BIOGRAPHY - Bayard Saunders

Bayard Saunders is an experienced leader in traditional and new media communications, with expertise in the B2B and B2C technology, manufacturing, healthcare, finance and retail sectors. Mr. Saunders is directing the integration of social media and mobile applications for engaging brands & consumers. He provides consulting to associations, companies and agencies about mobile & online direct marketing and PR, interactive promotions & events, research and social media. Also, as Chairman of the Analytics Committee for the Technology Council (AnalyticsCommittee.ning.com), he evangelizes the use of business intelligence, knowledge management, metrics and data-driven management best-practices to the membership and the local SMB business community.

As Director, Digital and Alternative Strategies for Bohan, an Emmy award-winning, full-service agency, Mr. Saunders led the agency's digital marketing and PR for clients HCA, AmSurg, Stoney River, Peabody Hotels, Pigeon Forge and Palm Beach CVBs, and the Nashville Symphony. He produced the Ebonite YouTube channel mockumentary, "They Ruined Bowling," also used as TV commercials on ESPN. He increased same-store sales for Fazoli's with a promotion existing only on Twitter and Facebook (www.FreeSpaghetti.com) to give away 2 million pounds of free pasta. In a partnership with Google, he designed a new web architecture for theUnited Methodist church, with a “relevance algorithm” that displays the website like a "tag cloud," highlighting content based on the most current topics relevant to seekers (www.10ThousandDoors.org).

As VP Marketing for Kintera (now a division of Blackbaud NSDQ:BLKB), a software and service provider for the non-profit industry, Mr. Saunders lead all marketing communications, analytics and ROI sales channel management, including research, strategic planning, advertising, permission-based CRM, search engine optimization, direct mail, and successfully integrated resources from multiple corporate acquisitions, established blogs, podcasts, email newsletters, webinar outreach and customer users' group programs. Doubled revenues two years running, and brought the brand from introduction to #3 in the market, resulting in acquisition by the #1 competitor. Kintera software enabled the online fundraising of $340 million in 2004 for the American Cancer Society, Big Brothers Big Sisters, UNICEF, and other good causes.

Formerly, as a Managing Director in Burson Marsteller's Brand Marketing practice, he was the San Diego market leader and B2B Team leader for Southern California. In the first two years of operations, he recruited and managed 20 team members, opening the WPP Group/Y&R agency (AMEX:WPPGY) San Diego office. He was responsible for directing all research, strategic planning, integrated brand management, media relations, promotions, events, guerilla marketing, new business development, and customer relationship management communications programs. He also served worldwide as a strategic planning resource for clients including Sony Electronics, Qualcomm Leap Wireless, Peregrine Systems, Qwest Communications, R.R. Donnelly, Citibank, Heineken USA, Pharmacia, Lincoln-Mercury and Tiffany's.

Prior to joining Burson-Marsteller, Mr. Saunders was Vice President, Marketing, for BoxLot.com online auctions and e-commerce, the fastest growing shopping site listed in the Media Metrix Top 500, ranked #2 auction site by PCData Online, and #1 in Customer Satisfaction by AuctionWatch. At boxLot.com, Mr. Saunders lead all marketing activities including new business development, strategic alliances, ad sales and customer relationship management. He negotiated strategic alliances with TheGlobe.com, About.com, and Mail Boxes Etc, and the final acquisition by InfoSpace (NSDQ:INSP).

Formerly, he was National Sales & Marketing Director for Bowne & Co. (AMEX:BNE). At Bowne, Mr. Saunders was responsible all strategic communications planning, sales and business development. He was the architect of the first General Motors Corporate Communications Intranet for Media Relations, and for Buick, he engineered the first integration of a website and customer service call center. He provided consumer communications services for Kmart, Brooks Brothers, McDonalds, and Comerica Bank. Also, he was responsible for the strategic design of the first public relations "launch" of an automobile online by an automotive company: the Regal.com webcast.

While at Bowne, Mr. Saunders served on the Advisory Board for "FAST Forward," the initiative for interactive consumer communications at Proctor and Gamble, and also as Board Member and Chairman of the Great Lakes Interactive Marketing Association. He was instrumental in producing a series of live chats on "interactive television" specials for ABC/Scripps-Howard, winning the first Interactive Television award from the Michigan Association of Broadcasters.

He began his career as a Brand Manager, at Ross Roy Communications, Michigan's largest advertising agency, now Omnicom (AMEX:OMC). There he launched the Neon brand, and founded the interactive group, now Organic Online, and was responsible for creating the first website for an American automobile manufacturer; producing the Chrysler, Dodge and Plymouth divisions' first internet marketing programs. Mr. Saunders began his career at the same agency directing communications work for Kellogg, Delta, Westinghouse, Strohs, Prudential, and Procter & Gamble.

Mr. Saunders earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Education and Communications from Wayne State University, and a Master of Business Administration degree in Marketing from San Diego State University. He has also been a member and served on the board of directors of local chapters of the Social Media Club, Interactive Marketing Association, American Marketing Association, the Public Relations Society of America, the Direct Marketing Association, Sales and Marketing Executives International, and an Op Ed contributor to the San Diego Daily Transcript. He has served as Contributing Technology Editor for Hour Detroit Magazine, and as a regular columnist/author for Idea magazine. He has been a featured speaker nationally on the topic of integrated marketing, advertising, consumer communications and interactive technologies.