Chris Howard

Marketing executive with experience building high-performing teams that deliver positive ROI in highly competitive industries. A digital-first mindset with the ability to apply traditional with new and unique marketing approaches. A champion of brand development and a background driving acquisition and lifecycle marketing to achieve profitable long-term growth.

U.S. Gypsum (USG) Chicago, IL June 2018 - Present

Head of Digital Marketing and Customer Experience

Responsible for the global digital strategy, brand recognition and growth across multiple customer and distribution

models including accountability for B2B and B2C websites that generate over $100 million in sales annually.

Oversee online retailer relationships including Home Depot, Lowes, and Menards; introducing content syndication,

optimizing content and responsible for growing retail e-commerce revenue by more than 200%.

Accountable for the customer experience - which has been recognized by Gartner who ranked USG.com “Top 10” two-years in a row for digital interaction and user experience.

Responsible for social media, paid keywords and display ads, email marketing, search engine optimization, and third party platform partnerships to expand USG’s digital reach.

Introduce attribution modeling and account based marketing ensuring customer touch points and digital interactions are

tracked and shared in CRM allowing for lead generation, nurture and scoring for sales organization to manage opportunities and gain efficiencies.

Deutsche Bank (DWS), Chicago, IL 2016 - 2018

Director, Head of Digital Marketing

Accountable for setting the vision and leadership direction for digital marketing. Collaborate with global executive committee, sales, divisional heads to shape the overall digital direction and optimize every digital touch point including web sites, email, social media, paid search, syndication as well as provide in-depth tracking and reporting to improve client segmentation and engagement.

Provided strategic direction and leadership for the digital and design teams on global and domestic marketing efforts.

Introduced pull marketing initiatives including subscription capabilities, SEO, paid search, RSS feeds and sharing content through syndicated content.

Developed strategy for client segmentation, developing personas and distribution models targeting clients by profile and

job responsibilities to increase engagement and individualized content.

Calamos Investments, Naperville, IL   2010 - 2016

Vice President of Digital Strategy and Design

Lead the digital strategy and oversight for the interactive, brand and design teams.

Implemented predictive intelligence and personalized content; resulting in customer engagement increases and conversions.

Developed sales app that reduced follow up time with clients with a PURL (personalized URL) and a web page customized based on their meeting with all activity tracked into CRM.

Drove integration with key internal groups including IT, Product Marketing and Sales to deliver online and offline

initiatives that support key business objectives.

Oversaw the management and continued expansion of the core infrastructure elements that are leveraged across the

organization including implementing a digital mobile solution for employees and clients.

Increased SEO website traffic by more than 275%, and overall traffic by more than 120%.

Overhauled all online and offline communication pieces to ensure tracking was in place to monitor and adjust spend based on performance, saving the company more than $215,000 by optimizing channel spend including Walt Disney.

Introduced social media campaigns, including Facebook pages with games, gifts, ratings, and other applications.

Established vision, purpose, user interface and maintenance of web sites and social media. 

Enesco, Itasca, IL   2008- 2010

Director of Internet Marketing

Lead the digital strategy and deployed a global B2C Commerce website, B2B portal and multiple brand portals

Transitioned all company Web sites in-house to reduce operating costs by $300K annually.

Created and deployed global online account center resulting in $600K in annual savings and providing 60K retailers with complete account management and ordering capabilities.

Conceptualized and gained management approval to transition from paper catalogs to laptop and iPad sales and digital solution saving $450K annually; provided training to 300+ sales representatives.

Launched multiple global website loyalty portals; worked closely with Walt Disney to develop and launch the Walt

Disney Collectors Society.

Navistar International, Warrenville, IL  2006 - 2008

Interactive Marketing and Brand Strategy Manager

Created viral blogs, web casts, and podcasts. Introduced loyalty portal targeting small businesses. Prepared weekly statistics on campaign success.

Grew site traffic by 55+% and doubled number of leads generated with highly successful SEO and SEM marketing campaign.

Created and launched Web site template to enable dealers to develop and manage Web sites using corporate content management system.

Led comprehensive online rebranding strategy to align business lines; delivered related presentations through town hall meetings and video conferences.

Discover Financial Services, Riverwoods, IL 2005 - 2006

Project Manager, E-Commerce Marketing

Led development and implementation of online strategy and audience-specific programs for high-profile internal business partners targeting credit card acquisitions, business development, gift cards, and student markets.

Managed transition of search engine keywords to in-house team driving improved ROI.

Integrated of online response channel for national advertising campaign.

Managed focus groups, testing, and analytics to modify online credit applications and in- crease completion rate.

Launched new small business owner credit card with online application, trigger and life cycle campaigns, and online account management center.

CareerBuilder.com, Chicago, IL 2003 - 2005

Marketing Manager, E-Commerce

Responsible for the e-commerce platform, including site design, usability, product and pricing model, generating and monitoring traffic.

Helped lead negotiations with parent companies and Internet partners such as Chicago Tribune, Microsoft, CNN, and others to implement national marketing program with profit sharing initiative.

Developed and integrated CRM lead generation and sales distribution system supporting six sales divisions.

Devised business plan driving 5-fold revenue increase to $3.8M+ monthly, created search engine keyword purchase strategy resulting in 39+% increase in site traffic, and introduced email campaigns generating $200K in monthly revenue.

EMMY® Award for Outstanding Achievement for Advanced Media Informational / Instructional Program - 2008

Twenty Rising Stars in Financial Marketing Gramercy Institute - 2015

Bachelor of Arts in Business and History

Lake Forest College, Lake Forest, IL