American Bar Association’s Marketing and Communications Transformation Enters Next Phase

WASHINGTON, D.C., Oct. 18, 2010 — The American Bar Association today announced its next steps in an ongoing strategic transformation of the association’s outreach to members, the legal field, and the public. Christopher Gloede is joining the organization as chief marketing officer and Communications and Media Relations Division Director Alicia Torres will serve as chief communications officer.

“The ABA continues to build a dynamic organization that more effectively reaches and serves our members,” commented ABA Executive Director Jack Rives. “Having two very talented, experienced professionals working in complement to effectively create and communicate value is key to our new direction.”

Gloede, who joins the ABA on November 1, is now director of general management for SapientNitro, a marketing firm, and he is a former partner and interactive marketing director with OgilvyOne, the global marketing, advertising and consulting firm.  He holds a masters degree in business administration from the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business.

In the newly created position of chief marketing officer, Chris will direct development of creative, market-driven strategies for the association’s product and service offerings.  His areas of responsibility will cover all aspects of marketing, including positioning, advertising and profitability.  Chris will supervise efforts to attract new members.

From his experience at OgilvyOne, Chris also brings important familiarity with the ABA business and marketing environment.  He supervised the firm’s consulting work on the ABA’s member growth initiative.  His wealth of experience, talent and expertise in the business marketing environment will be an invaluable asset as the ABA moves forward, building the member base and enhancing member value through new strategies, systems, services and products.

Torres, who joined the ABA on June 1, 2010, assumes her new position effective immediately. She previously headed the Media and Government Relations Division of the American Institute of Physics and for many years operated her own national communications strategy firm.  She holds a doctorate in communications from the University of Texas at Austin.

As chief communications officer, Torres is responsible for the oversight of the overall ABA image, and development and implementation of more proactive and effective ABA communications.  She is leading a transformation of the association’s outreach to include more strategic media relations, direct-to-member communications, and an expanded new media presence. Her team ensures that association-wide messaging efforts are aligned with ABA priorities.

Rives added, “The ABA has so much to offer all lawyers to help them deal with the demands and rewards of the profession. Together, Chris and Alicia will help ensure the legal profession and all those we serve are fully leveraging the association’s rich store of information and services.”

With nearly 400,000 members, the American Bar Association is the largest voluntary professional membership organization in the world.  As the national voice of the legal profession, the ABA works to improve the administration of justice, promotes programs that assist lawyers and judges in their work, accredits law schools, provides continuing legal education, and works to build public understanding around the world of the importance of the rule of law.

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