Resume Blueprint

Travis Jon Allison’s Career Objective

A senior leadership position in an organization that is using social media to spread the word about their world-changing product or programme. To support this objective I bring with me my 3 greatest skills: Leadership, Marketing and Project Management.  I hope to promote the growth of the organization for which I work, determine what other potential is there and show the world our ground-breaking product.

Travis’ Qualifications

A professional with 15 years experience as a director of a summer camp, executive director of a non-profit, a fire fighter, a full-time photographer and a consultant. Able to champion the customer to the organization in order to improve communication and become an influence in their purchasing decisions.  Brings to the position excellent mix of skills in:

•      Project Management
•      Creativity
•      Designing
•      Leadership
•      Speaking
•      Dealing with Pressure
•      Problem Solving
•      Initiating
•      Influencing
•      Marketing/Promoting
•     Decision Making
•     Human Resources

Travis’ Selected Achievements

•    Spearheaded, as Project Manager, the overall design, building, budgeting and staffing requirements for the construction of a brand new camp programme at Cairn. Result: In 100 days successfully transformed 20 acres of wilderness and created a complete living environment for 36 people.
•    As Camp Director took leadership role to teach 65 staff members to be conscious of the end-to-end liability and risks of the job of running a children’s camp.  Result: The staff compassionately dealt with incidences of reported child abuse every year, ran a safe programme and were often commended by clients for their polite and respectful manners.
•    Designed, communicated and implemented a procedural set-up and physical site plan that would allow the successful amalgamation of two unique programmes on one property while maintaining separate identities.  Result: Client satisfaction has increased substantially doubling the enrolment in client sessions, staff leadership experiences, morale and opportunities for growth were also increased significantly.
•    Utilized creative skills to photograph staff portraits for Cairn.  Result:  Unique pictures and videos that have driven traffic to the Cairn website. A promotional tool that has been seen all over the world, elevating the stature of the Cairn programme.
•    Facilitated presentation of “The Internet Will Make You A Better Camp Director” at the 3000 delegate Tristate international camping conference in 2009.  Result: Provided methodology for Directors to monitor communications regarding their organization on the internet. Established contacts within the camping industry in the USA, opened up networking for other camp directors, shared the methods of a successful social media marketing campaign.
•    As a fire fighter, quickly analyzed and made decision to break protocol and give life-saving medicine to a patient without an order from an officer.  Result: The patient had a successful recovery after a short stay in hospital. Recognized with the first ever Lake of Bays Fire Department Life Saver award.
•    Co-ordinated life-saving medical care on a patient while working under the pressure of intoxicated and agitated men who had to be removed from the accident scene to ensure patient safety and care.   Result: Diffused the anxiety of concerned peers, maintaining control of a life-threatening situation. Administered care to the patient until the ambulance arrived which ultimately resulted in his survival.
•    Utilized a very small marketing budget ($4000/year) in innovative ways to increase the growth rate of the organization.   Results: This translated into a 10-15% growth rate sustained for 10 years.
•    Influenced the growth rate of clients and staff at Glen Mhor Camp.  Result: Grew the business from 297 clients in 1995 to over 1200 by 2004, increased the staff from 35 to a staff of 55 seasonal employees and created completely new programme in Outdoor Education for students.
•    As the volunteer social media manager for Cairn utilized community-based marketing tools to market to their core target client audience of 12-40 year olds.    Result: 41% increase in brand new visitors to the website in the past 6 months. The strongest communication with alumni and donors in the organization’s history. A decrease in the bounce rate on the website from 63% to 32%.
•    Created a marketing plan for my Lifestyle and Wedding Photography business. Result: Increased business income by 500% over 2 years, expanded market to include corporate and headshot work.
•    Designed an innovative new conference model for the faltering Ontario Camp Leadership Workshop.  Result: A successful ThinkCamp conference in 2007 and another planned for 2009. The adoption of this successful model has resulting in ongoing workshops.
•    Ran an annual 3 day Adventure Leadership course for the Ontario Camp Leadership Workshop. Result: Taught staff from camps from organizations across Ontario and Quebec, raised skill levels of participants so they would excel at teaching and training in their own programmes.
•    Professional conference presentations at international conferences, known for impact and creative imagery.  Result: Excellent reviews from attendees, shared presentations that have been downloaded hundreds of times, Twitter links from camp consultants to the online versions of presentations.
•    Reduced the environmental impact of a organization spread over 200 acres with a staff of 65 and up to 1200 clients a year.  Result: Costs for waste removal, electricity and office supplies did not grow equal to the rate of expansion over 10 years; staff and children were taught easy ways to minimize their impact on the environment and Cairn was recognized as a leader in environmental stewardship.
•    Recommended for an officer position with the Lake of Bays Fire Department after only 2 years of service.   Result: Applied knowledge and experience from outside organizations to Fire Department skills.  Expanded knowledge within the members of the fire hall, provided calm leadership especially in emergency medical situations.
•    Orchestrated the change in the programme from a very traditional camp to one that included many adventure facilitation tools Result: In 3 years achieved a market leader position with exciting programmes that others in our category do not yet provide.
•    Co-ordinated an online and in-person response to a fallacious report that would have seen our organization closed.  Result: In 2005 Cairn was created as the professional non-profit organization to co-ordinate the camping programmes of 5 camps.  As Co-Executive Director of the new organization standardized procedures, reduced liability risks and prioritized staff time to promote a better place in which to work.

Travis’ Professional Experience

Owner, Principal Photographer, Subtlevox Photography
Ontario, Canada  2004 – present
•    Managing day to day administrative activities: organizing job bids, budgeting, client contracts & payment, hiring extra photographers and models.
•    Developed a comprehensive marketing strategy including print advertisements, mailings and online social media
•    Comparing and contrasting various online tools to determine the most cost-effective programs to benefit the business.
•    Developed customer specific packages to suit their photographic needs.

Co-Executive Director, CAIRN Camping & Retreat Centres
Muskoka, ON, Canada  2005 – 2007
•    Served as Co-Executive an a non-profit organization that was created to bring accountability and liability awareness to the camps of the Synod.
•    Supervised the writing of a Policy and Procedures manual and managed the training of a staff of 65 and 200 volunteers.
•    Developed a marketing plan that included creative design, trend analysis and a plan to use social media.
•    Managed a $600 000 operating budget and a $35 000 Capital budget.
•    Administered a year-long amalgamation project, brought together 2 children’s camp (each more than 40 years old) and planned and coordinated a complete relocation of one camp to the other property.

Co-Director, Glen Mhor Camp
Baysville, ON, Canada 1996 – 2005
•    Developed a marketing plan that sustained a 10-15% growth for more than 10 years.
•    Planned and trained staff on Emergency Response procedures
•    Leadership Training for 55 staff, including 14 days of orientation and inservice training.
•    Managed a property of 197 acres and over 30 separate buildings.

Co-Owner, Consultant, Walking Maverick Consulting
Huntsville, ON, Canada 1994 – present
•    Planned and prepared proposals specific to the needs of perspective clients
•    Developed plans with organizations to create programmes that addressed their desires to improve communication, using new media to market their programmes, developing leadership skills in staff and clients.

Research Assistant, Carleton U. – Psychopathology Laboratory
Ottawa, ON, Canada 1993 – 1994
•    Compiled and presented a wide variety of research projects
•    Data entry and compilation on project involving psychopaths in Canadian prisons.

Education

Carleton University  (Ottawa, ON)            Bachelor of Arts – Developmental Psychology, May 1997

Travis’ Skills and Certifications

Smart Serve (10/08) – Nutrient Application Technician (Licensed) – Ontario Driver’s License: DF Z – Firefighting: Lake of Bays Fire Department – Life Saving Award, 5 Year Service Medal, Auto Extrication Course – Advanced Adventure Facilitation – True Colours Certified Facilitator – Non-Violent Crisis Intervention – Wilderness First Responder (Wilderness Medical Associates): current – Ontario Water Systems Operator – Small Water Works Operator License (expired 1/08)

Travis’ Volunteer Work

•    CAIRN Presbyterian Camping & Retreat Centres: Volunteer Social Media Manager
•    Smiling Eyes Photography – professional photographers volunteering to take portraits of families touched by cancer (http://clickphoto.typepad.com/smilin_eyes/about_smiling_eyes/)
•    Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep (NILMDTS) Infant Bereavement Photography – professional photographers who volunteer to take portraits of babies who die prematurely or who are not expected to live to leave the hospital http://www.nowilaymedowntosleep.org/
•    Software Beta Tester – Typepad (www.typepad.com): online website and weblog building software – original beta tester, Customer Advocate Board (presently);  Vox (www.vox.com): weblog program
•    MS Walk for Super Cities (2008, 2009) – Woodstock photographer
•    Huntsville Fire Department – Firefighter (2006-2007)
•    Lake of Bays Fire Department – Firefighter, Baysville Stn. 40 (2001 – 2007)
•    Salvation Army Annual Food Drive – 2001 – 2006
•    Ontario Camp Leadership Workshop (OCLW)/ now Think Camp. – Director
•    Ontario Camping Association – Standards Accreditor (1995-2007)
•    Ontario Camping Association – Environmental Committee, Annual Conference Committee, Facilities and Maintenance Conference Committee, Skills Weekend – Skills Stream Leader: Programme
•    Canada Camps Magazine – Editorial Board