We Like the Company We Keep

A firm is only as good as the people who make it up. We think our entire team is top-notch; at least that's what our clients say. Our collective experience of work includes such impressive companies and organizations as:  Packnet Ltd., NueSku, Oppenheimer, Wolf & Donnelly, LLC, Larson King, LLP, Hubbard Broadcasting, Minnesota Department of Public Safety, Extended Exposure, Best Buy, and Trailblazer Coaching. Our talented virtual team includes marketing strategists, web site developers, graphic designers, copy writers, researchers, media and public relations experts, and online marketing and social media professionals. 

Meet the leadership of women-owned BridgeWater Consulting:

Robin Hicks, Partner 

Robin is a senior-level marketing and communications consultant who has worked with clients from Fortune 200 companies to small and mid-sized companies and firms as an outsourced marketing, communications and media relations resource. Her expertise is in developing highly successful strategies that help clients drive sales with highly effective lead generation marketing programs, strategic growth strategies, develop brand awareness, manage and promote perceptions and thought leadership through media outlets. Her expertise in online strategies and capitalizing on Web 2.0 social media adds value to the overall marketing strategy and creates highly-targeted, direct communication with the intended audience. Robin's more than 20 years of experience leads clients in setting attainable business growth with the combination of  analysis, strategy and execution.

Representative Experience
NueSku, Retail Packaging Design and Prototype Experts
Serving as this client's outsourced marketing department, Robin's engagement manager role has led the effort to develop's NueSku's independent and cohesive brand along with developing key messages. Robin has created a srategic marketing plan for this company that focuses on lead generation, brand awareness and increased revenue. NueSku reports increases in revenue, sales leads and highly targeted prospects. 

Wilson & Wilson Law Offices, The Center for Estate Planning and Elder Law
A current client, this Chicago law firm has expanded into the area of social media by blogging, Twittering and Linking In. The firm has been able to broaden its exposure and solidify its brand by tying all aspects of social media together. In addition, Robin has created a strategic media plan for the founding partner and he has had featured byline articles in highly-targeted Chicago publications.

Extended Exposure
Robin has worked with this small St. Paul-based personalized memories product company since 2005. She has helped raise awareness of this Olympic license awarded to this small company for both the Torino and Beijing Olympics. The owner of the company has been featured in the Minneapolis Star Tribune last summer before the Olympics as a successful entrepreneur. The company has been able to tie an increase in business with the media exposure.

Stellent (now Oracle)
Working as a consultant before being hired by this company, Robin developed and implemented marketing program strategies that generated a 300 percent increase in leads for the company’s global sales force. In addition, she assisted in rebranding the company including the website and all marketing materials across the globe.

The Minneapolis Institute of Arts – Grand Reopening 
As a consultant, Robin strategized and implemented a marketing campaign to increase yearly attendance at this free museum. She created several promotions around events for the year-long “Grand Re-Opening” campaign. Events ranged in attendance from hundreds for special events to thousands for the grand reopening weekend and included extensive media coverage locally and nationally garnering a spot on NBC’s 
“The Today Show.”

Minnesota Department of Public Safety – Office of Communications
Robin served in the Office of Communications managing media relations and marketing strategies for several department clients. She moderated news conferences and worked on several high profile media cases for the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and Minnesota State Patrol including working on the funeral of a slain state trooper involving attendance by peace officers and media from several states; high profile crimes investigated by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension such as the national search for Andrew Cunnanan, alleged murderer of fashion designer Gianni Versace, and managed statewide media communications at the Command Center in St. Paul for the 1997 floods in Grand Forks. A motorcyle safety campaign, managed by Robin in conjunction with Martin/Willams advertising agency, was highlighted in Adweek as a highly creative and effective campaign which garnered many awards.
 
Areas of Expertise
Strategic marketing and communications planning & execution                                                                                     
Online marketing strategies and all facets of social media 

Brand management and strategies

Agency and vendor liaison

Media Relations and Public Relations

Project Management
News release and copy writing


Education
·  Master in Business Communications, University of St. Thomas (expected 2012)
    
·  Certificate, MBC Program, University of St. Thomas

·  Certificate, Mini-MBA Program, University of St. Thomas
·  Bachelor of Science, Mass Communications & Broadcast Journalism, Illinois State University

Meredith Hinke, Partner

Meredith’s marketing and communications experience spans more than 17 years in a variety of industries including education, legal, architecture, technology, and finance.  She has worked with clients to develop targeted, strategic marketing plans and has extensive experience in project management of contact management and database planning, practice group marketing, promotional material development, proposal development, vendor management, website planning, and client/customer survey development and analysis.



Representative Experience
Mark Tracy Law Firm
As a consultant, Meredith has guided this small law firm to develop an online strategy, increase name awareness and create targeted communications with clients through the use of surveys. 

Twin Cities virtual law firm
As a consultant, Meredith has worked with this unique group of attorneys to increase name recognition, strengthen and broaden its client relationships, and identify new and unique ways to deliver client services.
    
Minneapolis Financial Institution
As a consultant, Meredith served as a key person in helping this firm achieve its business development goals. She also helped identify additional service lines and improve customer relationships. 

Oppenheimer, Wolff & Donnelly, LLC 
As part of the firm's marketing department, Meredith worked on practice group strategy and marketing, promotional materials, presentations, web site optimization, professional announcements and media coverage. She worked in all practice groups on targeted proposals and industry-specific communications.  Meredith was also involved in the development and launch of the firm's first online library of marketing materials available to firm attorneys nationwide.

The International School of Minnesota
As an employee, Meredith planned and executed events at this school to attract families of potential students. She developed promotional materials, conducted surveys with families, and represented the school at trade shows and events in the community.

Areas of Expertise
Project management
Event planning, management and execution
Promotional material development
Vendor management
Client/Customer survey development and analysis
Website planning and content creation
Proposal development
Contact Management and database planning
Practice group marketing
Education
·  Bachelor of Arts in Organizational Communications and Public Relations, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire

Kathy Snell, Partner

Kathy has 20 years of project and event management, supervisory experience and administrative management, and is an exceptionally strong organizer who is consistently accurate.  She has worked in marketing with companies of all sizes, from individual and family-owned businesses to large international corporations.  Kathy’s experience in marketing in industries such as legal, healthcare, and finance includes the development of strategic marketing plans and project management.  She has further expertise in database and contact management planning and maintenance, practice group marketing, promotional material development, website planning, proposal development, client survey development and execution, and vendor management.  

Representative Experience
National healthcare consultant company (Chicago-based)
As a consultant, Kathy managed this firm’s marketing projects and contributed to strategic initiatives.  She also coordinated between other resources such as graphic designers and website developers, and she created and organized the program for a multi-day out-of-state meeting for healthcare consultants traveling from around the country, including materials for the event.

Mid-sized Minneapolis law firm
As a consultant, Kathy was in charge of managing this law firm’s marketing plan initiatives.  She was their key person in developing and executing strategic marketing and working toward developing new business goals.  Kathy also organized ongoing and annual seminars, including all registrations, coordination with the facility (catering, AV, and room set up details), and materials.

Hubbard Broadcasting, Inc.
For this national broadcast company, Kathy worked closely with company ownership and upper executives in the management and implementation of company initiatives and strategies. 

Trailblazer Coaching, LLC
As a consultant, Kathy works with this professional coaching firm’s owner and clients on strategic communications and business administration including coordinating schedules, maintaining the firm’s database, and conducting research.

Areas of Expertise
Project management
Event planning, management and execution
Client surveys development and analysis
Website planning, management and editing
PowerPoint presentation development
Editing and proofreadingReport and communication composition
Promotional material development
Vendor management
Proposal development
Contact management and database planning and management

Education
·  Bachelor of Science, Biology, University of Minnesota