Sidney Maxwell Public Relations
 
 
 
 
 


 

Dive 6.05




Michael Shmarak, Principal

Michael's interests and capabilities span several industries, including professional services, retail, hospitality, media and investment banking. Having handled a variety of corporate, consumer and brand positioning programs, his background and past clients include Big Five accounting and consulting firms, top-tier insurance companies and some of America's most visible brands.

Michael has held management positions at some of Chicago's leading public relations agencies. He served as director of Ruder-Finn's Corporate Affairs Practice, and was Account Supervisor/Media Relations for Ketchum in Chicago. While at Ketchum, he coordinated media relations and account activities for several client programs, including Andersen, Northwestern Mutual, Miller Brewing Company and Lions Club International. His efforts have led to placements with several top-tier media outlets—including the—Wall Street Journal, BusinessWeek, CNN, CNBC and Forbes—as well as garnering new business for his clients as a result of these programs.

Before joining Ketchum, Michael served as Vice President of Marketing for Flat Top Grill, a Chicago-based group of stir-fry restaurants. He has also worked at Marx Layne & Company, a metropolitan Detroit marketing and public relations agency where he serviced a variety of clients in a vast span of industries.

Michael earned his BSBA in Marketing from the Ohio State University and an MBA from Wayne State University in Detroit, MI.

Contact Michael at michael.shmarak@sidneymaxwell.com.


Megan Meier Lane

Megan Meier Lane joined Sidney Maxwell Public Relations in March 2005 after two years at Edelman’s Consumer Brands Division in Chicago.  She specializes in media relations, developing strategic media pitch angles and plans, executing segments and coordinating interviews for agency’s media-intensive clients.   
 
Media highlights for Sidney Maxwell Public Relations clients include: Good Morning America, Wall Street Journal, MarketWatch.com, New York Times, Chicago Tribune, MSNBC.com, Forbes.com, Food & Wine, Men’s Health, Better Homes & Garden SIP Gardens, Brandweek, CNBC, WMAQ-TV (NBC5), WLS-TV (ABC7), WGN-TV, thenest.com and in top legal publications like American Lawyer.

While at Edelman, she was a key team member on the Clorox, Bush’s Baked Beans and Bush’s Homestyle Chili teams.  Her main skills included event planning, media relations and coordinating press and Web site materials. She played an integral role in developing relationships with top media organizations and key influencers in the food media.
 
Prior to joining Edelman, Megan gained media and public relations experience through a college summer internship at the United States Olympic Committee training center in Chula Vista, CA.
 
A 2003 graduate from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Megan received a B.A. in Strategic Communications and a Business Certificate.  

Contact Megan at megan.meier.lane@sidneymaxwell.com.


Mindy Weinstein

Mindy Weinstein has over 12 years of public relations and communications experience. Most recently she was a vice president at Edelman Worldwide, where she provided thought leadership and developed strategic marketing/public relations initiatives about the health benefits of dairy for the National Dairy Council (NDC).

Prior to Edelman, she was the director of media relations for the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), where she oversaw the strategy and execution of AAP’s national media relations program for breaking news and crisis communications. She also managed the writing, editing, production and distribution of the AAP monthly electronic media mailing that publicized the medical journal Pediatrics. Mindy was instrumental in securing extensive national media coverage of several AAP policy statements, which included placements on all of the major network morning shows, nightly news programs and top-tier news publications.

Earlier career experience includes managing media relations and public relations programs for the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, Texas Instruments, Motorola and a variety of small high-tech clients. Mindy earned her Bachelor of Journalism from the University of Missouri’s School of Journalism.

Contact Mindy at mindy.weinstein@sidneymaxwell.com.

Liz Leismer

Liz Leismer joined Sidney Maxwell Public Relations as Summer Associate in May 2009, where she currently conducts media and account programming research for all of the firm’s clients—all while “learning the ropes” of the public relations business.

Liz is currently studying advertising and public relations at DePaul University, where she serves as the Public Relations Director for DePaul’s chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA). 

Contact Liz at liz.leismer@sidneymaxwell.com.




 

 
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