Chuck has more than 20 years of experience in public relations, marketing, branding, and publishing. His experience spans a variety of industries including automotive, colleges and universities, technology, restaurant and hospitality, government and municipal, associations, elder care, professional services, economic development, and chambers of commerce.
He has worked with clients such as North Carolina State University, Town of Cary, Smith Anderson, Falcon Engineering, SAS Championship, FLD, Inc., Branch Communications, Precision Tune, Consolidated Asset Recovery Services and the N.C. Chamber.
Chuck is an accredited member of PRSA and has developed a national profile and strategic agency relationships throughout North America through his involvement in Counselors Academy, a group of top thought leaders who shape the direction of the PR industry. Chuck has served locally and nationally on industry and civic boards. He received the Business Journal’s 40 under 40 Leadership Award in 2009. He earned his B.A. in communication with a concentration in public relations from N.C. State University.
Glenn Gillen
Glenn Gillen, APR, is an accredited public relations professional with more than 25 years of experience. His background includes PR, nonprofit communications, advertising, marketing, corporate communications, community relations and video production — with a specialty in media relations and informative writing.
He has worked with organizations such as Cirque du Soleil, Bell and Howell, the Carolina Hurricanes, the Angus Barn, and Underwriters Laboratories. Glenn has published articles in Public Relations Tactics and The Public Relations Strategist, and presented at numerous conferences.
Glenn holds a bachelor’s degree in radio, television and motion pictures from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He volunteers at UNC athletic and performing arts events, and is an avid foodie and pop culture observer.
Ron Smith
Ron is Founder of S&A Cherokee and known throughout the office for his many Ronisms such as “Don’t love anything that can’t love you back” and “Pigs get fat, hogs get slaughtered” (a reference to not trying to expand the business too fast). He jokes that he started two companies during recessions but you can’t argue with his success and longevity. Ron has been in the communications business since age 16 when he started writing for the community newspaper. He attended both Brevard College and North Carolina Wesleyan College and served for a time as the first public information officer for his hometown of Rocky Mount. After working in a public relations company and national automobile trade association, he took the leap and founded Smith & Associates in 1982. Several years later, he launched Cherokee Publishing and created Automotive Remarketing, Cary Magazine, and other media titles.
He has a passion for both public relations and publishing, and S&A Communications allows him the opportunity to have the best of both worlds. Married since 1971 to his wife Donna, Ron dearly loves being a father and grandfather. He is active with the Garner Rotary Club, Aversboro Baptist Church, and National Ataxia Foundation. Having delegated more and more management functions over the past few years, Ron and Donna now have more time to enjoy the beautiful mountain views near Blowing Rock.
Mike Trainor
Mike Trainor is a 20 year veteran of the marketing and public relations industry. Over the course of his career, he has had the good fortune to represent some of the world’s most respected and recognized brands, including Virgin, Deloitte, OppenheimerFunds, Bank of America, Mike’s Hard Lemonade, TD Ameritrade, and more. He spent more than a decade working in the Boston area, and relocated his family to North Carolina in 2009.
Mike is a graduate of Siena College in Albany, NY. Outside of work, Mike can be found spending time with his two children, playing golf and tennis, and rooting for all things Boston sports.
Deneen Bloom
Deneen’s expertise spans more than 20 years in marketing strategy, brand building, marketing campaign development, consumer research, and traditional and new tactics oversight. She’s worked with numerous brands such as Golden Corral Corporation, Metro Goldwyn Mayer, N.C. Agency for Public Telecommunications, Bennigan’s, Precision Tune Auto Care, Bear Rock Café, and NBC television.
Deneen has worked on both the in-house client side and on the agency side. As director of client services for S&A Communications, she has primary responsibility for developing and driving overall strategy, planning and quality control, as well as brand management for clients.
Deneen holds a master’s degree in management from the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Southern California and serves on the WSHA Board of Directors, U.S. Uganda Orphans Education Fund Board of Directors and has served on the Women’s Leadership Council with United Way.
Leah Brown
As a millennial, Leah brings a unique and fresh perspective to NC 100. Her experience includes working closely with clients to implement multimedia marketing plans and coordinating activities among internal public relations, creative and digital marketing teams. Leah gained experience in public relations, marketing and social media through her internship and now account coordinator position at S&A Communications; her prior internship at Shelten Media, LLC, managing Enterprising Women Magazine’s social media accounts; and her role as the Event Coordinator for PRSSA’s North Carolina State University chapter.
Leah graduated from North Carolina State University in May 2015 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in communication with a concentration in public relations and a minor in business administration. On the weekends, you can find her with her snowboard on the slopes or packing her bags for a trip to a new place, fulfilling her itch to travel.
Amber Keister
Amber is one of the editors of Cary Magazine, a lifestyle publication that celebrates the community of Western Wake, N.C. Her duties include writing, editing, design and whatever else is required to get the magazine to the printer.
She has more than 25 years of journalism experience, working for publications across the South including the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and the (Raleigh) News & Observer.
A native of St. Louis, Amber graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Journalism. She has never lost the Midwesterner’s fascination with the ocean and heads to the beach with her husband, dog, and two teenagers whenever she can.
Nancy Pardue
Nancy Pardue is an editor at Cary Magazine, responsible for feature content development. She joined the S&A Communications team in 2008 as editor of CM’s sister publication, Triangle East. Nancy developed her love for community journalism in a former life as a newspaper reporter, writer, business columnist and news editor for The Daily Record in Dunn, N.C., where she was mistaken for an SBI agent while covering her first big crime story.
A South Jersey native, Pardue holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in mass communication with a concentration in print media from Campbell University in Buies Creek, N.C., and is a recipient of the North Carolina Press Association Award for business feature writing.
Off-hours, she’s at work on The Great American Novel.
Joe Overby
Joe Overby is the editor of Auto Remarketing, a business-to-business publication covering the used-car industry.As Editor, Joe leads the planning, coordinating and editorial efforts for the company’s Auto Remarketing-based e-newsletters, digital and print publications.
Joe is also a frequent moderator at Cherokee Media Group’s Used Car Week conferences.
His experience outside of Auto Remarketing includes time as a sports reporter for The Brunswick News and freelance sports reporting for The Cary News, North Raleigh News/Midtown Raleigh News and SouthernPigskin.com. Joe graduated from N.C. State University in 2005.
Teresa Kriegsman
Teresa has more than 20 years of experience in design and content strategy, both as a journalist and a counselor. Her team is responsible for digital and web projects at S&A Communications. Born in Greensboro, Teresa is a North Carolina native. She received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she also has served as an adjunct lecturer. Teresa lives in Raleigh with her husband and her Golden Retriever. She is on a quest to pet all of the dogs.
