Clients

The Peabody Orlando

Hospitality & Tourism

Created and managed an in-house PR and marketing department and also took over the agency-based marketing counsel for this newly opened world-class convention resort. Increased and maintained media coverage by more than 500%, with gains averaging $1.5 million (straight advertising dollar for PR dollar equivalents) per year for six years, through strong contacts within the meeting & convention, national and international tour & travel and food & beverage trades; health, sport (golf) and spa consumer travel and national and international print and electronic news media. Headquartered the PGA conference and hosted the PGA golf media, plus designed golf packages in conjunction with the hotel and a variety of courses in the area for corporate and T&T sales. Also hosted national and international press for Universal Studios, Sea World park openings, and World Cup Soccer, resulting in top placements for the hotel. Drafted signature media kits with informational and special event releases for individual, targeted media use. Oversaw marketing, media programs, trade show media coverage and pitching to national and international press sources, all publicity, community relations, promotions, photography, crisis management advisement, policy setting, and speechwriting and crisis management protocols for executive committee members. Also designed and oversaw corporate public relations and promotions campaigns for the growth and new location pitches in new cities for the Peabody Hotel Group (PHG). This assisted the Belz Family owners to gain exposure and define positioning for PHG during four new management property acquisitions and proposal presentations. Created publicity and media coverage for the acquisitions, while assisting with marketing proposal programs. Formulated "PHG Capabilities Brochure" copy and authored and published a new "hands-on" Peabody Orlando (TPO) meetings brochure to manage uniform corporate messages. Created, styled, wrote and produced "The Peabody Review" newsletter for national distribution. Wrote TPO rack brochure copy for second edition. Additional highlights: Introduced TPO to the James Beard Foundation in New York and arranged for the first Peabody culinary team to ever host Easter Brunch at the James Beard House. Coordinated annual public relations efforts for Give Kids The World as TPO's primary charity, raising more than $2.1 million in the first 6 years. Marketed duck march as a free attraction, increasing hotel visitations to more than 350 national and international visitors daily. Worked with author and publishers to produce a nationally distributed children's storybook, "Think Pink," featuring the Peabody ducks. Instituted "Hospitality PR" internship program for college and university students (up to four interns each semester). From both an in-house and agency perspective, able to garner unprecedented marketing, media and public relations results year after year, averaging millions of dollars of positive exposure. This assisted in gaining the hotel company a prime position for national and international business from people who had seen or read the news reports about the property and its high service standards. When PHG spent 2 months pitching against 12 other hotel companies to vie for the Miami Beach convention hotel project, Peabody placed second to the Loews Hotel Corp — missing the bid by only one commission vote, over larger, more entrenched companies like Ritz-Carlton, Hyatt, Hilton, Marriott and more, who had been wooing the commission for more than two years.

Universal Studios

Hospitality & Tourism

Designed and oversaw a unique option to pre-market to POW WOW's international travel press attendees prior to the important trade show, to expand exposure options for Universal Studios. The result was the best turnout of media-to-booth and at the press conferences to date, leading to more positive marketing exposure. Assisted with joint journalist hosting programs and familiarization trips, resulting in placement of news stories in the New York Times and many other national and international well-known dailies and travel journals.

Sonesta Resorts

Hospitality & Tourism

Created and supervised public relations department and served as liaison for the VP of Marketing and the Vice President & General Manager, to open and manage ongoing marketing for a new 4-Diamond, 4-Star 240-room luxury hotel (SSHR&S), condo tower, and tennis and spa resort. Developed and maintained local-to-worldwide media exposure for grand opening promotions and simultaneous International Davis Cup Tennis Championships. Generated yearly PR plan and budget. Initiated and aired numerous resort feature stories on national news media stations including ESPN, CNN and USA Today TV. Several hundred thousand dollars worth of news coverage was generated for both the opening and the consecutive year. Because of these successes, the marketing role was expanded to also oversee PR responsibilities for Sonesta Villa Resort, Orlando, expanding Sonesta's reach. Coordinated national and international travel writer FAM trips. Drafted and successfully garnered millions of dollars in media coverage for the opening, Davis Cup, Resort Destination packages, Spa destination, eco-tourism, gourmet dining amenities, and events for national and international trade and consumer publications. Produced traditional chef's roundtable culinary showcase to F&B media, and designed golf packages for the resort in conjunction with area golf clubs. Established photographic library and developed postcards for multi-department use. Originated and produced the quarterly "Resort Report" newsletter to Sanibel's leisure travel and membership contacts. Supplied 95% of all copy and photography for "Harbourviews," Sonesta International Corporation's bi-monthly travel industry newsletter. Additional highlights: Developed the "Great Escape" resort package. Created the Lee County-based American Cancer Society's most profitable yearly fund-raiser, the "Sunset At Sonesta" jazz festival benefiting the American Cancer Society. Served as part-time tour & travel sales representative to Atlanta-based travel agencies. Coordinated the "adoption" of a local children's home as Sanibel's seasonal charity focus.

Morton's of Chicago, The Steakhouse

Hospitality & Tourism

Created and oversaw opening marketing push for new restaurant plus concept adaptation for the Central Florida marketplace as a small meetings destination. The unprecedented small meetings expansion of the traditional group restaurant resulted in one of the company's best-attended openings in company history. Advised on meeting room expansion focus, resulting in cigar, wine and martini events and a large increase in corporate business resulting in sustained success to this day — all future buildouts now meet the standard proposed by Quill in the Orlando project. This restaurant maintains one of the highest average checks and is one of the most popular corporate meeting function spaces in Central Florida, exceeding budgeted sales levels for more than two decades, supported by Quill's marketing direction until the family business was sold. Also oversaw the 2004 "World's Largest Wine Bottle" promotion in the Central Florida community, with more than 13 news stories produced on radio, TV and in magazines, newspapers and through blogs and internet marketing prior to Sotheby's Auction to charity. Overall, Quill has generated millions of dollars in marketplace exposure through her ongoing marketing programs. Quill's work generated not only positive media attention for Morton's, but many of Quill's successfully designed and executed promotions became prototype programs used throughout the international restaurant group. When Morton's opened its new Bar 1221, Quill again gained attention by tying in the economy, vendors and partnerships available, with one result being a front-page, full-color photo spread in the Orlando Sentinel featuring the new menu. The bar enjoys a thriving business to this day.

Robert Morris Culinary Institute

Education

Created marketing concept for completion of culinary school for the Chicago-based Robert Morris College in DuPage, IL. Arranged for additional media exposure for opening. Due to Quill's efforts, forecasts for enrollment were exceeded by 400% within the first two years at DuPage, which was supported by launching three additional branches of the RMC Culinary Institute school in Downtown Chicago, Orland Park and Evanston, IL.

Orlando Convention Center

Public & Private Sector

Worked with the Marketing Director to promote the convention center's early expansion plans to 7 million square feet — serving as the nation's 2nd largest convention center by space and gross business. Enhanced marketing and media relations to target meeting and convention trade audiences. Quill was instrumental in gaining prominent features in Facilities Magazine, Successful Meetings, Associations Magazine, Meeting News, and many other national meetings and conventions trade magazines about the latest architectural plans and expansion space for group bookings. This garnered the center 2.5 million visitors a year, which is still growing to this day.

Casino Apache

Hospitality & Tourism

Instrumental in pursuing and acquiring more than $60,000 worth of news coverage in three months for the pre-opening promotions and opening of Casino Apache Travel Center in Mescalero NM, including their restaurant opening, gaming casino opening and pre-resort opening media relations. Received streaming news on CNN, as well as write ups in the El Paso Times and the Albuquerque Business Journal, Golf Digest and Golf Weekly and many others, including a feature in Travel & Leisure Golf Magazine for the award winning wilderness mountain based golf course on Mescalero Apache Tribal land, which outlines the resort. Quill's efforts were instrumental in gaining the course the "Top 35 Golf Courses" ranking for courses nationwide from Golf Digest and Golf Magazine.

Pirate's Dinner Adventure

Hospitality & Tourism

Responsible for all print, TV and other media placement in tourism, travel and attractions trades as well as business and consumer press. Wrote advertising copy concepts, brochures and placed ads nationwide and throughout Europe. Supported marketing through news sources to local and international media contacts and at trade shows such as POW WOW. Developed and produced a photographic library for advertising and news use. Designed and taught in-house Operations-focused "Premium Pirate's Service Standards" program, increasing service standards. Served as head counsel to VP of Marketing & Operations. Maintained media relations exposure at an average $500,000 per year in volume of exposure (when same space compared to advertising costs in same publications).

America's Charities

Non-Profit & Associations

Key marketing and media relations for this introduction into Central Florida workplace giving campaigns for this national federation of charities. Gaining many front page print stories, along with a depth of media coverage, plus events, resulted in the continuing and still growing levels of inclusion for acceptance in a formerly United Way-only region. This community granted America's Charities the Edith Bush Grant of $135,000 in its third year in Orlando. In addition, America's Charities was able to exceed all forecasts with the extensive number of corporations which included AC in their workplace giving campaigns each year. Today, the Orlando model of success is presently being prototyped and applied to America's Charities eight other regions nationwide.

Orlando Advertising Federation

Non-Profit & Associations

Supported one of the American Advertising Federations' largest chapters, the Orlando Advertising Federation, with marketing counsel and media relations for the federation's programs. Served on board as chairman of Public Relations, offering counsel to design future support and business outreach programs, the growth of club membership and the success of their initiatives. Through enhanced media relations for the association concerning their strengths and services, the federation was voted "Chapter of the Year" throughout the nation, and also "Best Public Relations Chapter" for four consecutive years, plus the members won eight of the nine national awards. The OAF president was also voted "President of the Year."

Orlando International Airport

Public & Private Sector

Quill developed the marketing operations survey of more than 3,000 out-bound travelers on several airlines for a detailed survey whose information would be used and depended upon for the next three years by nearly every department within GOAA, including marketing decisions and expansion planning. The survey operation was seamless, and the final report simplified to be easily read and cross-referenced if necessary. The results were so well received by GOAA personnel that our contact at GOAA was rewarded with the "Employee of the Year" award for her work with us on this very successful project.

Summerfield Suites Hotels

Hospitality & Tourism

Wrote, pitched and placed news stories to hospitality and tour and travel news trades. Developed one of the most successful direct mail incentive campaigns in the hotel chain's history, with a 40 percent positive response rate from operators. Quill also took on overseeing the public relations and marketing for the DOS Committee's Florida-wide tourism push for I-Drive exposure in conjunction with the I-Drive Transit Authority and community hospitality and attractions sales leaders, resulting in front-page exposure in many Florida cities including Orlando.

First Orlando

Non-Profit & Associations

As a pro bono member of FBC Media Marketing Board, assisted in the new logo creation, school expansion, and news, to help grow the church from 12,000 to their 15,000 achieved goal of church growth. Pitched media resulting in three years of front-page color news coverage in the Orlando Sentinel's Front Page and Calendar Section for the Singing Christmas Trees performances which were seen by more than 40,000 annually for decades.

Dale Carson Law

Legal & Professional Services

Marketing counsel through firm name change, website design and content, logo upgrade and email enhancements, plus social media, to position criminal law firm for new clients. Produced sales video for media play, plus self-help educational Podcasts that have garnered goodwill for the law firm, in addition to thousands of business leads.

Lee Hecht Harrison Career Services

Legal & Professional Services

Launched a new LHH branch office into Orlando. Connected new office contacts with area leaders, arranged speaking engagements, and made face to face introductions to workplace/lifestyle beat media sources in all mediums for future growth potential. Developed media kit and gave counsel on best practices for positive exposure for the new branch, to solidify LHH's position as a leader in the Central Florida Marketplace.

David Leadbetter Golf Academy

Hospitality & Tourism

Designed brochure to help define the golf academy for new users near ChampionsGate Golf Course. Designed layout, wrote the brochure content while offering suggestions for golf package options that would "sell" best — ranging from retreats to the Player's School, mini schools and private lessons.

Wonderland Inn

Hospitality & Tourism

Quill oversaw all marketing for Kissimmee's own Wonderland Inn Bed & Breakfast on Orange Blossom Trail, just outside of Osceola's Historic downtown section. The quaint and charming B&B received numerous press coverage throughout the Southeast, including Southern Living, Tampa Bay Magazine, Orlando Business Journal, Recommend, Florida Travel, and many other trade and consumer travel publications.