Joanne Rogers

Director of Marketing Services

Joanne Rogers IMS

Greatest Professional Accomplishment: 
Leaving a secure advertising job in the northeast to move to Arizona without a job.  One may ask; how can this be your greatest professional accomplishment? It’s what has become of my professional life (and personal life) as a result that makes it a profound accomplishment.

Passionate About: 
Relationships - building authentic relationships and doing great work while helping others solve their challenges and achieve success.

Dream Job: 
One in which I’m utilizing my creativity, dedication and sense of partnership to help people reach their full potential.

Personal Philosophy: 
It’s not what we do; it’s how we do it.  Always practice kindness and grace.

Best Attributes: 
Ability to see the “big picture,” coupled with creativity, compassion, intuition and sheer honesty.

Key Strengths: 

  • Solving business challenges by examining existing strategies, tactics and goals and offering sound marketing solutions.
  • Developing marketing plans to steer businesses forward. 
  • Directing design and production of brand collateral, direct mail, websites, point-of-purchase, email blasts, videos and other corporate communications. 
  • Managing creative development and execution of broadcast, print, radio, online and promotional advertising.
  • Bringing a highly trained “creative eye” to advise on all projects to achieve maximum impact. 
  • Designing, implementing and managing consumer research programs.
  • Fostering positive relationships with clients, partners and peers.

Biography:

Always creative and marketing-minded, at eight years old I had my own business creating and selling crafts at a local flea market. I also had a flair for fashion and was voted “Best Dressed” in high school.  I considered going to the Fashion Institute of Technology (F.I.T.) rather than getting a traditional college degree. But my parents, who were raised during The Great Depression, thought otherwise.  A degree in business was far more reasonable.  And being old-fashioned they insisted that “their baby”—the youngest of four girls—go to an in-state school, at least for freshman year.

I decided on Trenton State College (now called The College of New Jersey) and studied marketing.  Although I was a business student my favorite classes were my elected ones: sociology, psychology, art history, English writing and English literature. I even studied abroad my sophomore year at the University of London.  At times, I struggled with wanting to change my major.  But because I couldn’t decide between creative writing or counseling, I stayed with marketing.  It seemed broad enough to take me just about anywhere I'd want to go.

I landed my first job in NYC working for Griffin Bacal Advertising on the Hasbro, Playskool and Milton Bradley accounts.  And, after getting a taste of the toy industry, I moved on to Toys “R” Us corporate headquarters in Paramus, New Jersey.  I really enjoyed my job, the toy industry and the advertising business.  But I didn’t like the cold weather and grey skies. After a short visit to Arizona with my boyfriend to see his folks during the holidays, we both agreed to pick up and move west.  My family and friends were upset about my moving.  But they figured I’d be back in three years.  It is now eleven years and I’m not looking back.

I landed a job as an account executive for Best Western International, Inc. shortly after arriving in Phoenix.  I spent the last 10+ years at Best Western in various roles within the Creative Services and Advertising Departments.  While there I managed advertising, direct mail, trade show, point-of-purchase and web site development for national and regional marketing initiatives.  I also spearheaded all marketing efforts to the hotel developer and travel agent audiences.  At the same time, I was responsible for overseeing the $5 million hotel directory program. Needless to say, I’m pretty good at juggling.

I bring to IMS, Inc. a broad marketing perspective and client-service savvy.  Throughout my career, I’ve always been in a client-service role, albeit in-house, in most positions.  I truly love the process of getting to know the hearts and the minds of my clients so that I can fully understand their needs and help lead them to success.

It all makes sense now.  At IMS, I can be a counselor, a writer, a designer and a marketer. Looking back, I wasn’t so crazy after all.  I knew what I wanted to do all along.