census data on demographics of the market and gathered what information I could find on HME fraud, reporting fraud, and precautionary measures.
  • From this research was found that most of the consumers of durable medical equipment are over the age of 35, the majority of those being above the age of 60. These people are either purchasing equipment for themselves or a loved one, and are usually referred to businesses via third party payers, (insurance, medicaid, medicare) or physicians. What was also found that a majority of the fraud committed involves power wheel chairs.
  • We needed an advertisement that would first warn consumers against possible fraud, and at the same time educate them on why we exist.
  • We chose to contract with Lamar Advertising because they could give us a bill board type that would be effective and cost efficient, as well as give us the most coverage state-wide. Lamar Advertising has the state divided into 6 areas that allow for better concentration and a more effective approach. Plus it made it easier to break up the budget and distribute costs more evenly.
  • The design of the advertisement centers around a photo of a power wheelchair; the look of the chair is distressed and poorly cared for, the wheels have been removed, and the chair has been placed on cement blocks much like that of a broken down vehicle. It is set outdoors and portrays a run-down piece of equipment. The goal is to convey the message of "this is what you will get if you use an unlicensed provider." The heading reads, "Shoulda...Coulda...Woulda... used a licensed Home Medical Equipment Business." Then it gives our State Seal and web address.
  • The campaign will launch the week of June 8, 2009 in the Montgomery and Birmingham area first, and then subsequently in the other four areas of the state. We plan to reach the major metropolitan areas first in 2009, then in 2010 reach the more rural populations.

Leadership Alliance

These are the marketing projects that I will be working on and assisting with with regards to my employer, Leadership Alliance. It is my goal to have these completed by the end of the year.

First let me give a brief description of the company and its purpose. Leadership Alliance is a private company that specializes in management of government bodies, in our case Alabama Licensing Boards. We handle the legal and administrative duties of five State Licensing Boards including the Alabama Board of Examiners in Marriage and Family Therapy, the Alabama Board of Home Medical Equipment Services Providers, the Alabama State Board of Respiratory Therapy, the Alabama Licensure Board of Interpreters and Transliterater (sign language interpreters) and the Alabama Board of Court Reporters. We process applications, regulate the above professions and ensure that those licensees are qualified for servicing Alabama consumers.

Company Projects

  • Website Development: The company needs a website, just as a reference so that existing and potential new clients can have something to refer to when learning about our business and purpose. It will be a very clean and professional site stating the company mission, purpose and values; give staff biographies and pictures; company news and press releases; location and directions; and links to the agencies under company management
  • Creation of Company Literature: We need business cards for staff members; "Plugger" cards or postcards with company info, a tag line and the website to send to potential clients; and we need to develop a running list of potential clients to contact.
  • Five-year celebration: Leadership Alliance is entering its 5th year of existence and we will be celebrating with the people who have helped us get here! We are planning a dinner party for October.
  • I will be developing a guest list, submitting press releases to Montgomery Advertiser and the Independent, contacting Montgomery Living and RSVP magazine inviting them to the event and submitting my supervisor's story for publishing. We will also be ordering catering, an ice sculpture, a harpist and a bar tender for the occasion. Event planning is a major part of marketing and it is something I enjoy the most.

These are just a few of the projects I will be focusing on this summer for the company. More to come!