Who Is Tom Finan?

I’m a marketer and communicator, primarily in the construction industry. My foremost goal is to facilitate connections among people, through relationships, written and visual communication, and implementation of the latest available technology.

• Publisher of St. Louis Construction News and Real Estate (CNR), 1976 to present, a regional B2B with a circulation of 7,000. Produce a weekly, 4,000 circulation e-news update and website www.StLouisCNR.com. In July of this year CNR won a Gold Quill award from the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC).

• Developed and implemented strategic marketing plans, prepared project proposals, wrote and produced print, radio, and television, and interactive for construction industry companies ranging from small, specialty contractors and architectural products companies to multi-billion dollar firms.

• Created, marketed, promoted and ran a regional trade construction show which attracted approximately 6,000 visitors per year over a three-year period.

• Wrote The Specialty Trade Contractor’s Guide to Marketing Success, published by the American Subcontractors Association.

• Assignments  for ASA in  2009 included a webinar on “Getting the Right Customers”; an article on branding for contractors in Contractor’s Compass, ASA’s national magazine, and an ASA national convention session on Web 2.0/Social networking.

• Serve on the national marketing committee for the Associated General Contractors of America.

• Selected to present a session on Web 2.0/Social networking at the AGC 2010 national convention.

• Publisher of Painting and Wallcovering Contractor (PWC) B2B magazine from 1985 through 2007, a national publication with a circulation of 25,000.

• Created the concept and design document for “The Virtual Paintstore” website: www.paintstore.com in 1997.

• Led the branding and marketing communication task force for a national association in the coatings industry.

• Was named Painting and Decorating Contractors of America “Associate Member of the Year” in 2005.

• Author of Marketing for Painting Contractors, published by Painting and Decorating Contractors of America, 1991.