Software Experience
Adobe: PhotoShop, InDesign; Microsoft: Word, Publisher, PowerPoint, Outlook, Excel.

Professional Experience
Vial Farm Management, Pontiac, IL - Active January 2000 – April 2004. Consultant May 2004 – present.
     Farm Manager

• Make budget and capital improvement decisions.
• Manage tenants in making all input and tillage decisions.
• Market corn, soybeans and rice on behalf of clients.
• Communicate with clients in timely manner and write annual reports.

Corn Belt Energy Corporation, Bloomington, IL - June 2006 – September 2008
      Marketing and Member Services Coordinator

• Kept web site updated and promoted timely events on home page.
• Wrote and took digital photos for two monthly publications for 38,000 members.
• Responsible for planning and executing company events and trade shows.
• Responsible for all company communications including brochures and signs.

Brady Weaver GMAC (now ReMax Choice), Bloomington, IL and Louis Lyons Realty, Pontiac, IL - March 2002 - June 2006.
     Real Estate Salesperson

• Marketed myself and listings.
• Kept all stakeholders informed at all stages of each transaction.
• Sold farm land and residential real estate.
• Handled farm land valuation including government payments, soil types and topography.
• Received extensive training in negotiation and sales strategy.
• Obtained and maintained Graduate Realtor® Institute designation (GRI).

Self employed - December 1992 – October 2006.
      Free-lance Writer and Desktop Publisher

• Produced monthly 16-page tabloid newsletter for University of Illinois Extension McLean County.
• Created full color, glossy brochures and other materials annually for hybrid seed company.

 
 Self employed - December 1992 – November 2005
    Grain Farmer

• Performed all spring tillage.
• Delivered all grain to elevators in fall.
• Performed fall tillage.

McLean County Service Company (GROWMARK) (now Evergreen FS), Bloomington, IL - April 1990 – December 1992.
     Marketing Administrative Assistant

• Wrote articles for newsletter; wrote and designed flyers and brochures.
• Administered sales program, sales information record keeping, arranged trucking and updated pricing.
• Kept inventory of dry, liquid and gas fertilizer and herbicide and insecticide for each location.
• Ordered all the above products and coordinated with central warehouse for entire company.
• Kept inventory and ordered liquid fuels and petroleum products for bulk storage and retail gas stations.
• Priced semi loads of liquid fuels and arranged trucking.

St. Luke Union Church, Bloomington, IL - December 1989 - April 1990.
     Office Manager

• Managed volunteers who helped with office functions.
• Did layout and printing of newsletter and bulletins.
• Maintained membership records.
• Communicated with committees, Council and commissions.
• Handled all church correspondence.

 The LeRoy Journal, LeRoy, IL - April 1984 - December 1989.
      Editor

• Wrote, reported, edited, did photography and layout.
• Managed staff of five.
• Managed and increased sales in commercial printing division.

Softlink, Bloomington, IL - 1985-1986
     Technical Writer

•  Wrote user manuals for ag bookkeeping computer software.

The Pantagraph, Bloomington, IL -June 1982 - April 1984.
     Writer, Special Projects Department

• Wrote for a new agricultural publication.
• Wrote and proofread The McLean County Almanac 1984, a 300-page book.
• Wrote business features.
• Copyedited The Pantagraph Informant, a videotex computer system.
• Edited Pantagraph Features, a syndication service.
• Edited two cookbooks.