About

My team and I worked cross functionally as product managers with other SBU's to develop, publish, print and distribute over 1,200 business directories known as The Everything Pages throughout the United States. Since our product portfolio generated $1.2 billion in annual revenues with strong growth rates and healthy product margins, "directories" became known as the cash cow for the “telephone” company.

The Bell Atlantic - GTE merger

In the late 90’s, two huge telecom organizations joined forces to become a behemoth now known as Verizon. With uncertainty about the future increasing within the organization due to the pending merger, it was a welcome relief when a headhunter contacted me about becoming a product marketing director for Citizens Communications.

I accepted the job offer because: a) it was a great opportunity, b) a promotion, c) my family and I would remain in the Dallas area. Well our best laid plans went for nought as Citizens Communications acquired a larger company, Frontier Corporation.

A short time later, our executive team informed us that our new headquarters building was being put on the market and if we wanted to keep our jobs, we would have to relocate to Rochester, NY. My first thought was no. But it was just after September 11th when my boss convinced me that it would be the right move for me. And it turned out to be just that except for the weather!

While at GTE, I started to take note of how the Internet was beginning to impede the directory publishing business. I can remember there was even a small controversy at the time about placing the words http:// with our website address on the cover of the phone books!

The Perfect Storm

Soon thereafter, the introduction of the iPhone, the emergence of Google and the rise of millennial consumers completely disrupted the traditional media publishing model. This caused us to make rapid changes to defend and grow our advertising business.

Our product teams launched CitizensPages and FrontierPages.com as “official” Internet directory websites that supported “in print and online” search for consumers while enabling us to create “print-digital” ad bundles for advertisers. By embracing new Internet publishing technology and finding ways to play well with Google, the 800 lb. gorilla in the local search space, we successfully maintained our product positioning for directories as the original local search engine--at least for a while.

Algorithm Updates

As Google introduced algorithm updates, we gained all kinds of knowledge and insight by continually testing and learning how to make SEO, search engine optimization really work for small business. The knowledge that we gained enabled me to train publisher sales representatives and teach local advertisers how directory advertising continued to be a valuable local media resource for buyers and sellers.

In 2007 after three years as the directory product marketing director for CenturyLink in Louisiana, (yes, the snow and cold was too much in Rochester), I became the Vice President of Sales for Innovectra--a leading directory platform technology provider in Northern Virginia. There I developed and successfully executed annual sales & marketing plans for our venture-backed company. My team and I grew the business to become a leading directory platform solutions provider in North America for newspapers, magazines and directory publishers.