Stephanie Ray
Posted by Communications2 on Oct. 19, 2023 / Member Spotlight / Subscribe 0
Name: Stephanie Ray
Company: Sunrise Engineering
Title: Director of Marketing
Board Role: Communications Director
How long have you worked at your current company?
Almost six years.
How would you describe your role/job?
I oversee all of the marketing activities for our company. I also help to establish and maintain our company brand and have an active role in our strategic planning efforts. I have a team of eight marketing coordinators, communications specialists, information coordinators, and graphic designers that help me. We are responsible for producing proposals, corporate communications, marketing brochures and other collateral, and templates, as well as maintaining the website and social media accounts… and anything else that someone might think can somehow be marketing-related. I help to ensure that the image of our company consistently communicates our culture and values to our employees, clients, and communities.
What are the rewards of your job?
I have the most amazing team. I am beyond lucky to work with eight of the most talented, smart, funny, and supportive marketing professionals. Some of them brought previous experience to the job and others were completely green. No matter where they started, it is so cool to have the opportunity to mentor them and watch them learn and grow into such capable marketers. I rely on them and trust them every day and they never let me down.
I’m also very lucky that most of our managers accept the guidance we give in terms of good go/no-go decisions and proposal content. They were already doing a pretty good job when I started, but we have been able to make significant improvements in the quality of our proposals and improve our hit rate. It is very rewarding to know I work for a company that trusts me to guide them in the right direction.
What are your challenges?
Finding enough minutes in the day to do all the things I want.
How long have you been an SMPS member?
11 years.
What led you to serve on the Board?
Keri Hammond made me do it.
How has SMPS membership helped you?
I say this all the time, but it is the truth: everything I know about doing my job well, I learned through SMPS. Even before I was a member, I was lucky enough to know many people in the organization. And every time I didn’t know how to do something, I would call one of them and they would teach me. They still teach me. And not only have I been able to find the best mentors and teachers, but also the best friends.
What's the best career advice you've received?
Be a duck.
What's the best career advice you've given?
Be kind and understanding; communicate everything; and set boundaries.
What has contributed to your success?
Learning to listen to people.
What's on your bucket list?
I really want to go to Italy.
Guilty pleasure: what can you not live without?
Seattle Dry Cider. And cheesecake!
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