Resume for Pete Van Baalen

As a marketing, media, and project management professional, Pete Van Baalen has built a successful career by driving profitability and content excellence in various markets and formats. Pete's project management experience has enabled them to lead cross-functional teams, manage complex projects, and deliver results on time and within budget. His passion for quality and dedication to continual improvement results in top-line growth and bottom-line savings. With a creative mind, Pete has increased revenue through traditional and non-traditional streams while maintaining efficiencies to achieve increased profits.

Career satisfaction has come from positive outcomes from team building and innovation.

Pete's personal why statement: I excel at simplifying complex challenges and delivering clear, actionable solutions that drive team success.

Pete's personal leadership statement: I lead teams to achieve strong business outcomes by cultivating a positive and productive work environment.

Career Highlights

Sweetwater Sound, Fort Wayne, Indiana

January, 2019 to present

Current role - Director of Business Operations

Leadership role that focuses on large-scale eCommerce and other major business projects, overseeing the planning and implementation wide scale internal improvements and business expansion, generating strong top-line growth in a cost efficient and manner, driven by effective project management, strategic planning, and the development of a high-functioning team that works across all aspects of the business.

Previous role - Director of Marketing, Sweet Family of Companies

Leadership role, providing marketing planning and implementation for a wide variety of industries - 15 businesses in total. Despite unusual circumstances surrounding the pandemic, our businesses continued to see double digit growth which was driven by superior storytelling and a comprehensive marketing plan of both traditional and digital marketing.

Fort Wayne Newspapers, Fort Wayne, Indiana

May, 2016 to December, 2019

Role - General Manager

Day to day management of entire Fort Wayne Newspaper operation, including content for News-Sentinel

and Fort Wayne Magazine, the manufacturing and distribution of all our associated publications,

commercial printing and business operations.

Helped stabilize sales department through implementation of training and recruitment programs
Building community partnerships to help strengthen the community we serve as well as ourselves and our selected partners
Extensive overhaul of products, expense reductions and operational structure which dramatically improved the corporate P & L.

Elkhart Truth - Federated Media, Elkhart, Indiana

November, 2014 to May, 2016

Role - Publisher

Management responsibility for a multi-million dollar operation and award winning multi-media

news and information organization serving the Elkhart, Indiana and the surrounding area. Operation included daily paper, TMC, niche print publications and a full suite of digital products.

Reengaged the community through involvement and strategic partnerships to better position our organization.
Extensive overhaul of products, expense reductions and operational structure which dramatically improved the corporate P & L, and the value of the company prior to the family’s decision to sell.

Community Newspapers Holdings Inc.

August, 2007 to October, 2014

Role - Vice President of Sales & Marketing, Regional Director

Led a regional sales team of 14 direct and 17 regional reports along with an 8 person call center team, responsible for selling a variety of products throughout the Midwest. Oversaw 30 sales organizations, consisting of 18 daily, 10 weekly and 2 shopper products, developing advertising and marketing strategies. Built a diverse sales team that focused on innovation while maintaining our core business. Created goals, tracking and managed day to day activities as well as long range goals and plans, with a focus on driving revenue.

Worked with multiple business units to increase productivity, reduce waste and find bottom line improvements to business operations.
Directed the successful launch of multiple new products and diversified revenue opportunities.

March, 2005 to April, 2006

Role - Group Publisher

The Hendricks County Flyer and Westside Flyer – Regional suburban newspapers with combined 50,000 circulations, freestanding niche products including weekly employment magazine and weekly lifestyle magazine in high income market. Responsible for the entire organization including advertising, editorial, distribution, finance and corporate P & L responsibilities. Developed and implemented the annual strategic plan for all departments.

Additional experience in sales, sales management, writing and radio broadcasting