Testimonials
What others have to say about Pete Van Baalen's talent, work ethic and abilities to improve teams through his knowledge of marketing and ability teach and mentor and his proven leadership skills
True leaders empower people to be successful and Pete is the embodiment of a true leader. His ability to help others find their path to success is a rare gift. He connects easily and is able to build trust and rapport with both clients and staff instantly. His experience, knowledge and professionalism are a proven winning strategy for long lasting success. Pete is tenacious in his quest for creative solutions and his ability to see the "bigger picture" is a valuable asset. Pete is community minded, outgoing and in general, a great person to be around.
Stacey Ramsey-Strunk,Lake Region Advertising Director, Paxton Media Group, St. Joseph, MI
Recommendation. The word itself seems somewhat of an injustice for what I’d like to say. I first met Pete when he hired me fresh out of college to work in an industry I had little to no experience in. In just three short years, he has shared with me his wealth of knowledge, advice, and mentorship. His guidance is invaluable and I will forever be indebted to him. Pete is someone who not only is the first person in the office and one of the last to leave, but also uses his free time to share industry-related news and sales-leads with his team. He cares about his staff, he cares about the industry he works in and he cares about the clients he works with. All of this combined makes it hard to simply “recommend” Pete VanBaalen to you. For those of you who have not had the pleasure of knowing or working with Pete, I strongly urge you to make his acquaintance. He is an asset to any organization.
Tory Campbell, Inbound Marketing Manager at Greenlight Guru, Indianapolis, IN
Pete is a very creative and experienced businessman. I have known Pete for more than a dozen years and continue to call upon him and his advertising and marketing expertise. Attributes include: *visionary *excellent time management skills *very creative *well organized *respectful and polite *excellent leadership skills *passionate about his job *great listener Pete is a cutting edge marketing guy, always staying with the curve and keeping up to date with the latest technology. Foremost he is an honest, fair man who believes in his work and respects his employer.
Pam Lego, Director of Advertising for Midwest Advertising Placement, Indianapolis, IN
It is a pleasure to recommend Pete. Pete is a firm but nurturing leader, a business professional with a clear sense of vision and the ability to articulate it, a consultative and goal orientated sales director, a civic voice of reason, and a disciplined administrator who is ready to make a tangible top and bottom line contribution to the team he leads.
David Habrat, Major Accounts Manager for Lee Enterprise, Madison, WI
Pete Van Baalen is a bright and articulate man who understands all facets of advertising: From print, digital, SEO/SEM, magazine publishing, special promotions, product launching, implementation or any other ancillary audience delivery. I've known Pete for several years and he has an admirable quality in being positive, funny and extremely well liked by his employees. Pete began his career in the radio broadcast industry on a local level and migrated to the newspaper industry. His wealth of experience as a publisher, Sr. vice president of marketing and regional advertising director are second to none. He is, frankly, one of the smartest and kindest managers anyone could ask for, but aggressive in all of his pursuits to meet revenue targets successfully. And, he succeeds often to that end.
Brad Lyons, Business Development Manager at North American Retail Hardware Association, Indianapolis, IN
I have worked with Pete Van Baalen for over 10 years. Pete always impressed me as an honest, energetic, and innovative advocate of the newspaper industry. You don't seem to find folks like Pete much any more....guys who are true "company men" who give their all for their employer, and coach and inspire others to dedicate themselves just as much. I would recommend Pete without hesitation as a true example of a hardworking, compassionate individual, bringing a level of excellence to everyone and everything he embraces.
Tim Dellinger
President of Advantage Newspaper Consultants, Fayetteville, NC
Pete is the type of leader who cares just as deeply about the people he manages as the work getting done. Whether its a one-off project or entire department or company, Pete gets into the weeds when necessary without micromanaging, provides encouragement and support, and firmly guides with purpose-driven vision, balancing the appropriate urgency and grace needed to get things done efficiently and effectively. Despite no longer working together, I'm thankful to still have Pete as both a friend and mentor.
Jake Pickett, Marketing / Brand Specialist, Fort Wayne, IN
Pete is one of those individuals that have all the skills as a leader you would want. Organized, collaborative and innovative, Pete understands how to prioritize his time to get maximize efficiency. Pete’s top flight people skills and an unrelenting drive to come up with new ideas is also his strength. He’s competitive and knows how to simply get the job done.
Mark Cohen, President APG ENC / Ohio Division at Adams Publishing Group, Greenville, NC
I have had the pleasure of working with Pete in numerous positions over the years and he is the complete package when it comes to a manager and sales professional. Pete is creative, organized, driven, and he knows how to motivate, nurture and coach those around him to develop those same qualities. He understands the big picture and strategy and can put the plan together to get there. Pete is true professional and an asset to any organization.
Beverly Joyce, Revenue Specialist at CNHI, Montgomery, AL
Working with Pete for almost 10 years has been something that has been very valuable to me. Pete is a man of integrity and his knowledge about not just newspaper but advertising in general is second to none. Pete has always had the customer's needs in mind when he thinks about advertising solutions. He is not someone who is just out to reach a number or goal. He wants to see a customer succeed for their gain, not his. Positive relationships with clients is something Pete strives for each and every time out. Working with Pete is something you will be very comfortable with and will be a smart choice in assisting with the growth of your company.
David Johnson, Vice President of Sales, Hometown Welcome, Sturgis, MI
Pete served as my direct manager, yet if I was to label Pete as a solely a manager it would be an injustice. Pete is a leader. A leader leads people to perform at their absolute best and a manager manages and assigns tasks. Pete led my development and accomplishments though example and his own hard work, encouraging me to do my best. I believe that if more “managers” had Pete’s leadership ability more people would love their job and performing at their maximum capacity.
Cole Schultz Financial Solutions Specialists for Cisco Capital, Seattle, WA
I've had several opportunities to work with Pete in the Greater Mankato market in Southern Minnesota. He was also instrumental in hiring me on as the Retail Sales Manager of the Free Press Media team. Pete's visits brought a variety of skills to our entire team to include being very encouraging in analyzing sales staff, goal setting and training. He was able to communicate clearly to our team while also able to individualize conversations with staff to take into account what would work best for them - thus creating a very positive work environment, which of course inspire all of us to do better. A great role model in today's tough industry.
Ginny Bergerson
Digital/Ignite Consultant, Townsquare Media, Owatonna, MN
Pete came to The Elkhart Truth with a strong sales and newspaper background. He has focused on the financial health of the newspaper and improved it greatly, but he's also taken a deep and abiding interest in the newspaper and it's coverage being part of the community. He has pushed his team to look at costs and being efficient, but he has also pushed into the community to help non-profits using the power of the newspaper. He has become part of the community in a short period of time and developed relationships. His has interacted with community leaders and forged bonds with them so that the link between The Elkhart Truth and the community continues to grow stronger.
Marshall King
Freelance writer and food critic, Goshen, IN
During my time working with Pete, I have found him to be organized, detail oriented and driven to succeed. Pete works hard to help me reach desired outcomes whether it is related to growing sales or training sales associates. I recommend Pete for his passion and his ability to accomplish tasks in a timely fashion and with the desired results.
Bill Hanson
Regionial Publisher, CNHI, Jeffersonville, IN
Pete is a seasoned executive with a compelling combination of skills. He is revenue focused, thinks outside of the box, and is an effective communicator. I found him to be easily accessible, strong in industry knowledge, open to new ideas, focused on what will drive new revenue and how to strategically implement ideas across multiple properties and a genuine individual. He is able to build and maintain strong relationships with his immediate and extended teams. Pete can and does add positively to any organization he is a part of.
Tina St. Clair
Co-owner of Howey Realty Co., Hills, FL
I've worked with Pete for several years. He is dedicated, open minded, thought provoking and has a keen eye for detail. Not only does Pete have a great sense of humor, he is blessed with a creative mind as well. We worked together in planning a variety of promotions, implementing and coming in over projected margins.
Laura Welborn
Regional Publisher, CNHI, Greensburg, IN
I had the pleasure to work as an employee of Pete’s for a brief time at Fort Wayne Newspapers. When I made the transition to broadcast television, Pete asked me to join him for a beer. Little did I know that meeting over a cold one would change my life for the better. Fast forward four years and Pete has become a client and, most importantly, a mentor. He truly cares about his employees and has a knack for connecting people and recognizing talent. Pete offers a wealth of knowledge of the media and marketing world (and Seinfeld episodes). He creates a positive work culture and recognizes the value of people. He is one of the best leaders I have met in my career. I 100% recommend Pete!