dan niccum portfolio
DESCRIPTION
A portfolio of my work as a marketing communications leader.TRANSCRIPT
This document provides a broad overview of my career as a marketing communications leader. Many talented people have contributed to the
publications, products, software, training, and videos represented in this portfolio. I salute their talent and will attempt to clearly articulate my role
in the development of objects represented in this presentation.
Perhaps my greatest strength lies in my ability to develop and implement highly effective communications structures that ensure all messages are
conveyed to all audiences in a highly efficient, fully compliant, and consistent manner. This ability to architect a complex communications infrastructure is a
product of my strong communications skills and unparalleled technical capabilities.
I mapped out the evolution of Health Nets’ communication infrastructure – from print to PDF to an advanced electronic database – in the late 1990s. Over the next decade, I led the development of content management software at Health Net, resulting in millions of dollars of savings through a role-based communications system that is still without peer in the managed care industry.
I architected DocManager, which was developed by NPC programmers & designers.
I have built and led marketing and communications departments for numerous organizations. At Health Net, I modernized and expanded a California-only unit into a 25-person national multimedia team. At Horizon West, I developed a comprehensive 18-person communications division from scratch.
Members of the Health Net National Provider Communications & Marketing Department at a Habitat for Humanity Project.
I have developed and honed a robust communications theory that drives all of my actions as a corporate communicator. The most efficient organization is the one that communicates most efficiently. I am skilled at analyzing the efficiency of systems and organizations, and then crafting an organizational structure that drives profitability and growth.
HN Results is an efficiency application based on my communications theory.
I am an uncommonly gifted writer and editor who can establish a tone of discourse for an organization that is aspirational yet honest, consistent with
corporate goals and values, and perfectly tailored to the intended audience. I am adept at constructing content development and editorial oversight
systems that ensure a consistency of style that is the hallmark of an exceptional brand.
This letter was part of a business development campaign for Horizon West Healthcare. The purpose of the letter was to project the image of a vibrant, technically advanced and highly organized company to the president and owner of a firm we were working to acquire.
This letter was written and edited by me and signed by Horizon West President and CEO Ken McGuire.
This Report to the State Board of Education laid out the legal precedent and financial and educational costs of the efforts of one community to break away from the Grant Joint Union High School District. The cover letter was signed by superintendent Hazel Mahone.
The entire report, including the superintendent’s letter, was conceived, written, edited and designed by me. I also presented it the California State Board of Education.
This document established the editorial and visual design standards used by the Health Net National Provider Communications and Marketing Department in the development of all mass communication and training materials.
Originally conceived, written and laid out by me, and designed and updated (including the addition of visual standards) by editorial and creative members of the NPC department.
I have served as the spokesperson and individual responsible for developing long-term media relationships for a broad range of organizations, from the US
Marine Corps to major healthcare entities. I am especially adept at preparation for and implementation of crisis communications programs that allow organizations to put negative situations into context and maintain staff
and leadership morale during difficult times.
When first approached by Salon.com, this article was a one-sided David and Goliath story about how a large HMO was crushing an unfortunate non-profit that provided free medical services in Africa. By establishing a relationship with the reporter based on trust, access and openness, I was able to defuse the basic premise of the piece and ensure a more balanced story.
I gave this interview while serving as spokesperson for Health Net of California.
This story was picked up by media outlets around the world, but was kept off the airways in our primary Northern California market by utilizing established media contacts to keep it a low-key story. My response to this negative story was to share the company’s disgust with the employees’ actions, and to highlight our legal cooperation.
I gave this interview while serving as spokesperson for Horizon West Healthcare.
This story detailing a record judgment against Horizon West Healthcare for the death of a patient was one of dozens for which I was interviewed following the verdict. In my response, I attempted to reiterate our belief that the judgment was improper and extra-legal, and to highlight the good people who comprised the company.
I gave this interview while serving as spokesperson for Horizon West Healthcare.
An effective public relations program is a critical component in managing an organization’s brand. I have built highly efficient public relations campaigns
that have resulted in millions of dollars of free publicity, shifted the perception of core constituencies, and served as a basis for community
outreach efforts.
One of my first steps in rehabilitating the image of Horizon West was to hire an established editor to produce ready-to-print articles written in AP style for distribution to print media. In the first nine months of this program, more than 75 articles highlighting positive aspects of the organization and its communities were published in local and regional newspapers.
Article published verbatim from Horizon West release written by my PR manager.
Successful community relations is a “boots on the ground” affair, requiring an intimate familiarity with the needs and tastes of each community and a lot of hard work. The HW Classic was a professional tennis tournament designed to build community relations in support of our Davis, California facility.
I led the development of this event, which was implemented through a collaboration of my creative and sales teams and the UC Davis tennis teams.
As Public Affairs NCO for the Marine Corps responsible for community relations in Northern California, I led campaigns to drive the development of positive articles with print and electronic media. I was recognized by the Marine Corps for garnering more than $1 million in free publicity annually, including this cover story highlighting a USMC youth program.
I planned, coordinated and executed this visit.
A brand is the sum of all messages conveyed to all audiences. The best brands are developed to reflect an organizations’ core values and implemented
through a combination of mass and interpersonal communications. I have led the creation and served as a steward of effective brands that are visually
compelling, appropriate to the mission of the company, and implemented in the most efficient manner possible.
Upon my arrival, Horizon West Healthcare was a 50-year-old, $250 million company without a brand. I hired a brand manager and collaborated on the development of a corporate look, feel and tone that reflected the core values of the founder. This brand was nurtured through a stringent editorial process and systematic messaging to internal and external audiences.
The Philosophy of Care card was developed by my creative services team.
One of my greatest challenges at Health Net was coordination of the National Provider Communication Department’s tone, look and feel with the 13 other marketing communications entities in the organization. I led the development of brand coordination meetings that ensured a consistency of style.
The Provider Toolkit was a series of physician sales support documents that were visually coordinated to match our inconsistent consumer style in all markets.
Few brands are more recognizable world-wide than the Marine Corps. As public affairs NCO, I created materials and campaigns designed to further an already established brand. Due to limited resources, this brand strategy was primarily implemented through media management and an aggressive public service campaign.
I designed and produced the Command Visit ‘87 flyer to attract media and community leaders to a tour of boot camp.
Throughout my career, I have developed and implemented effective marketing plans that incorporated my diverse communication skills, my ability
to rapidly synthesize an organizations’ culture, and my ability to build or reinvent sales and marketing teams who are highly motivated and equipped
to succeed in the task at hand.
From comprehensive, statistically-valid surveys spanning thousands of customers nationally, to targeted industry-specific research and analysis conducted using online data engines, I have a broad background in gathering the information necessary to allow a company to make decisions based on facts. At Health Net, I conducted extensive focus groups to ensure flawless implementation of programs, while at Horizon West, I utilized online data engines to target highly profitable patients more efficiently.
I possess a highly refined ability to rapidly analyze complex and diverse markets and to develop concise, comprehensive, and targeted marketing strategies.
With the Marine Corps, I completely reinvented the approach to public affairs and marketing for the USMC on the regional level. At Horizon West, I implemented a comprehensive corporate marketing communications strategy that was tailored to each community we served.
I have built, trained, equipped and led highly efficient and successful sales teams of both products and services. At Omni Motion, I developed five Northern California territories and hired and trained clinicians who helped grow the company 10-fold during my tenure. At Horizon West I centralized and trained customer-relations staff, growing them into an effective medical sales team targeting surgeons and health care administrators.
Over the course of my career, I have led the development of thousands of publications, ranging from clinical books and operations manuals, to
interactive online training programs, to newsletters, executive communications, and speeches. I have hired and trained dozens of writers and editors, who have collaboratively produced an extraordinary array of
timely and relevant content for a wide variety of audiences.
Upon arriving at Health Net, I began conversion of provider materials from print to electronic format and expanded the scope, frequency, and usability of the library. Over the years, this product evolved into a comprehensive database featuring real-time updates customized to the end user.
I conceived this product, hired and trained the editorial and technical staff necessary for its development, and oversaw all aspects of production.
The Guide to Evidence-Based Medicine was developed to move Health Net away from cost-based determination of coverage to a payment model based on what research showed to be true. Working with a chief medical officer, I created the HN Committee for Evidence-Based Medicine and hired and trained a clinical writing team within the NPC.
I produced this document and oversaw all aspects of development.
The Resident Handbook was created to provide patients with an overview of company policies and procedures, patient rights and responsibilities, and what to expect during a stay at Horizon West facilities. It was accompanied by a new electronic admissions package. The combination of these products improved customer service while reducing costs.
I conceived and edited this product, which was produced and written by members of my creative and marketing teams.
I have led the development of numerous Web and Social Media campaigns, including development of the Health Net Provider Intranet portal, creation of
a highly successful ecommerce site, and development of Facebook and Twitter communities for Horizon West Healthcare. I am skilled in developing
beautiful portals that also serve as models of communication efficiency.
This portal was designed to serve as the source of all information about Horizon West Healthcare and our communities, and included links to our Facebook and Twitter communities, affiliated companies, and our 24 hour customer service center (which I also created and ran). The project was in the final stages of development when the company was purchased.
I set the objectives for the site, which was designed by my creative services team.
We created the twitter account in order to provide real-time updates on news and events occurring in our communities. The site featured daily postings, which were written and posted by my public relations department and facility community relations representatives.
This site was designed, developed, promoted & maintained by my creative services and public relations teams under my direction.
The Horizon West Facebook page was a robust community that tied together the activities of my creative services, sales, public relations, and corporate goodwill teams with our facility community relations staff as part of a comprehensive social media program.
This page was designed, developed, promoted & maintained by my creative services and public relations teams under my direction.
I created Health Net’s only full function professional video and editing studio and first instructional design unit to fill a void in the company’s media development capabilities. Under my direction, the unit produced an
extraordinary array of video products for audiences that included members, providers and associates.
“Dan Niccum is the most creative and innovative person I have ever had the pleasure to work with. In less than a year ... he built a highly efficient and effective corporate communications structure that was centered on the establishment of a new corporate brand based on core values of compassion, support, integrity, and expertise.”
Ken McGuirePresident & CEO – Horizon West Healthcare, Inc.
“Dan Niccum is one of the most energetic and dynamic individuals that I have ever had the opportunity of working with.”
Ted BermanPresident – Omni Motion, Inc.
A few of the comments of bosses for whom I have worked over the years...
“Dan’s inspirational leadership and uncommon genius encourages personal and corporate success wherever he goes.”
Sheila PemberManager – Health Net
“Dan has an extraordinary ability to determine his staffs' greatest strengths, matches those strengths to corporate needs, and gives staff tremendous opportunities to develop and succeed.”
Jennifer GrantInstructional Designer – Health Net
A few of the comments of employees who worked for me over the years...
“Dan is one of the most creative big-picture thinkers it has been my pleasure to work with. He easily crosses functional boundaries, unifying technical, clinical, and creative professionals into effective teams that build sophisticated programs that work for customers. He demands as much of himself as he demands of his associates, and they respect and value him for it.”
Ceil TilneyDirector, Instructional Design & Training – MHN
“Dan was a great team player - organized, creative, timely, strategic, ethical and just a very enjoyable professional to work with.”
Tom Smith, CMPDirector, Meetings & Events – Health Net
A few of the comments of colleagues with whom I have worked over the years...
