Melinda Borucki, 39, works in Phoenix, Arizona, as director of marketing at LMI Solutions. As a 2018 40 Under 40 honoree, Borucki discusses her passion for the events industry.
Connect with Borucki on Twitter. What I do: My role is to differentiate LMI Solutions from the small circle of competitors in new and innovative ways. We made the decision to pivot from commoditized sales and marketing, to directing our focus and energies into the two things that make us different: our commitment to zero waste (eco-sustainability) and the solutions we provide to our resellers (solution-based selling). Through application of B2C principles such as audience development, authentic engagement and storytelling, as well as event management, the marketing team has become pioneers in this “new era” of engagement. How I got here: I have spent most of my career in radio working in marketing and promotions, coupled with a short tenure working for the government in Illinois. We transferred out to Arizona for my husband’s job, which incidentally is also, where I now work! Greatest career accomplishment: I was responsible for a charity golf outing during my tenure at AM560 The Answer in Chicago, where we raised funds for Honor Flight, Chicago. This charity sends World War II veterans to the memorial in Washington, D.C. As part of the event and as extra incentive to “give as much as you can” we brought a handful of veterans to be our guests for a day at the country club. Each member of the marketing/promotions team took one of our guests and drove them around the various holes so the attendees could thank them for their service, and get a chance to chat with them. We raised nearly $60,000 for Honor Flight. Impressive Stats: This year, we cleaned up our marketing and sales databases, implemented the use of Salesforce, have increased open, click through, and funnel completion by 18 percent, and increased our web sessions by 79 percent year over year. What I am Working on Now: LMI’s biggest event of the year is sponsoring the Waste Management Open (PGA Golf) so that continues to be what holds the largest amount of our event focus. Included in this event is obtaining sponsorship commitments from our vendors and partners to defer overhead costs, negotiating barter agreements with media and trade publications, as well as creating micro-events beneficial to our customers housed within the larger scope of attending the WMO. As we pivot into services focused selling, our plan is to host numerous more intimate “CEO Summits” throughout the United States to help our customers really be able to drill down and identify where their pain points are and how to find solutions to those issues. What I do outside of work: I do a lot of writing and volunteer in writing groups. When in Chicago, I became the Municipal Liaison for National Novel Writing Month Additionally, I am part of Romance Writers of America, both nationally, as well as, the two local chapters here in Phoenix, Desert Rose RWA and Valley of the Sun RWA. I am also very honored to be a founding member of the Independent Author Support Network, which is the brainchild of New York Times Best Selling Author, Marie Force. She has united Independent Authors into a singular voice to advocate for Indie rights and provide assistance in disputes.
