Early in my career I realized that becoming a true professional in a given field, one such as digital marketing management, is much like becoming a professional athlete, practice makes perfect. On top of that practice, having a portal to easily showcase your skills can accelerate playing opportunities, and in my case, it was accessing a career path that was in harmony with my goals.
I saw developing a website such as this a necessity in today’s job market to showcase my skills, and not solely my technical capabilities.
Throughout my career I have demonstrated an ability to gel traditional strategies with truly “outside the box” ideas that have provided the desired results. As an extension of my professional resume, I wanted to give possible employers, contractors and/or clients the ability to have a glimpse at something that I can accomplish.
Thank you for visiting.
I am originally from Grand Island, New York, a community located on the Niagara River, just outside of Buffalo. I grew up playing many team-based sports and was elected team captain of my high school soccer and lacrosse teams.
I left home to attend the State University of New York College at Brockport where I earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing. I joined the Delta Sigma Phi Fraternity and was again peer-elected to several executive-level positions, most notably the Presidency during my final year.
During college, using my love for adventure, I acquired a job in a small beach town in North Carolina to spend my summers, and once I had graduated I relocated there.
During my transitional years, I continued the adventure and had relocated to Australia for approximately 7 months during our winter, and the following year joined the snow-making team at Okemo Mountain Resort in Vermont.
In 2007, I relocated to San Diego and was offered the Marketing Manager role with the C.H.E.K Institute, a health and wellness educational firm. It was in this role that I created my greatest adventure to date, the Through the Roof documentary.
After almost 2 years of organizing, in January of 2010, I assisted the world’s first female paraplegic to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Africa.
From this experience and my prior experience with digital marketing management, I relocated to Santa Barbara to join lynda.com as an Online Marketing Coordinator. This was an incredible opportunity for me to experience a growing dot com with millions of visitors daily and to directly manage a $5 million advertising budget.
After lynda.com, I relocated back to San Diego to manage the Digital Programs for Carling Communications, a marketing agency concentrating in the pharmaceutical and industry. While at Carling, I managed cross-client digital programs including website production, iPad application development and registration-based campaigns.
With an interest to continue my career on the client-side of the business relationship, I transitioned to the Online Marketing Manager at Modern Postcard, the role I am currently in. Through the management of a small team, I am responsible for all online and digital operations for the company and directly report to the executive team.
Right now, I am concentrating on trying to grow through further education or experiences and from those around me both personally and professionally. Thank you for visiting.
December 2011 – Present Directly manage all online and e-commerce platforms, advertising, communications and business programs, including design, copy and development staff, project and campaign formation, execution and analysis, and budgeting. February 2011 – December 2011 Through direct client management, responsible for brainstorming, researching, recommending, implementing and reporting of various digital marketing campaigns. July 2010 – February 2011 Drive complete SEO and SEM operations, website optimization, user experience testing and reporting to provide insight on daily sales, traffic and conversion by digital marketing channel and campaign while maximizing ROI within a $5 million online advertising budget. March 2008 – July 2010 Direct management for the strategic vision, implementation, management, reporting and analysis of marketing campaigns and global ecommerce, programs and applications within budget.
Modern Postcard
Digital/Online Marketing Manager
Carling Communications
Senior Account Executive - Digital Programs
lynda.com
Digital/Online Marketing Coordinator
C.H.E.K Institute
Marketing Manager
“Derek is a truly complete marketing professional that possesses the ability to analyze an assortment of marketing campaigns and react effectively. His passion for advertising and life was a joy to be around. His positive outlook and general personality was not only friendly, but results driven and respected, and was refreshing in the corporate culture. He gets my recommendation for any enterprise and I look forward to the next time our business paths might cross.” “I was immediately impressed with the initiative and enthusiasm that Derek held for the project. Not only did develop the trip concept on his own, but he gathered all the sponsors and resources to make his dream become a reality. From his initial sponsorship pitch through the end of the hike, Derek was in regular contact with me and my team. He provided written and verbal updates frequently and clearly. His enthusiasm and dedication was evident in every portion of the project. It is my experience that Derek is diligent, honest, and hard-working. He a valuable asset to any organization or project he joined.” “I have had the pleasure of working with Derek Gates since July, 2009. He first approached our company about a potential sponsorship for the “Through the Roof” documentary with the C.H.E.K Institute. Derek is an astute businessman who is able to combine the many facets of marketing with the practicality of understanding the sponsors practical needs. Derek’s personality is friendly and forthright. He’s extremely easy to talk to and has a great sense of humor. He conceptualized a project with multiple facets that involved extreme personalities and international logistics. He possesses attention to detail and great follow though. He is dependable, reliable and adaptability. All of these characteristics contribute to a well rounded person who excels at whatever he chooses to do. I’d give him my highest recommendation!” “Derek is bright, focused and a team player who always brings a positive attitude. He has the ability to manage multiple projects and deliver results. He’s a pleasure to work with and I would welcome the opportunity to work with him again in the future.” “Although I have only know Derek Gates for just over a year, I have grown to respect his tenacity to achieve greatness. Derek doesn’t let the obstacles of the world prevent him from his dreams and commitment to enrich the lives of others. In working with him on the Through the Roof Kilimanjaro Climb, he proved over and over not only his professionalism but also his ability to take a project from conception to completion. His dedication to raising funds for the Challenged Athletes Foundation® (CAF) and helping those in the disabled community reach their dreams of athletic greatness, is just a small look into his character. As a leader and idealist, Derek will always succeed in life and enhance those around him whether personally or professionally. It is my pleasure to give Derek my highest recommendation professionally and personally.” “Derek is the person everyone wants on his or her team – personable, team player, talented and driven to deliver excellence! I had the pleasure of managing Derek for a few years and over that time he quickly became a key player in our organization and on my team. An accomplished marketer both professionally and in several notable personal endeavors, Derek has a knack for taking the latest techniques in the digital marketing space and seamlessly blending them into a brand’s overall sales and marketing efforts. His team management is exceptional and you’d be hard pressed to find anyone who doesn’t enjoy working for or alongside him. Derek would be a fantastic asset to any company looking to add a dynamic, talented individual and expects immediate return on its investment” “Derek is an outstanding team member with a thorough understanding of online advertising best practices and the management skills to implement across various resource groups. He is pragmatic and a creative thinker.His professional yet easy-going attitude make Derek a great asset to any company looking for a respectable business leader.” “I worked in parallel with Derek during his time at Carling Communications. Together, we provided Medical Education and Public Relations services for the same high-demand, large-sized client. It was crucial to be working on the same page, yet on different tasks, and Derek was the perfect partner to be working with on this initiative. I found Derek to be an invaluable asset during his time at Carling, providing timely and important information regarding account initiatives, ensuring that both sides performed seamlessly. Derek acts professionally in all circumstances, and had a unique skill set setting him apart from others working in similar roles. It was a pleasure working with Derek, even during the busiest of times on the account.” “The project Through the Roof was driven by the hard work and determination of Derek. He took a concept and made it a reality. As a filmmaker, it was a pleasure working with him on the project and I quickly found out he can relate to anyone. Whether CEO’s of companies, or the average person, Derek could find a way to connect and deliver. I will always remember standing on the highest point in Africa with him (19,340ft) and thanking him for letting me be a part of the project. Like most people he works with, we will always maintain a close friendship.” “As the Director of Education for the C.H.E.K Institute I had the distinct pleasure of working with Derek Gates. Derek has an innate ability to understand an organizations current mission, products and programs and improve their brand strategy. During his time with the C.H.E.K Institute we experienced record enrollments in our Advanced Training Programs and began to develop a strong identity in the Health and Fitness Industry. His vision and ability to execute and manage projects was a contributing factor to the growth of the company. Derek is a hard working self-starter, with great communication skills, who demonstrated his ability to implement, organize and manage a marketing department with the C.H.E.K Institute. He is a great team member and would be a valued asset to any organization seeking to improve its brand strategy and operate more efficiently and effectively. I truly hope I have the opportunity to work with him again in the future.”
