Just a few of over 40 recommendations on my LinkedIn profile. When you're done, check out my blogs or recent presentations.
“Brad's presentation for the Stamats08 event was everything one could hope for in a presentation. His deck was tight and detail-packed, which can sometimes lead to a stuffy presentation. Not with Brad. Mister Ward's delivery was personable, funny, and loose, as if he'd been giving the presentation for years. I would highly recommend Brad as a speaker for an event talking about technology, about higher ed, or about the use of online technology for marketing. You'll learn, you'll be entertained, and you'll have actionable takeaways to consider after the event. Brad Ward is top shelf. Get him while you can afford him.
Chris Brogan - Publisher, Speaker, Trainer, ChrisBrogan.com.
“In my opinion, there is no one who knows more about social media in higher education than Brad. His experience planning and executing social media tactics at Butler gives him tremendous credibility in this area. He has great ideas for innovative tactics that can help universities differentiate themselves using tactics that don't require huge budgets or huge staffs to execute. And he has a great understanding of social media habits of 17-year-olds.We will definitely work with Brad again.”
Deborah Maue - Asst. VP for Marketing Strategy at DePaul University
“Allow me to add to the bevy of wonderful things there are to say about Brad J. Ward. He's one of the smartest and most-driven folks I've come across in higher ed marketing, while at the same time remaining down-to-earth, humble and eager to keep learning. Brad is generous with both his time and knowledge -- I find myself constantly referring to his blog, Twitter posts and presentation content in conversations with clients and colleagues. He's the first person I contact for advice or opinions on all things "social-media." Brad's passion for what he does is evident in his willingness to engage in and start dialogues that push our industry forward. He lives what he teaches and inspires by his example (I've often wondered when he sleeps;) This social web "celebrity" has a long, bright future ahead -- and I'm excited to watch it unfold.”
Adrienne Bartlett - Director of Marketing/Client Concierge, TargetX
Brad and I met and worked on strategies at the Stamats conference in St. Petersburg, FL. Since that time we have interacted on a professional basis. Brad's work is brilliant. He "gets it" and those who affiliate with Brad come away challenged and discover they are better for the association.
Larry Musick - Director of Alumni Relations, Abilene Christian University
“I had followed Brad Ward's work in higher ed for some time before I met him when he presented at a conference in 2008, and we've stayed in touch on the interwebs since then. Brad lives his life by the give and give-back ethos that defines social media. He's an evangelist and an absolutely tireless enthusiast with a plain old-fashioned love for and belief in people that is rare but essential in building genuine, lasting relationships in life and in business. I know he's going to do great things with BlueFuego!”
Kathleen Vandervelde - Director of Communications, Davenport University
Brad is a very enthusiastic proponent of Web and mobile technologies. He has been quite successful at harnessing the power of email, text messages, blogs, video and various social media tools to capture the attention of prospective students. Brad's creative investment in the use of these technologies has given new life to the University's recruitment efforts.
Tim Roe - Project Manager, Web Services, Butler University.
Brad Ward is one of the most intelligent, entrepreneurial, and creative people I have had the opportunity to work with in my career. He has a wealth of experience in higher education with a concentration in marketing and recruitment. His excellent communication and teaching skills enable him to work with organizations with varying levels of expertise to make their efforts successful. He is innovative and has devised unique programs which have directly impacted the growth and importance of the UMass Social Media program enabling us to have a meaningful presence on the most relevant Social Media sites. As a direct result of Brad Ward and Blue Fuego's efforts on behalf of UMass Amherst, we are experiencing tangible returns in all significant measures such fans, followers, contacts, and even yield.”
Lisa Perlbinder - Executive Director, Strategic Planning and Analysis, University Relations at University of Massachusetts Amherst
Brad has got it going on with social media. It is apparent from his work at Butler as well as his personal online life that Brad has figured out how to successfully engage a multi-faceted marketing campaign. He knows how to lead people online and uses the most potent online tools with maximum effectiveness: blog, video, twitter, social nets. Not only does he provide leadership online but continues to create value for his network offline. He keeps a transparent and analytical approach to his use of social media, often citing his google analytics and other engagement metrics. He is creative in his approach and use of social media and I think we will all find ourselves following Brad into the next gen of web.
David Blake - Director of Student Finance, Zinch.com.
Brad is a thought leader in the use of social media in cutting edge marketing techniques in higher education. His presentations are thought provoking, insightful and engaging. His passion in promoting Butler University shines through in projects he undertakes. He’s the kind of person you’d want running your company, your division, your community, as he has people’s attention – and they listen.
Rachel Reuben - Director of Web Communication & Strategic Projects & Welcome Center, State University of New York at New Paltz
Brad is one the revolutionary minds of higher education recruiting and enrollment management. One of only a few in his generation, he's great not because of his ability to recruit but because of his natural desire to assist and support students and those around him through the effective (and intelligent) use of social media.
Jeremy Johnson - Director, Web and Social Media Strategy, Zinch.com.
Brad is an example of what a good communicator in today's online world should be - willing to pursue alternative avenues of communication, responsive to trends and a tech junkie. I had the pleasure to work with Brad for a year before I moved to a new job, and I would not hesitate for a second to jump at the chance to partner on a project in the future. The changes he made on the Butler Admission site, with a small budget, have been phenomenal. I would say (and the statistics exist to back me up) that his efforts played no small part in one of the largest recruiting classes ever. He has pushed through a few initiatives that had stalled at the school before he arrived, and in a nice, low-key manner that kept politics out of the equation. Brad has also been instrumental in usability and focus group testing, refining the school's electronic communications ever finer.
Art Duszynski - Web Developer, Butler University. Worked with Brad from June 2007 - April 2008.
Brad Ward is an outstanding young man that puts his entire effort into everything that he does. His leadership skills are excellent and he is not afraid to think and act "outside the box". When it comes to support, you will find him bleeding your teams colors, active in every possible way to get others involved in that activity. Brad is a team player that is highly creative and energetic. Indeed, we will miss him at UIS, but know that he will be successful no matter where he goes.
Paul MacDonna - Assistant Athletic Director/Sports Information Director, University of Illinois at Springfield.
Brad brought an excellent skill set to our unit - he understood the collegiate market and the types of electronic marketing that appeal to prospective students. Brad is very personable, reliable, and ethical. I would recommend him without reservation.
Marya Leatherwood - Associate Vice Chancellor and Director of Enrollment Management, University of Illinois at Springfield. Managed Brad directly from February 2006 - June 2007.
Brad was a terrific team player at UIS. He brought new ideas for communicating our message and implemented them creatively -- for example, blogs, special thematic web sites, creative use of photos, and more in the social media. Those words don't capture the great enthusiasm with which Brad did all of this, and when he did it, all of these things were still relatively new. He took the initiative to do them even before some of us knew what they were all about. He just did it, and thank goodness he did! He also proved to be a great photographer!
Ed Wojcicki - Associate Chancellor for Constituent Relations, University of Illinois at Springfield. Managed Brad indirectly from February 2006 - June 2007.
Brad did excellent work for UIS. He always involved himself in a lot of activities and was extremely outgoing. His work demonstrates those facts. Community is stressed a lot at UIS, and Brad was (and still is) a great model to follow. I have worked with Brad quite a bit and his work has always been top-notch. In the marketing field it is important to stay current and up-to-date with trends that change so frequently, and Brad is certainly one of the best at bringing an organization into, and maintaining, a high-level of excellence in interactive multimedia.
Jeremy Wilburn - Marketing and Recruitment Specialist, University of Illinois at Springfield. Worked with Brad from August 2005 - June 2007.
Brad's motivation and determination puts him leagues ahead of his peers. Brad had the ability to fuse his creativity with this technological savvy, and with these two combined abilities, he was able to develop innovative solutions that gave a growing university a much-needed step up in today's competitive environment. Brad stayed on the bleeding edge of innovative techniques for recruitment, encouraging students to do a Video Blog (vlog) of university life as well as took poignant pictures that depicted life at UIS in an honest yet spirited fashion. I highly recommend Brad's work, and I firmly believe that if any person exhibits the aptitude Brad had for creating solutions in a college environment, they will most definitely be a success.
Suraj Prashad - President, SkyFire Design. Worked for Brad from August 2006 - June 2007.
Brad is a very innovative and motivated electronic communication coordinator at Butler University. His experience has given him the knowhow to tap the right resources for the desired outcome and has allowed him to think of new ways to accomplish goals. He is constantly surveying the competition to stay on top of the market and create the biggest impact possible with his work. I am confident that he will continue to be a great asset anywhere he chooses to go in the future.
Brian McCulloh - Application Developer, City Securities. Worked with Brad at Butler University from June 2007 - October 2007.
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